This is the final report of a study carried out by the consultants BK, for The Countryside Agency.

Overcoming Barriers to Better Planning and Management in the Urban Fringe

This is the final report of a study carried out by the consultants BK, for The Countryside Agency. It is one of a series of research reports on the rural-urban fringe commissioned by The Countryside Agency.

These arise from recommendations set down in "Linking Town and Country" (1999) which was published by The Countryside Agency's predecessor the Countryside Commission. 

This study focuses on the role of property and the influence of the land and property market on land management, the extent to which the land and property market may act as a barrier to better planning and management, and on how barriers might be overcome. It aims to: understand the key influences on land management in the urban fringe; identify how these manifest themselves in practical land management terms, and; review potential policy mechanisms to address identified problems.

The study included a literature review, a workshop with Countryside Agency staff and a series of five focus groups meetings - one national and four regional. The specific locations were chosen to explore the impact of different economic and planning environments as well as regional differences.

The report can be downloaded as a pdf by clicking on the right hand link.