A submission of evidence by the Campaign to Protect Rural England

CPRE has been leading the development of ‘Landscapes for Everyone: Creating a Better Future’. It is supported by 33 organisations including the National Trust, the Campaign for National Parks, the Ramblers, the John Muir Trust, the Open Spaces Society, the British Mountaineering Council and the Landscape Institute. We have a shared vision of why our unique British landscapes should be better valued for the benefit of current and future generations and what Government action is needed to achieve this.

The Campaign for National Parks, the National Trust and the Campaign to Protect Rural England believe that the protection for National Parks should be strengthened. This briefing summarises the key findings from recent research we commissioned from Sheffield Hallam University examining the planning process for major developments in, or just outside, National Parks and sets out recommendations on how to improve their protection.

CPRE lobbying ensured the Natural Environment White Paper included support for action on tranquillity and light pollution and recognised the role of voluntary activity in tackling litter. Our influence meant it also gave support for local community engagement in landscape planning, recognised the importance of landscape character and created Local Nature Partnerships to help communities improve their environments.

One year has now passed since The White Paper was published and this briefing by Wildlife and Countryside Link reflects the view of CPRE and 11 other leading environmental NGOs that three key concerns could prevent its ambition from being turned into real change.

Unlocking the landscape is designed to put landscape character at the the heart of the local planning system. The comprehensive toolkit can help you prepare a Community Landscape Character Statement, a new process we have developed to give local communities a say in the future of their local countryside. Local knowledge and aspirations are a central part of this process, but recorded information must be compatible with the planning process. The pack includes guidance, a sample statement and a MAC/PC compatible CD-ROM.