Our charter to stop the destruction of the English countryside

You are here:
Home
What we do
Housing and planning
Planning
Update
Our charter to stop the destruction of the English countryside

Our charter to stop the destruction of the English countryside

Countryside under threat, once it's gone, it's gone forever. Photo: © CPRE

We've launched a charter to save our countryside to give a fair say to local people on planning where they live.

We are seeing increasing evidence that the Governments planning reforms are not working. The effects of current policies on the countryside are devastating, with the Green Belt, protected areas and, above all, our 'ordinary' but hugely valued countryside, threatened with destruction.

Countryside under threat from 500,000 new homes
Our latest research into adopted and emerging Local Plans shows at least 500,000 new homes planned for greenfield sites. This could result in the loss of 150sq Km of irreplaceable countryside. Once it's gone, it's gone forever. Destruction on this scale is totally unnecessary when there are enough suitable brownfield sites for around 1.5 million homes.

We've launched a charter to save our countryside. Our charter is asking for better protection for the countryside, a fair say for local communities in planning for the places where they live and work, and more housing – but of good quality and in the right places.

Sir Andrew Motion, CPRE's President leads a list of celebrities and influential people who have given their backing to the charter.

CPRE's charter to save the countryside

England’s countryside is beautiful, irreplaceable and finite. Yet increasingly it is being destroyed by badly planned developments, while local communities are left powerless to protect the places they love.

Don’t sacrifice our countryside
Our open spaces are being destroyed unnecessarily. Previously developed brownfield land should be re-used first to protect the beauty and tranquillity of our countryside and breathe new life into our towns and cities.

A fair say for local communities
Local people are increasingly unable to stop the destruction of their towns and countryside. The cards are stacked in favour of powerful developers. We want a democratic planning system that gives communities a much stronger say in the future of their area.

More housing –in the right places
The country urgently needs more affordable homes for our rising population, including in villages and market towns. But they must be sensitively located; with excellent environmental standards and high quality design that enhances local character.