Annual Review 2016 /17 Emma Bridgewater introduces CPRE

was surprised but delighted by the invitation to become President of the Campaign to Protect Rural England. I have always admired CPRE for its historic Iachievements like National Parks and Green Belts – ideas often taken for granted but without which our country would look very different. Ninety years after its creation, CPRE remains as relevant as ever. Making a success of urgent issues, such as planning Brexit and providing more affordable housing, will partly rely on CPRE’s distinct attributes. Like no other organisation, CPRE has an understanding of the value of our green spaces, the experience of getting the right development in the right place, and the passion to protect the landscapes that sustain and inspire us. CPRE has always offered positive solutions – ideas that don’t just benefit rural England, but improve people’s lives and create a better country. For example, one of the best ways we can protect the countryside, and provide affordable homes, is by encouraging quality development on the suitable brownfield sites that can provide over one million houses. As CPRE President, I am making the promotion of urban regeneration my personal mission. There has never been a more important time to revitalise our city centres while resisting the tide of urban sprawl. In fighting for its vision – “a beautiful and living countryside valued and enjoyed by all” – CPRE continues to wield huge influence (as this Annual Review demonstrates). But we cannot challenge decision-makers effectively without public support. If you share our vision, and value the work contained in these pages, please consider joining or supporting CPRE as we stand up for your countryside. A year to remember

Highlights of 2016/17

SALUTING “22 IDEAS THAT SAVED KEEPING PYLONS OUT OF INFLUENCING THE HOUSING THE ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE” THE LAKE DISTRICT WHITE PAPER We launched our CPRE’s representatives The then Housing 90th anniversary in Cumbria, the Minister Gavin book at Hatchards Friends of the Lake Barwell gave our in May District, convinced Annual Lecture in 2016. Contributors National Grid to look February 2017, including Melvyn Bragg, Julia at burying an extensive section praising CPRE’s input: “Any honest Bradbury and Simon Jenkins came of the proposed Carlisle to assessment will quickly spot the along to toast CPRE’s historic Morecambe power line. The marks of your influence – whether achievements and support our announcement, in October 2016, it’s the protection of the Green Belt, new campaigns. came shortly after CPRE President our opposition to speculative Emma Bridgewater appeared development or our insistence EXTENDING THE YORKSHIRE on the BBC’s Inside Out to back on community involvement in DALES AND LAKE DISTRICT the campaign. planning and design.” NATIONAL PARKS From 1 August 2016, CELEBRATING OUR WELCOMING THE NATIONAL an extra 120,000 90TH BIRTHDAY LITTER STRATEGY acres of beautiful The home of our Following strong countryside began archives, the CPRE lobbying to benefit from Museum of English the Government increased protection and tourism Rural Life, hosted launched an following a long campaign by CPRE a special panel ambitious plan in and our partners. discussion in April 2017, including commitments December 2016 on CPRE’s positive to tackle roadside litter. SAVING THE HISTORIC impact on rural life. University of FARTHINGLOE VALLEY Reading Vice Chancellor Sir David LOOKING TO THE FUTURE Court of Appeal Bell chaired a panel featuring We said farewell to judges quashed this CPRE chief executive Shaun Spiers, our Chief Executive planning application broadcaster Kate Adie, writer of 13 years, Shaun in a landmark Clive Aslet and president of the Spiers, at a May judgement of Landscape Institute Merrick 2017 lecture September 2016. CPRE Kent had Denton-Thompson. from geographer challenged the development of “The fact that so much beauty Nicholas Crane on the future of the over 600 houses as damaging survives is in large part due to the English landscape. We welcome to the Kent Downs Area of campaigning vigour of CPRE.” Crispin Truman as he takes up the Outstanding Natural Beauty. Clive Aslet baton in autumn 2017.

