Clegg issues rural warning

The economic downturn will create two-tier communities in the countryside unless action is taken to ensure those less well-off have access to housing and services, the Liberal Democrat leader has warned.

Speaking to the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) on Friday, Nick Clegg also said that fixing the economy must not be at the expense of the environment.

Clegg wants to drive forward a "vision for rural England that is environmentally sustainable, socially sustainable and economically sustainable".

He pledged to scrap national and regional housing targets from Whitehall and allow local authorities to build more social housing to prevent the countryside becoming "enclaves of the rich".

The Liberal Democrat vision for rural areas also involves encouraging communities to support local produce, which Clegg says will be better for the environment and make villages and small towns economically "vibrant".

At the speech to the CPRE in Sheffield, he said: "Recession means tougher times for rural communities and tougher decisions for how we use land. So more than ever we need a vision for rural England.

"We believe that our plans for land must always be green. Fixing the economy must never come at the expense of protecting the environment. The two must go hand in hand."

And he said that rural communities should be accessible.

"The most stunning parts of our country should not be the enclaves of the rich and retired. They should be communities for everyone.

"And we believe our countryside should be vibrant. Villages and towns should not be denied vital services. Rural enterprise, jobs and prosperity should be encouraged to flourish."

CPRE chief executive Shaun Spiers said: "As the recession bites across Britain, the countryside faces an uncertain future.

"Climate change, housing expansion, population growth and demands for new transport and energy infrastructure, as well as acute pressure on farming and rural communities, all add up to a major agenda for change."