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A step towards a planning system that delivers for people and the countryside?

13th March 2020

In a campaign win for CPRE, there’s good news as the government suggests steps towards a planning system that delivers more for people and the countryside.

In a new announcement around planning and housing, the housing secretary has laid out intentions to make better use of brownfield land – land that’s been developed before and is now wasted space. This could be a crucial first step towards implementing a brownfield-first approach to development.

We’ve been working with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to call for badly-needed new homes to be built on suitable brownfield areas. Our research has shown that there’s space for a million more homes on brownfield sites, and that two-thirds of this land is ready to be developed right now.

An approach to development that focuses on brownfield first would help to deliver homes where people really need them; closer to services, workplaces, public transport and shops. This would help us to protect and enhance the green spaces that are crucial for tackling the climate emergency, and for giving us the ‘countryside next door’ that’s so essential for our wellbeing. And government planning policies are a vital part of this: when done well, they can play a huge role in rejuvenating our high streets, towns and cities, and help make for liveable places that communities feel proud to call home.

We’re proud to have led the way in arguing that brownfield sites can hold the key to the housing crisis and reduce the pressure on the countryside. We’re delighted that CPRE’s campaigning has been heard, and that we can play a part in helping deliver homes where they’re most needed to maintain and revitalise communities.

Want to get involved in making sure that local development empowers and works for your community? Joining your local CPRE group gives you a way to influence decisions and campaign for the best outcomes. You can also hear more from us about our work, more campaign wins and other ways to get involved by signing up to our newsletter – and you can help us to keep winning and standing with the countryside by becoming a member now.

A row of different types of houses in a rural setting
Annie Spratt / Unsplash