The Rural-urban fringe

Rural-urban fringe - the boundary zone outside the urban area proper where rural and urban land uses intermix.

Conurbation - a large and almost continuous urban area built up from separate centres which through urban growth and sprawl have joined.

Rural - belonging to or relating to life in the countryside in contrast to an urban lifestyle.

Sphere of influence - the area around a settlement that comes under its economic, social and often political influence.

Suburbanisation - the outward growth of towns and cities to engulf surrounding villages and rural areas.

Dormitory settlement - a rural settlement which has become increasingly urbanised in recent decades and is largely occupied by people who work in nearby urban areas.

Green belt - an attempt to prevent urban sprawl through the establishment of areas around the major cities in Britain in which strict planning regulations are enforced to curb housing and other building and to conserve areas for agriculture and recreation. They were first created following the 1947 Town and Country Planning Act.

The Countryside Agency
- the organisation responsible for advising Government and taking action on issues affecting the social, economic and environmental well being of the English countryside.



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