Green belt anniversary

News

14 August 1993

The reasons for the Act were set out in the preamble, which Smith quotes in the latest LGBC newsletter. Whatever we have learned over the last 400 years, Smith says, it is not how to improve on the lovely, sonorous, but very direct, prose of the first Elizabethans. The spelling is from the original.

“For the reforming of the great Mischiefes and Inconveniences that daylie growe and increase by reason of the pesteringe of Houses with divse Famylies, harboringe of Inmates, and convertinge of great Houses into sevll Tenlts or Dwellings, and erectynge of new Buyldings within the Citties of London and Westm and other Places near therunto adjoyninge, whereby great Infection of Sickness and dearthe of Victualles and Fewell hathe growen and ensued, and many idle vagrante and wicked psons have disapointed of Workmen and dispeopled; the wch enormities and defects Her Majestie of her Wisdome Princely consideracon and Care of her Subjects … that no pson or psons of what Estate Degree or Condicon soever, shall fromhensforth make and erecte anye newe buildinges house or houses for habitacon or dwellings, within either of the saide Citties, or within thre Myles of anye of the Gates of the said Cittie of London, Excepte it be to enlarge his or their House or Houses that so shall build the same, or to add some other Buyldinges to his or their Houses, or in their Gardens for more Ease or pleasure of the Buylder …”

There were escape clauses for the better off, and part of the extract is titled in the margin “…unless fit for Inhabitants of the better sort”.

Another clause dealt with open space in the following terms: “And Whereas divse Comons Waste Groundes and Great Fields nere adjoyninge to the Citties aforesaid wch have bene heretofore used for trayninge and musteringe of Souldiors, and for recreacon comforte and health of the People inhabitinge the saide Citties and Places, and for the use and excise of Archerie, have of late yeres bene inclosed and converted into sevelties and to other private uses: Be it enacted by the aucthoritie aforesaide, that it shall not be lawfull to any pson or psons to inclose or take in any parte of the Comons or Waste Groundes scituate lienge or beinge within thre Myles of anye of the Gates of the saide Cittie of London as aforesaide, to the let or Hindraunce of the Trayninge or musteringe of Souldiers or of walkinge for recreacon comforte and health of Her Majesties People, or the laudable excise of shoting where there hath bene usuall excise of shotinge and Markes have bene there sett…”

This year is the 400th anniversary of what was in effect the first Act of Parliament to create a green belt around London. Ronald Smith, Chairman of the London Green Belt Council (which celebrates its 40th anniversary next year), has drawn attention to the Elizabethan planning Act which set out (not very successfully) to control building development. The reasons for the Act were set out in the preamble, which Smith quotes in the latest LGBC newsletter. Whatever we have learned over the last 400 years, Smith says, it is not how to improve on the lovely, sonorous, but very direct, prose of the first Elizabethans. The spelling is from the original. “For the reforming of the great Mischiefes and Inconveniences that daylie growe and increase by reason of the pesteringe of Houses with divse Famylies, harboringe of Inmates, and convertinge of great Houses into sevll Tenlts or Dwellings, and erectynge of new Buyldings within the Citties of London and Westm and other Places near therunto adjoyninge, whereby great Infection of Sickness and dearthe of Victualles and Fewell hathe growen and ensued, and many idle vagrante and wicked psons have disapointed of Workmen and dispeopled; the wch enormities and defects Her Majestie of her Wisdome Princely consideracon and Care of her Subjects … that no pson or psons of what Estate Degree or Condicon soever, shall fromhensforth make and erecte anye newe buildinges house or houses for habitacon or dwellings, within either of the saide Citties, or within thre Myles of anye of the Gates of the said Cittie of London, Excepte it be to enlarge his or their House or Houses that so shall build the same, or to add some other Buyldinges to his or their Houses, or in their Gardens for more Ease or pleasure of the Buylder …” There were escape clauses for the better off, and part of the extract is titled in the margin “…unless fit for Inhabitants of the better sort”. Another clause dealt with open space in the following terms: “And Whereas divse Comons Waste Groundes and Great Fields nere adjoyninge to the Citties aforesaid wch have bene heretofore used for trayninge and musteringe of Souldiors, and for recreacon comforte and health of the People inhabitinge the saide Citties and Places, and for the use and excise of Archerie, have of late yeres bene inclosed and converted into sevelties and to other private uses: Be it enacted by the aucthoritie aforesaide, that it shall not be lawfull to any pson or psons to inclose or take in any parte of the Comons or Waste Groundes scituate lienge or beinge within thre Myles of anye of the Gates of the saide Cittie of London as aforesaide, to the let or Hindraunce of the Trayninge or musteringe of Souldiers or of walkinge for recreacon comforte and health of Her Majesties People, or the laudable excise of shoting where there hath bene usuall excise of shotinge and Markes have bene there sett…”