Act Now To Protect The Future Of The Countryside

17 July 2007

The Campaign to Protect Rural England [1] have welcomed today’s publication of the Commission for Rural Communities State of the Countryside report 2007 [2] as it highlights many of the issues that CPRE campaigns for.

Tom Oliver, CPRE Head of Rural Policy said: ‘The countryside remains one of the nation’s greatest assets, but it won’t remain so unless we make up our minds to keep it that way.’

‘There is much good news in this report, we welcome the great progress made in the uptake of land management agreements by farmers to help look after landscapes, wildlife and access to the countryside for more people to enjoy [3]. But to make sure rural economies develop in ways that protect and enhance the countryside will take vigilance and hard work, by Government, local authorities and communities themselves,’ Tom Oliver continued.

For CPRE there are some urgent issues which remain. One of them is the continued need for more permanently affordable housing in rural communities, responding to proven need, without swathes of market housing built where it will merely satisfy demand, and damage the quality and carbon footprint of rural settlements [4]. CPRE remains at the forefront of the campaign for better funding and delivery of affordable houses [5].

The report also acknowledges the increasing pressures on the countryside and the need to guard against its degradation and destruction through poor planning policies [6].

Tom Oliver concluded:

‘Looking after highly valued assets is accepted as a wise thing to do. This report anticipates the problems of damaging infrastructure projects, such as on-shore wind farms [7] and new airports and roads. To prevent permanent damage, the planning system will be vital. CPRE will be tireless in its campaign to protect the countryside from unnecessary and badly conceived development and to persuade the Government to rethink proposals in the Planning White Paper [8].’

NOTES FOR EDITORS

1. CPRE, the Campaign to Protect Rural England, is a charity which promotes the beauty, tranquillity and diversity of rural England. We advocate positive solutions for the long-term future of the countryside. Founded in 1926, we have 60,000 supporters and a branch in every county. President: Bill Bryson. Patron: Her Majesty The Queen.

2. A copy of the Commission for Rural Communities State of the Countryside Report 2007 can be downloaded from: http://www.ruralcommunities.gov.uk/files/socr2007-fullreport.pdf

3. Fig 4.3.7 page 118 ‘Visits per year to countryside, coast or wood/forest by ACORN category 2006.

4. Fig. 2.4.2 page 34.

5. More information on CPRE’s work on affordable housing can be found: http://www.cpre.org.uk/campaigns/housing-and-urban-policy/housing-supply/housing-supply-what-cpre-is-doing

6. Fig. 4.2.1 page 104 ‘At a basic level, 19% of England is classed as urban or built up’.

7. Fig. 4.4.8 page 132.

8. Planning for a Sustainable Future White Paper, was published on the 21 May 2007 and produced jointly by Communities and Local Government, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Department for Trade and Industry and the Department for Transport. The White Paper sets out a wide package of reforms and is divided into two sections. The first half contains controversial proposals for reforming planning for Major Infrastructure Projects. The second half of the White Paper deals with streamlining other aspects of the planning system.

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