We have been brought to the moment where if we don’t take a new and more thoughtful approach to planning and development, we stand a greater risk of ruining our countryside than at any time in recent memory.

And once we’ve ruined it, we can’t un-ruin it. That will be England gone.

The first aim of our Charter is to end the needless sacrifice of our countryside, by reusing previously developed brownfield land first. We want the government to make sure developers and local authorities prioritise brownfield sites for new development.

Financial support and incentives must help unlock the potential of these sites to revitalise our towns and cities.

The second aim of our Charter is to give a fair say to local communities who are increasingly unable to stop the destruction of their countryside and green spaces.

CPRE wants a democratic planning system where locally-elected councils are not con- stantly overruled from above or bypassed by developers. We want to level the playing field by giving communities the right to appeal against damaging developments. We also want to end developers’ right to appeal when applications that don’t comply with the local plan are refused.

We are calling for the Government and Planning Inspectorate to promote localism by giving Neighbourhood Plans the time and support to be an effective way for communities to shape their areas.

The country urgently needs more affordable homes. But they must be sensitively located, with excellent environmental standards and high quality design that enhances local character.

Sir Andrew Motion,
President,
Campaign to Protect Rural England.