Hundreds of acres of land between the countryside and towns are underused and overlooked, according to the Countryside Agency and the Groundwork organisation.

Around each urban area there is a hinterland comprising up to 20% of our total land area that should be a place for our children to play in, a place to improve our health, grow local food and provide sustainable jobs.

The Countryside Agency have launched a consultation document asking politicians, local communities planners and businesses to grab the opportunity to create a vision for the future of the rural/urban fringe.

Pam Warhurst, deputy chair of the Countryside Agency said: “It is a common misconception that there is a clear distinction between the countryside - green fields, hedgerows, hills and woodlands - and towns and cities.”

“In reality the two often blur around the edges in a distinctive zone of horse-pastures, public utilities such as electrical substations and struggling agriculture.”

“This consultation gives us an opportunity to consider what the rural/urban fringe could mean to the people who live, work and visit there, and how to achieve the best social, economic and environmental benefits from this often overlooked resource.”

Rural Affairs Minister Alun Michael welcomed the vision document: "The countryside around our towns is an important environment for today's generation and a rich asset for future generations provided we get the planning right.”

“We need to get rid of the outdated idea of a rural/urban divide because we need each other. We need to understand the interdependencies and promote the concept of sustainable development as the key for both urban and rural areas - and where better to start than with the urban/rural fringes.”