2016/17 Annual Review 1 InfluencingGovernment policy on housing

We stood up for We highlighted housing We won support for affordable rural housing market failings urban regeneration and the Green Belt

Emma Bridgewater visiting an affordable Brownfield sites lie empty while rural housing project in Cornwall housebuilders focus on greenfield Shaun Spiers visiting Alconbury Weald – We argued that action was We called for big developers to England’s largest brownfield site needed to protect rural affordable build on their existing land banks Our research showed that housing housing and support the housing instead of targeting more is built much faster on previously- associations and smaller builders greenfield sites. A Government developed “brownfield” sites than who deliver it. White Paper, Fixing Our Broken on greenfield, and that such sites Housing Market, reflected our “CPRE is leading calls to amend could accommodate over a million concerns and proposed new powers parts of the Housing and Planning new homes. The Government to make sure that sites with Bill which it believes will further committed to “make more land planning permission are built limit the availability of affordable available for homes in the right out quickly. homes in rural areas.” places by maximising the The Observer, April 2016 “CPRE has long argued that contribution from brownfield”, failures in the housing market and introduced local brownfield The Housing and Planning Act can’t be solved simply by releasing registers to help identify suitable of May 2016 allowed housing more land for building. The White sites – a CPRE demand since 2010. associations to reserve homes Paper clearly and unequivocally on “rural exception sites” as New CPRE research underlined the agrees with that view … People permanently affordable housing importance of the Green Belt for can’t live in a planning permission.” for local people, and ruled out the wildlife and recreation, supporting Gavin Barwell, (the then) Housing forced sale of council homes in our calls for its continued Minister, at CPRE’s Annual Lecture, designated landscapes. Prime protection. The Housing White February 2017 Minister Theresa May later pledged Paper subsequently stated that to support smaller builders and Green Belt is “highly valued by “encourage housing associations local communities” and reaffirmed and local authorities to build more”. the Government’s commitment to protect it.

2 2016/17 Annual Review Leadingthe debate on infrastructure

We promoted good We released landmark We raised awareness design in renewables research on the impact of light pollution and We showed how solar panels on of roads dark skies: domestic roofs can enhance the With funding Our Night Blight built environment and provide for new roads maps provided an alternative to solar arrays set to triple to vital evidence on farmland. £3billion a year to encourage “With 800,000 home solar-panel by 2020, our local councils systems installed in the UK since March 2017 and Highways 2010, and new technologies report, The End England to take reducing the cost of solar panels of the Road?, action against despite government subsidy cuts, showed that wasteful light CPRE’s report and 10-point how-to road-building is failing to provide pollution. the congestion relief and guide is long awaited.” “By highlighting the regions where economic boost promised, while Country Life, October 2016 light pollution is greatest, these devastating the environment. maps will encourage remedial We secured funding for A launch seminar attended by efforts that will not only save greener travel the Department for Transport, energy, but also enable more of CPRE led the campaign for the Highways England and Office us to enjoy a dark sky in the way Infrastructure Act 2015 to include of Rail and Road gave us the earlier generations could.” a duty to invest in walking and opportunity to make a strong Sir Martin Rees, Astronomer Royal cycling – with a fair share of case for the Government to resist The initiative won support from funding for rural areas. We were adding more capacity, and focus the Institution of Lighting therefore delighted to see the on keeping existing roads in Professionals and convinced Tata publication of the first ever good repair while reducing their Steel – whose Rotherham foundry Cycling and Walking Investment environmental impacts. was the brightest spot in England Strategy in April 2017, and – to commit to replacing their welcomed the strategy’s specific lighting with less polluting units. ambition to make rural roads Night Blight was shortlisted for safer for walkers and cyclists. Campaign of the Year in the prestigious ENDS (Environmental Data Services) Awards 2017.

