n [ C , U ]
an area of countryside around a town. In Britain, building is strictly controlled in green belts to make sure that towns do not become too big and that there is some countryside for the people from the towns to enjoy. There are often strong protests when people are given permission to build on this land. In the US, a green belt is usually a nature area protected by a town or city. It is often a large park, with paths where people can walk. The town of Greenbelt, Maryland, was one of several created in this way in the 1930s as part of the New Deal (1) programme of President Franklin D Roosevelt :
The council rejected plans for a housing development on green belt land.