'The Government's draft planning policy for the countryside offers a prospect of steadily increasing disfigurement by spreading development,' says Tom Oliver, Head of Rural Policy at the Campaign to Protect Rural England{1}.

CPRE today (Friday) publishes a briefing which criticises the Government's draft Planning Policy Statement 7{2} on development in rural areas. Once finalised, this Policy Statement will replace existing guidance under the Government's revision of planning policy.

'The Government has made the fundamental mistake of failing to value the ordinary everyday English countryside for its own sake, as well as for the huge contribution it makes to our national prosperity,' says Tom Oliver.

'The draft Policy Statement is tantamount to a developer's charter in its present form. The Government appears to want diversification away from agriculture and forestry by rural businesses at almost any price{3}. The landscape between our rural towns and villages, its beauty, tranquillity, biodiversity and heritage, appears to be regarded as a blank sheet of paper on the developer's drawing board.'

Tom Oliver continued:

'The Statement muddles principles and objectives, is open to wide interpretation and undermines the future of rural economies and communities which are connected to the land and resources surrounding them.{4}

'What is more, the Statement declares brazenly that it does not believe local landscape designation{5} has any part to play in the future of the countryside.  It also relegates the consideration of local landscape character to a footnote in the draft Statement.'

Tom Oliver concluded:

'The formal consultation on PPS7 closes today (Friday).  We urge the Government to take notice of the widespread alarm which is felt by everyone who wants a healthy future for the English countryside and to resist the relentless spread of suburbia.'

NOTES FOR EDITORS

1. CPRE exists to promote the beauty, tranquillity and diversity of rural England by encouraging the sustainable use of land and other natural resources in town and country. We promote positive solutions for the long-term future of the countryside to ensure change values its natural and built environment. Our Patron is Her Majesty The Queen. We have 59,000 supporters, a branch in every county, nine regional groups, over 200 local groups and a national office in London. CPRE is a powerful combination of effective local action and strong national campaigning. Our President is Sir Max Hastings.

2. Planning Policy Guidance notes (PPG), of which one, PPG7 The Countryside - Environmental Quality and Economic and Social Development, covers planning issues in the countryside, are being replaced with Planning Policy Statements (PPS) by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.  PPSs are designed to be shorter, clearer and more focussed, avoiding overlap with one another. They are also to be regarded as policy rather than as guidance only.

3. Paragraph 18 of draft PPS7 states: 'The adaptation or conversion of rural buildings (including modern buildings) for business re-use, should be supported...'  Paragraph 20 states: 'it should not normally be necessary to consider whether the building is no longer needed for its present purposes'. Paragraph 11 states that isolated houses can be built in the countryside for '...certain other workers who are essential for the effective and safe operation of rural-based enterprises'. As it is proposed that the test for justifying new dwellings for agricultural purposes  should remain strict (which CPRE supports), there will inevitably be greater likelihood of development which is not related to agriculture, forestry or other land management activity.

4. Paragraph 15 of PPS7 states: 'The planning system must provide a positive framework for facilitating sustainable development that makes the most of new leisure and economic opportunities in the countryside...'

5. Paragraph 25 states: 'The Government does not believe that local countryside designations are necessary and that the policies set out in this PPS...should provide sufficient protection for the countryside'.