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Policy statements and research

Autumnal colours across trees and fields and three generations of women on a walk

Here you can read CPREs policy statements and guidance notes, as well as most recent research and recommendations on various issues.

For each topic, we may feature several links to various parts of the CPRE website. Depending on the topic, these links will take you to our most recent research and news, policy positions, briefings, guidance or publications. In some areas, we have also produced ‘explainers’.

A Policy Guidance Note (PGN) sets out CPREs policy approach and advice for local groups. They are published following an independent review.
A Policy Position Statement (PPS) is a summary of our established policy position.
An explainer is a summary of CPREs work in an area, designed for the general public to get an understanding of why we campaign about it.
A publication sets out our approach and campaigning priorities (at the time of publication).
A consultation response gives organisations and stakeholders an opportunity to shape policies put forward by government.

Brownfield land

Consultation response: Response to Strengthening Brownfield consultation (2024)

Policy Guidance Note (2008)

Explainer (2021): ‘An introduction to brownfield land, the land that’s ripe for recycling‘

Research (2022): State of brownfield report 2022

More information is available in the ‘Better places to live‘ section of the website.

Climate emergency

Publication (2019): Greener, Better, Faster: CPREs publication on countryside solutions to the climate emergency

Climate emergency policy and topic papers

Report (2022): Climate emergency: time for planning to get on the case

Report / research (2023): Shouting from the rooftops: delivering a common sense solar revolution

More information is available in the ‘Climate change and energy‘ section of the website.

Coal mining

Explainer (2021): Coal, climate and countryside: why CPRE wants to keep coal in the hole

Research: No direct research has been published by CPRE, however this paper features many of our opposition points.

More information is available in the ‘Climate change and energy‘ section of the website.

Energy

Consultation response: Future Homes Building Standard (2024).

Policy Guidance Note (2015)

Publication (2019): Greener, Better, Faster: CPREs publication on countryside solutions to the climate emergency

Policy Position Statement: TBC.

More information is available in the ‘Climate change and energy‘ section of the website.

Equality, Diversion and Inclusion (EDI)

Policy (2020): Statement on Equality, DIversion and Inclusion

More information is available in the ‘Countryside for all‘ section of the website.

Farming and food

CPREs policy on farming (2023)

Research / reports (2022): Building on our food security; Re-imagining our county farms

News (2023): CPRE joins coalition on food, farming and nature

More information is available in the ‘Farming‘ section of the website.

Green Belt

Policy Position Statement (2020)

Research (2021): State of Green Belt 2021

Explainer (2021): ‘What is the green belt, and why does it matter?‘

More information is available in the ‘Better places to live‘ section of the website.

Hedgerows

Policy Position Statement (2008, PDF)

Report (2022): Hedgerows and farming report

Report (2021): Hedge fund: investing in hedgerows for climate, nature and the economy

You may also be interested in ‘a little rough guide around the hedges‘, our hedge ID guide.

More information is available in the ‘Hedgerows‘ section of the website.

Housing

Policy Guidance Note (2013)

Research (2021): ‘Huge rise in holiday lets is strangling rural communities‘

Briefing (2021): ‘Planning for affordable housing‘

More information is available in the ‘Better places to live‘ section of the website.

Landscapes

Report (2014): ‘Landscapes for everyone: creating a better future‘ (a joint position with a coalition)

Research (2021): ‘State of our AONBs 2021‘

Research (2022): ‘Local green spaces report 2022‘

More information is available in the ‘Nature and landscapes‘ section of the website.

Light pollution

View our recommendations and interactive light pollution map here (dated 2016).

Explainer (2023): ‘Why we’re working to restore night skies‘

More information is available in the Dark Skies section of the website.

Litter

News (2021): ‘We waste 126 empty containers a year‘

Deposit Return System (DRS) consultation response (2021)

More information is available in the ‘Litter and the Law’ section of the website.

Minerals and quarrying

Policy Position Statement (2006, PDF)

Onshore wind turbines

Policy Guidance Note (2012, PDF)

Publication (2019): Greener, Better, Faster: CPREs publication on countryside solutions to the climate emergency

Press release and statement (2022): ‘We need a balanced mix in a renewables-led energy revolution‘

More information is available in the ‘Climate change and energy‘ section of the website.

Oxford-Cambridge Arc

Policy Position Statement (2018)

Planning

For our positions on planning, including our ‘Joint Vision for Planning’, and the ‘Six Tests for Planning’ please refer to the Better Planning Coalition website. These resources reflect the positions of all members of the Better Planning Coalition.

Policy Paper (2021, PDF): Policy paper on affordable housing

Explainers: ‘What is the green belt, and why does it matter?‘; ‘Planning: the toolbox for a thriving countryside‘; ‘What is a planning white paper, and why does it matter?‘; ‘An introduction to brownfield, the land that’s ripe for recycling‘

More information is available in the ‘What gets built where‘ section of the website.

Rural economy

Policy Guidance Note (2014, PDF), and appendix (PDF)

Many of our other papers and research also cover the rural economy. In particular, you can refer to the sections on planning, hedgerows, brownfield, energy, housing and farming.