Help us stop most of the English countryside being left at the mercy of the Government’s new planning framework

National policy guidance that shapes local planning decisions is being re-written; the Government wants to encourage more development in the hope that this will produce economic growth.

We are not seeking to prevent all development but we believe this desperate, bargain-basement approach to solving our economic problems is deeply misguided.  It will not produce development that promotes long term prosperity.

The new draft National Planning Policy Framework introduces “a presumption in favour of sustainable development”, but it is clear that the word “sustainable” is largely window-dressing.  This is a presumption in favour of development, with only very limited safeguards.

Worse still, Ministers want it to be in place by April next year, which means quite a rush to complete the final document. It currently stands at 1,000 pages and is being cut to just 52, the risk of serious gaps and loopholes in planning law is huge, and such loopholes can be easily exploited by those who have the biggest economic stake in planning decisions.

I hope the English countryside is close to your heart and that you can help us in this grave situation.  Although we have been extraordinarily effective in recent months in raising the alarm about the Government’s proposals, but we need to keep up the pressure while the Framework is being finalised, and this will cost money.  We must:

• Continue to alert the public to what is at stake and encourage them to raise their voices in protest.  We also need to p

• Press Ministers to reconsider large parts of the Framework

• Persuade members to insist on major changes that will protect our countryside.

CPRE does not go in for knee-jerk opposition.  We are not opposed to planning policies being reformed and simplified.  And we recognise that the country needs many more homes, particularly affordable homes.  But the countryside is important for everyone.  It is not just an opportunity for development.

Please will you help by sending us a donation – today if you can?  Unless we can change what is happening, the next few years could see the loss of large areas of English countryside that can never, ever be replaced.