Countryside campaigners, the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) [1], have welcomed the improvements in sustainability in the Government’s proposed changes to the North West regional plan [2], published today (Thursday).

However, they say that it sends out confusing mixed messages. In particular, the Government has ignored the experts’ advice that the level of housebuilding recommended in the plan – already nearly double that of the strategy it replaces – should be a maximum.

Andy Yuille, CPRE’s Regional Policy Officer for the North West, said:

‘The independent Planning Inspectors who examined the plan said that allowing greater increases in housebuilding than they recommended would be “unwise” - that it could threaten our wildlife, landscapes, the regeneration of our towns and cities and even our water supplies. That’s pretty strong language for a Planning Inspector, yet the Government has now proposed that this should be allowed.’ [3]

But there were some more encouraging changes for the environment. Andy Yuille continued:

‘We are pleased to see that the Government has followed some of the Inspector’s recommendations. For example, the policy on mitigating and adapting to climate change has been strengthened, and there are improved policies to protect tranquillity and the local distinctiveness of the countryside.’

Andy Yuille concluded:

‘Some promising commitments have been made about protecting and enhancing the environment, but these are quite vague. Increases in housing numbers threaten to undermine them to the detriment of the region’s environment.  Contradictions in the plan reflect confusion in central Government policy.  We are very concerned about the scale and pace of development proposed for the North West, and the damaging impact of this both on urban areas and the countryside.’

– END –

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. www.cpre.org.uk

2. The draft Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) covers Cheshire, Cumbria, Lancashire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside and was published in March 2006. Following extensive consultation, it underwent an independent Examination in Public in winter 2006-07. The Panel Report from this examination making recommendations for changes was published in May 2007 and is available at www.northwesteip.co.uk. The Government’s proposed changes to the RSS can be viewed at www.gonw.gov.uk 

3. The Panel report says that ‘it would be unwise to plan for…a net increase of between 25,000 and 29,000 dwellings a year. The environmental capacity of the region to sustain this amount of development has not been tested.’ See paragraphs 6.38, 6.39 & 6.100 for more detail.

The Government wants to ‘remove the ceiling to housing figures…to enable additional growth’.