At the edge of a town or built-up area, a zone of varied land use; ‘a zone of spacious, often well-vegetated plots in relatively extensive use, which formed at the urban fringe during a hiatus in the growth of the built-up area and frequently became embedded within that area when it resumed its outward spread’ (Whitehand (2007) Urb. Studs 43, 11, 2047). Typical features are: Victorian hospitals and cemeteries located beyond the city for reasons of public health; recreation facilities such as playing fields, riding stables, and golf courses; and utilities such as water and sewage works. Many of the functions of the fringe belt have been squeezed out from the town centre due to congestion, high land prices, the need for a special site, or disturbances in the central area. Sometimes further urban expansion leapfrogs the fringe belt.