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Conservative manifesto: CPRE analysis
The Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat manifestos have now been published. But will they deliver for our countryside and rural communities? Keep reading to find out how much the Conservative manifesto aligns with our own manifesto asks.
CPRE have issued a manifesto calling for 16 policies that we want the next government to deliver, and below you’ll find an overall summary of the Conservative manifesto in terms of how it shapes up as compared to our own. Manifestos are not an exhaustive list of all a political party’s policies. With this in mind, we have contacted the parties about our analysis and asked for further clarification on missing areas.
The following is only an analysis of the major party’s manifestos against our own manifesto asks. CPRE remains politically neutral and is not encouraging people to vote for any specific party.
Our manifesto for the countryside
The next government will be faced with tackling the climate emergency, ecological collapse, high costs of living, widening inequality in the housing market, and ensuring food and energy security. The countryside is vital for our country’s future, and the climate and nature crises will have enormous implications for how we use our land.
Our manifesto sets out a route towards creating thriving rural communities and resolving the pressures on our countryside, and calls on all political parties to recognise the value of the countryside and its essential role in answering our nation’s challenges. In the analysis below, we will list the sixteen policies in our manifesto and consider how the party manifestos shape up in comparison.
Summary
For those in a hurry, we can save you a bit of time and give you a summary of the Conservative manifesto in terms of how it shapes up as compared to CPRE’s. In terms of affordable housing delivery in rural areas, the manifesto is disappointing and doesn’t particularly address any of the issues or solutions that CPRE has presented. Although there are some positives in terms of recognising our Green Belt and countryside and improving access, there isn’t enough on habitat creation. It is positive to see plans for the creation of a new national park, though there is little in the manifesto about areas outside of that, and how we can designate, protect and enhance more of our countryside.
On rooftop solar, although there are some positive indications of prioritising brownfield and employing a rooftop first approach, there are no rooftop solar targets in the manifesto, nor is there mention of a policy on solar on new builds. In terms of planning, there are some encouraging mentions of gentle densification of urban areas, and it’s good to see a commitment to brownfield-first approach. However, there’s a disappointing lack of detail on land use.
Fixing the broken housing market
A healthy home is the foundation for a decent life. In summary, our manifesto calls for:
- 1) Redefining ‘affordable’ in line with local incomes not market rates
- 2) Setting new targets for new social and genuinely affordable housing
- 3) Abolishing hope value to get more social housing built
- 4) Tackle short-term lets in rural hotspots
1) Redefining ‘affordable’
CPRE:
Conservative:
The manifesto disappointingly has no mention of the definition of or the redefining of affordable. The only mention of affordable housing is ‘Renewing the Affordable Homes Programme that will deliver homes of all tenures and focus on regenerating and improving housing estates.’ This mention of a mix of tenures is somewhat reassuring but lacks any of the necessary detail to be truly effective.
2) Social and affordable housing targets:
CPRE:
Conservative:
The manifesto mentions:
- ‘We will do more to boost the availability of affordable housing for local people in rural areas. We will ensure rural exception sites support local people into home ownership and create a dedicated taskforce in Homes England to deliver on the mission set out in their Rural Housing Statement to invest in regeneration and building high quality homes.’
Disappointingly there is no mention of new targets for social and affordable housing. There is reference to rural exception sites although not in the context utilising the policy more.
3) Hope value
CPRE:
Conservative:
The manifesto mentions:
- ‘Supporting local and smaller builders by requiring councils to set land aside for them and lifting Section 106 burdens on more smaller sites, while ruling out Labour’s proposed ‘community right to appeal’ which would bring the planning system to its knees.’
It is disappointing that there is no reference to hope value or its abolition. It is also concerning that there are promises to lift 106 burdens that would significantly impede social housing delivery.
4) Short term lets
CPRE:
Conservative:
The manifesto mentions:
- ‘We will ensure councils have the powers they need to manage the uncontrolled growth of holiday lets, which can cause nuisance to local residents and a hollowing out of communities.’
It is somewhat positive that the mention of holiday lets is mentioned, although rural communities are not mentioned nor are there any specific policy solutions.
Recognise the importance of the countryside next door
The countryside next to our towns and cities provides millions with health and happiness. In summary, our manifesto calls for:
- 1) Championing and enhancing Green Belt land
- 2) Creating new woodlands and wetlands near urban areas
- 3) Creating a new generation of country and regional parks
- 4) Increasing access to the countryside next door
1. Championing and enhancing green belt land
CPRE:
Conservative:
The manifesto mentions:
- .Retaining our cast-iron commitment to protect the Green Belt from uncontrolled development, while ensuring more homes get built where it makes sense, like in inner cities. Our national planning protections mean there is never any top-down requirement for councils to remove Green Belt protection and these will remain in place.’
CPRE welcomes the explicit reference to Green Belt protection and inner city densification. However, there is no reference to enhancing Green Belt land for other purposes or recognition of its impact on nature and climate.
2. Creating woodlands and wetlands near urban areas
CPRE:
Conservative:
The manifesto mentions:
- .Deliver our tree planting and peatland commitments through our Nature for Climate funding, and continuing our work to unlock private investment.’
- ‘Launch a new design competition for urban greening, focused on the new quarters we want to develop in Leeds, Cambridge and sites in inner London.’
- ‘Cut red tape that holds back the planting of trees in the planning system. This will identify particularly suitable areas for tree planting where processes and permits will be streamlined.’
