Many elements of the Framework are deeply worrying. In particular, Ministers have failed to commit to the principle that the countryside should be protected for its own intrinsic character, beauty and heritage.
The new Framework will make the countryside and local character much less safe from damaging and unnecessary development.
We fear pressure on the countryside from damaging development will grow due to:
- loss of emphasis on brownfield regeneration - as a result of the removal of the national brownfield target and the failure to promote efficient use of land
- over-allocation of land for new housing - the draft Framework requires local councils to allocate at least 20% additional sites for housing over and above the existing five year supply
- weakening of the ‘town centre first’ policy by removing office development from the sequential test
- weakening of controls over outdoor advertisements, including no mention of billboards being inappropriate in the countryside
- changes to Green Belt policy which would allow local communities to support building which would previously have been restricted
What we want to see from the National Planning Policy Framework
- recognise the intrinsic value of the ordinary, unprotected countryside which covers around half of England, and set out stronger policies to protect the Green Belt and specially designated areas;
- reinforce the plan-led system and define sustainable development so that environmental limits are respected, rather than giving primacy to economic development;
- retain the ‘brownfield first’ policy so that land is used efficiently by ensuring previously developed land is used to meet development needs before greenfield sites; and
- enable local authorities to refuse planning permission for development that is unsustainable on transport grounds and to seek improvement of sustainable travel choices.
Please help us protect our beautiful countryside by asking your MP to say no to growth at any cost.
> Write to your MP
Find out more
CPRE's response to the draft National Planning Policy Framework consultation (577K PDF)
What CPRE wants to see from the National Planning Policy Framework (97K PDF)
