Campaign to protect rural England warns on greenfield site developments
Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) president Sir Andrew Motion warned the Government would wreck the countryside unless it changes course.
“Developing greenfield sites unnecessarily and with inadequate local consultation is entirely the wrong way to make sure that we get the new homes the country so badly needs,” he said.
“This is a charter for builders and truly irreversible damage is already underway.”
CPRE is deeply concerned that:-
· greenfield sites are being developed when suitable brownfield sites are available;
· the requirement to supply at least five years’ worth of ‘deliverable’ sites for housing is used to push unnecessary and damaging development in open countryside;
· localism is being undermined because councils have not been given enough time to get up to date local plans in place;
· threats to our countryside are urgent and real, and even areas of green belt.
It said new guidance should be produced by the Government to ensure that suitable and available brownfield land is used before greenfield sites.
“It is becoming clear that the reformed planning system is unable to deliver the development we need where it is needed while preventing damaging schemes in the wrong locations,” said CPRE director of policy and campaigns Neil Sinden.
http://www.cpre.org.uk/media-centre/latest-news-releases/item/3279-countryside-building-%E2%80%98free-for-all%E2%80%99-starts-today-%E2%80%93-unless-government-and-local-communities-act-now
Related Posts
New-look regeneration policy launched by welsh government →
Regional planning ends in England →
HCA appoints new chief executive →