2016/17 Annual Review 3 the future of our landscape

We set out an influential We promoted the We won support for green vision for farming, benefits of a deposit a more strategic post-Brexit return system approach to land Following the EU Our Landlines referendum, our pamphlet kick- New Model started a debate Farming report on the need for showed how new a strategic policies could approach to our help all farms most important prosper and resource: land. allow the public Contributors in to benefit from beautiful With drinks containers one of the support of our idea included landscapes, abundant wildlife most visible forms of litter in the the Chairs of the UK Committee and better flood management. English landscape, CPRE President on Climate Change and the Emma Bridgewater used her Woodland Trust, Lord Deben “CPRE call for a revolution of 2016 AGM speech to urge the and Baroness Young. farm subsidies to help smaller, Government to introduce a Leading architect Sir Terry Farrell more diverse farms.” deposit scheme. Sustainable Food Trust agreed that “the proper planning Our argument that the idea would of land use is a top priority for our “CPRE is absolutely right to urge discourage littering, protect wildlife very survival in the long term”, and the UK and EU focus attention and save resources meant the endorsed CPRE’s belief that urban on what a proper food and farm Sky News #OceanRescue campaign regeneration is “the best way to policy should be.” included a call for deposits on protect the countryside”. Tim Lang, Professor of Food Policy plastic bottles. Coca-Cola and the at City University “This outstanding new report waste giant Suez UK both gave contains far-reaching ideas which “CPRE has spotted an opportunity their support to the idea, and the could be a blueprint for the next for the countryside … the money Government’s Litter Strategy ten years.” dispensed to farmers through included a welcome commitment Nicholas Crane, President of the the Common Agricultural Policy. to explore options for deposit Royal Geographical Society Think what it could mean for return systems. the environment if this were spent differently.” Clive Aslet, Daily Telegraph

4 2016/17 Annual Review Our work had a tangible in numbers impact and engaged more people than ever in 2016/17. We’ll let the numbers speak for themselves! Engagement 341,935 31,762 people followers we reached on Twitter in of CPRE on social media by the July 2016, thanks to Emma end of 2016, an increase of over Bridgewater’s AGM speech. 25% during the year. 206,270 unique visits to our 12,000 website in 2016 9,465 Facebook views emails for our first animation, on the sent to MPs (covering all importance of Green Belts English constituencies) for biodiversity calling for stronger Green Belt and recreation. protection and more housing on brownfield sites – our most successful e-action ever.

2016/17 Annual Review 5 Saving green fields 60 acres of Green Belt land near Cuffley successfully defended by CPRE Hertfordshire.

3,000 acres 30 of the South Downs National Park which could have been acres sold off if not for CPRE Sussex. of Freemen’s Common – enjoyed by local people for over 200 years – which CPRE Bedfordshire campaigners helped save. 24% The increase in area of the Yorkshire Dales National 115 acres Park, fought for by CPRE of threatened land in the North Wessex and the Campaign for Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty National Parks. The park’s which remain intact thanks to CPRE boundary now covers new Oxfordshire and their partners, who fought parts of Cumbria and, for off one of the largest housing allocations the first time, Lancashire. ever proposed on protected land.

6 2016/17 Annual Review Campaigning 6 billion 23.4 km £1 billion Number of plastic bags taken out Length of a new line of 50m of circulation in the six months Funding available to local tall pylons now set to go under to March 2016, thanks to the 5p bodies as part of the Cycling the Lake District National Park, charge CPRE helped bring in to force. and Walking Investment thanks to CPRE’s campaigners 90% of shoppers in England now Strategy fought for by CPRE. in Cumbria. take their own bags to the checkout as a result, according to research from Cardiff University. £70 million 32,608 Government funding we helped secure to reduce the impact of HS2 by supporting safer Sacks of litter collected by our cycling and walking, and compensating LitterAction volunteers in the affected communities and landscapes. past year.

