CPRE responds as Andy Burnham becomes Prime Minister

As Andy Burnham takes office as Prime Minister, CPRE stands ready to help put sustainable land use at the heart of government policy and to protect the countryside for generations to come.

Roger Mortlock CPRE CEO said:

‘Much of the new Prime Minister’s vision shares common cause with CPRE. Building higher density, sustainable towns and cities using already developed land rather than green fields is at the heart of how we best protect our countryside for the long term. Devolving power to rural communities to make the choices that work for them, such as better rural bus services and more rural affordable homes, is critical to boosting rural prosperity and rebalancing our economy.  

‘Homelessness and lack of affordable housing is a hidden and growing crisis in our countryside. This ‘circuit-breaker’ moment is the right time to rethink what we mean by ‘affordable’ housing, aligning it with real local incomes so it genuinely reflects what people can afford.  

‘Rewiring government so that departments truly work together to solve major future challenges is what we need to make the best use of our finite land to solve the climate and nature crises.  

‘So far, this Government has treated the countryside as a resource to trash, not something to treasure. There’s a window of opportunity to change the story. Realising the potential of both urban and rural rather than pitting them against each other.’

Six priorities for Andy Burnham

The new Prime Minister inherits a long list of urgent priorities. But how we use our finite land — and who gets a say in those decisions — underlies nearly every major challenge facing the country. From making devolution work for the countryside to the rural economy, we’ve set out six priorities for the new Prime Minister to tackle these challenges head on.