There is a lot of reference to tree planting which is positive. There are, however, no targets on new woodlands and no mention of wetlands which would be needed for this manifesto ask to be stronger. There was reference to the successful introduction of Biodiversity Net Gain, however, there was no mention of taking this further in the future.
3. Creating a new generation of country and regional parks
CPRE:
Conservative:
The manifesto mentions:
- ‘Designate our 11th National Park alongside investing to improve existing National Parks and protected landscapes.’
While there is reference to national parks, it was disappointing that there are no extra commitments to protect more land outside of the new national park.
4. Increasing access to the countryside next door
CPRE:
Conservative:
The manifesto mentions:
- ‘We set an ambitious commitment for everyone to have access to nature within 15 minutes’ walk of where they live.’
- ‘Continue to support programmes that encourage disadvantaged children and young people to access green spaces.’
- ‘Continue to work with landowners, charities and others to open up more ‘access to nature’ routes. We will not impose a universal Right to Roam.’
- ‘Invest £4.7 billion for smaller cities, towns and rural areas in the North and Midlands to spend on their transport priorities. This will cut congestion and upgrade local bus and train stations.’
CPRE welcomes the specific commitment to improve access to nature. The manifesto also refers to and commits spending HS2 money to expand rural buses services.
Start the rooftop renewables revolution
To protect nature and our treasured landscapes, we should be using more rooftops to revolutionise how the sun can meet our energy needs. In summary, our manifesto calls for:
- 1) A target of 60% solar to be on rooftops
- 2) Making rooftop solar the norm on new buildings
- 3) Making rooftop solar more affordable for people and communities
- 4) Employ a ‘roof-first’ approach to solar
1. Rooftop solar targets
CPRE:
Conservative:
It is disappointing that there is no reference to a solar energy target.
2. Making rooftop solar the norm on new buildings
CPRE:
Conservative:
It is disappointing that there is no reference to mandatory solar on new buildings.
3. Making rooftop solar more affordable for people and communities
CPRE:
Conservative:
The manifesto mentions:
- ‘We will fund an energy efficiency voucher scheme, open to every household in England, to support the installation of energy efficiency measures and solar panels, helping families lower their bills.’
It is positive that there the manifesto includes promises to start a voucher scheme to cut the cost of solar installation, but there is no reference to smart export guarantee or community power which is disappointing.
4. Employ a ‘roof-first’ approach to solar
CPRE:
Conservative:
The manifesto mentions:
- ‘We will support solar in the right places, not on our best agricultural land. We have changed planning rules to protect the best agricultural land with a presumption that this is used for food production, while also making it easier for solar to be located on brownfield sites and on rooftops. Our new planning rules also prevent multiple solar farms being clustered in one area to help protect our rural landscapes.’
There are references to the protection of farmland and installing on brownfield and rooftops, which is welcomed. However, there is no explicit roof first policy which would have made this promise stronger.
Reform the planning system to serve both people and planet
Our planning system needs fresh thinking. In summary, our manifesto calls for:
- 1) A long-term vision for land use across England
- 2) Integrating targets for the evironment and nature into planning policy
- 3) Prioritising urban regeneration to reduce pressure on the countryside
- 4) Make community voices count in what-goes-where decisions
1. A long-term vision for land use across England
CPRE:
Conservative:
The manifesto mentions:
- ‘Introduce a legally binding target to enhance our food security. The target will apply UK-wide alongside our UK Food Security Index, the first of its kind, helping us to determine where best to concentrate farming funds. This will also feed into the development of the Land Use Framework.’
A Land Use Framework is mentioned in passing within another point, but it is disappointing that there is no further detail about what it would be or mean.
2. Integrating targets for the environment and nature into planning policy
CPRE:
Conservative:
It is disappointing that there is no reference to integrating these targets into planning policy.
3. Prioritising urban regeneration to reduce pressure on the countryside
CPRE:
Conservative:
The manifesto mentions:
- ‘Delivering a record number of homes each year on brownfield land in urban areas. We will do this by providing a fast- track route through the planning system for new homes on previously developed land in the 20 largest cities. Strong design codes will ensure this enables the gentle densification of urban areas, with new family homes and mansion-blocks on tree- lined streets built in the local character.’
- ‘Unlocking new urban regeneration schemes, by creating locally-led urban development corporations in partnership with the private sector and institutional investors.’
- ‘Raising density levels in inner London to those of European cities like Paris and Barcelona. We will ensure the London Plan delivers more family homes a year, forcing the Mayor to plan for more homes on brownfield sites.’
It is positive that brownfield is mentioned several times within the manifesto and commitments are made to prioritise building on urban brownfield. Reference to gentle densification as well as promises to make it easier and faster for these types of developments are also welcomed.
4. Make community voices count in what-goes-where decisions
CPRE:
Conservative:
The manifesto mentions:
- ‘Unlocking new urban regeneration schemes, by creating locally-led urban development corporations in partnership with the private sector and institutional investors. We will support the delivery of new quarters in Leeds, Liverpool and York alongside working with local leaders and the community to seize the opportunity of our ambitious Cambridge 2050 plan.’
There are pledges throughout the manifesto to speed up the planning system as well as ensuring that we can build new prisons, new nuclear and other infrastructure. However, there are no references to local or neighbourhood plans.