Research6 months 1.1 million The delay in building homes on The minimum number of homes that greenfield sites compared with could be accommodated on suitable brownfield – showing that urban brownfield sites in England. The regeneration is a practical solution number of these sites has increased % to the housing crisis. 22 by 50% since 2010 (in over 70 areas Proportion of with pilot brownfield registers) – England untouched proving that brownfield land is a by light pollution. 47% renewable resource. The average increase in traffic Local Nature Reserves created on Green Belt caused by new road schemes. land since 2009. A fifth of our deciduous 80% of schemes assessed for woodlands are also found within our Green their environmental impact had Belts, supporting our calls for greater damaged the landscape. 48 investment in their “natural capital”.

2016/17 Annual Review 7 Funding and Finance 2016 84% Proportion of our £7.2 m expenditure (£3.8m) total income spent on charitable thanks to bequests of £4.2m, activities in 2016. this was an exceptional year for legacies – boosting our total income to £7.2m. £36,503 Online donations in 2016, £399,000 up from £28,544 in 2015. Amount reclaimed in tax Make a donation thanks to our supporters completing Gift Aid forms. £1.9m Reserved to help finance 2018-19 activity towards the objectives in our new strategic plan: the promotion £591,000 of policies to defend the countryside Expenditure passed on to our from damaging development, enhance its character, and take 9 regions and 43 branches a more sustainable who undertake so much approach to land use. valuable front line work.

8 2016/17 Annual Review Financial summary 2016

Income Total £7.2m

£0.5m £0.3m £0.4m Charitable Trusts Other Appeals & Companies £1.8m Membership & regular donations £4.2m Legacies

Expenditure Total £3.8m

Campaigning, Branch and regional Membership Raising communications and share of membership services funds other charitable activities subscriptions

£0.4m £0.6m £2.2m £0.6m

2016/17 Annual Review 9 Thank you We would like to thank all of our supporters, whose generous donations helped us stand up for your countryside in 2016.

Legacy donations are essential to our work, and we are hugely appreciative of the many generous people who remembered CPRE in their will in 2016.

Ms M A Arnett Lady L M Cholmondeley Mr R A Horne Dr R Lindup Mrs D M Simms Mrs B B Atkey Ms E M Cruise Major R W Humphreys Miss A M H Livesey Miss S E Slaughter Dr C M Atkins Mr C A E De Lisle Mr D C Humpreys Mrs B J B Low Miss H Taylor Mrs L M M Atkins J Edge Ms J B Ibbotson Miss M G Martin Mr D S Tennant Ms S M Ball Ms P A Elliott Ms B Jacob Mrs J P Martin Miss P Terry Mr C A Birch Mr H A Gardner Mrs J A Kay Ms H M McClintock Mr P B Twaits Mrs A M Black E Garvin Miss P M Keller Mr D D McRae Mr J W Walker Mr M Blank Miss U M Gayler Mr P W Kemmery Mrs D J Myers Mrs I P Watts Mr D R Brooks Miss C P S Griffiths Mrs L J King Mr K Newsome Ms M Wright Mr G Buckley Ms A P Haliday Mrs D M M King Mrs H F Phipps Miss J C Burnie Mr D J Hempstock Mr P King Ms K E Price Mr W E Burroughs Mr O T H Holder Miss U N Leggatt Ms C A Redman Ms L J Capell Mr J H Hopwood Mrs A C Lewis Mrs P Shanahan

We kindly thank those individuals who gave generously towards our campaigns in 2016.

Mrs Acloque Mrs R K Carless Mr E Golton Miss J E Nicholson Mr I N Thomson Mr & Mrs T Adburgham Dr & Mrs H Cecil Mrs E Graves Dr T M Parry Mr H Webb Sir Rudolph Agnew Mr F H Clarke Mrs M D Hallatt Mrs A L Pightling Mr & Mrs D Winter Dr C Beels Mr M Cockett Mrs V J B Hibbert Miss E J Reis Mr J Woodnutt Sir Quentin Blake Mr D Davis Mr L D E Hollingworth Mr M L Reynolds Mrs M E Work Mr J Boden Mr P Davis Mr DHL Hopkinson Mr D M Salisbury Mr & Mrs J Wreford Mrs A M Bonsor Mr J Dean Mr E P Lawrence Miss S Shields Ms M de Botton The Hon Mrs G Fane Mr & Mrs B MacJannette Mr & Mrs J Satchwell Smith Mr M F B Buchanan Mr R A Foster Mrs MA Mallender Mr H R W Smith Miss H Butcher & Miss A M Garnham Mrs D Moggach Mr S L Tanner Miss M Butcher

We are grateful for the support of the following trusts and companies who gave generously to CPRE in 2016.

