This document reports the findings of a detailed study carried out in 2006 into how agriculture operates in and contributes to the character of the urban fringes of major urban areas.

The nature and potential of agriculture around major urban areas in England

This document reports the findings of a detailed study carried out in 2006 into how agriculture operates in and contributes to the character of the urban fringes of major urban areas.

The document also considers how farming could contribute to a more diversified and 'multifunctional' landscape, one that forges stronger environmental, social and economic ties between towns and their adjacent countryside and helps to underpin sustainable development. The research features strong quantitative as well as qualitative elements.

For the purpose of this study 'major urban areas' are defined as those settlements with a population of over 100,000. Six such areas were chosen for more detailed examination - Greater London, The West Midlands conurbation, West Yorkshire, The Potteries, Swindon and York. Before this study no detailed examination of farming in the metropolitan urban fringe had been undertaken for some twenty years.  

The six case study areas show that huge variations in agricultural practice can exist between different urban fringe areas. However, the case studies and national level assessments also reveal some interesting general themes and trends. These are introduced in the 'Overall Summary of Findings' at the start of the document.   

An important finding is that commercial farming remains a very important land use activity even in the 'inner fringe' i.e. within 500 metres of the built-up urban edge. This challenges some assumptions that commercial farming is not a significant activity at the 'urban rural interface'.

The study draws on three principle sources of evidence:

  • an analysis of a range of different existing quantitative data sets on land use, employing spatial - GIS - analysis where possible
  • an analysis of land use in twelve specific 'transects' that lie across the urban fringe in the six case study areas
  • face-to-face interviews with 83 farmers operating in or near those transects around Greater London, The West Midlands, West Yorkshire and Swindon.