As a map of green belt land is to be published today by those seeking to protect it, some believe pressures to build new housing make development inevitable.

The Epping Society and the Theydon Bois Action Group (TBAG) are part of the London Green Belt Council, which has published the first complete map of the green belt in and around the capital.

Epping Forest district is currently 92% green belt, which means it is harder for developers to gain planning permission to build on it.

But Epping Forest District Council is currently considering changing the status of some protected sites to meet its housing target of 10,000 homes over the next 20 years.

The London Green Belt Council hopes the map will highlight the green belt’s importance and it has been welcomed by MPs Eleanor Laing and Eric Pickles, who referred to the belt as a “green lung”.

But Cllr Richard Bassett believes some green belt land would inevitably change status.

He said: “We want to protect our green belt land wherever we possibly can.

“However, the problem is we have got a lot of houses we are going to have to build at some point.”

Although central government guidance recently stated that green belt status should only be changed under “exceptional circumstances”, the district council is currently assessing the future of some sites.

However, Epping Society chairman Andrew Smith, does not believe it is necessary to develop on protected areas.

He said: “Why not go to places where there is space for new housing?

“The green belt is there to protect. It is a very dangerous path to go down.”

The development of green belt land is an issue which has come under sharp focus in a number of areas across Epping Forest.

Millionaire Giovanni Abella wants to build 45 new homes on green belt land that he owns in Nazeing, but nearly 200 people recently attended a meeting organised by those opposed to the plans.