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The successful establishment of the greenbelt around London during the 1930s acted as an inspiration for postwar planners in the United Kingdom and in other countries. The history of ideas that supported this establishment has been investigated, but no research has examined the implementation of the 1930s' greenbelt. The objective of this article is to investigate why the greenbelt was successfully established in the 1930s, despite the United Kingdom's weak planning system and the unprecedented urban growth at the time. In particular, the authors highlight the role of landowners and county council members in establishing the greenbelt. Finally, they discuss how the history of the greenbelt has to be reassessed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]