CPRE hosts major speech on countryside and land use by Miliband

05.03.07

What is David Millband’s vision for the future of our countryside? This week the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs gives a major speech, hosted by the Campaign to Protect Rural England. [1]

The speech, at the Royal Society in London on Friday 9 March, is about how we use and value land in England – and more than 80 per cent of that land is countryside. Journalists are welcome to attend; please contact CPRE in advance.

It will be the epilogue for CPRE’s 80th anniversary celebrations. The leading conservation charity and pressure group was founded at the close of 1926, at a time of heightened concern about rapid urban sprawl and ribbon development. Now we are looking to the future, and developing a vision for the countryside our children and grandchildren will inherit. [2]

CPRE’s Chief Executive Shaun Spiers will respond to the speech, as will Susan Bell, OBE, former Chief Executive of the National Forest, and leading Cambridge University geographer Professor Susan Owens OBE, a member of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution.

Before giving his speech, the Secretary of State will be visiting a range of sites in the Green Belt countryside outside London’s eastern edge to explore rural conservation issues.

Shaun Spiers, CPRE’s Chief Executive, commented:

‘This really is a time of unprecedented uncertainty for the future of the countryside. Climate change, population growth, the huge demand for housing, the calls for massive increases in transport and energy infrastructure and the acute pressure on farming arising from globalisation and trade reform all add up to one enormous agenda for change.

‘How can we make better use of our scarce land resource? Who is the countryside for? What is the countryside for? We’re delighted that David Miliband has taken up our invitation to speak. We hope that what he says will kick start a debate which goes way beyond the usual clash of interests defending their own turf; a debate which builds a new consensus around the kind of countryside our children and grandchildren should inherit.’

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: Sir Max Hastings. Patron: Her Majesty The Queen.

[2] The speech is entitled: A legacy to be proud of – a vision for our land. Could journalists who wish to attend please contact Nicola Frank in CPRE’s press office, nicolaf@cpre.org.uk, 020 7981 2880/2819. The speech begins at 1.30pm at the Royal Society, 6-9 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1Y, with a light lunch beforehand from 12.30 pm. There will be an opportunity for journalists to ask the Secretary of State questions. Hard copies of the speech will be made available by the DEFRA press office. CPRE gratefully acknowledges the support of Waitrose in sponsoring this event.

---

Press releases, papers and documents published on this page are the intellectual property of an organisation unrelated to Central Lobby. We promote their parliamentary and political campaigning activities as they are subscribers to the Central Lobby service.

As such, Central Lobby does not edit, endorse, or attempt to balance the opinions expressed on this page. The content of press releases and other such types of content are the responsibility of the originating organisation.