A D Power Will Trust Salamanca Group Trust Ltd The Ian Askew Charitable Trust Amelia Chadwick Trust Samworth Foundation The John S Cohen Foundation B A Segal Charitable Trust Sir Donald and Lady Edna Wilson The Lambert Family Charitable Trust B and J Lloyd Family Charitable Trust Charitable Trust The Loveday Charitable Trust Bearrem Charitable Trust Stephen Clark 1957 Charitable Trust The Mercers’ Company Esmée Fairbairn Foundation T D Paton Trust The Miller Trust John Swire 1989 Charitable Trust The Bellinger Donnay Charitable Trust The Muriel and Gus Coren Charitable Foundation JTI The Constance Travis Charitable Trust The Peacock Charitable Trust Kristina Martin Charitable Trust The David Fenton 1989 Charitable Trust The Reginald and Edna Hill Foundation Leonard Chadwick Charitable Trust The Derek and Clare Stevens Trust The Scouloudi Foundation Local World Ltd The Dingwall Trust The Thornton Foundation Miss Hanson’s Charitable Trust The Edith Mary Clark Foundation The Tolkien Trust NFU Mutual The Essex Trust The Tuttiett Family Charitable Trust Philip Smith’s Charitable Trust The Gatliff Trust The Underwood Trust Raphael Trust The Hon M L Astor’s Charitable Trust The William Haddon Charitable Trust Royal Astronomical Society The Huntly & Margery Sinclair Charitable Trust

10 2016/17 Annual Review Supporting communities

“The encouragement and expertise from CPRE’s national “Thanks and appreciation for a timely report that encompasses office and local campaigner “We must maximise the huge all of the concerns of the very helped raise awareness of our opportunities available to us, as many local residents who are campaign, and gave us the highlighted by CPRE, to build opposed to this proposal, and confidence to challenge the new and fulfilling communities that illustrates what the loss of plans. Thanks to their support, [within existing urban areas] this beautiful natural space our group has saved tranquil featuring proper infrastructure.” means to us all.” green fields and historic Local MP Andrew Mitchell, A resident of Barton, in response views which will inspire on CPRE Warwickshire’s support to CPRE Yorkshire & Humber’s future generations.” for the campaign to save Sutton campaign against a supermarket, Maldon resident Rosalind Coldfield’s Green Belt from pub and 70 houses on the edge Oakley, who led a local 6,000 houses. campaign against unsustainable of the town. developments totalling over 400 homes on the edge of the town.

“I am grateful to CPRE for their “Thank you for the representation help in drafting and supporting letter you sent in. It helped these amendments [to the us immensely to have support “CPRE is hugely important, Neighbourhood Planning Bill]. from a prestigious national working tirelessly to protect It has been very useful to have organisation like CPRE. Thank and enhance our countryside. their expert advice and I’m you for all the good work you do.” We are delighted to have pleased to have been able to been recognised by such Message from the villagers of work with them again.” an organisation.” Lyneham after CPRE Wiltshire Nick Herbert MP, on improving helped them defeat plans for an Bill Jordan of Jordan’s Cereals, legislation to strengthen the out-of-character 111-home estate. on receiving a CPRE Bedfordshire Neighbourhood Plans which design award for a new visitor help local communities shape centre providing community where they live. facilities and enhancing local surroundings.

2016/17 Annual Review 11 CPREmaking a difference at 90 in our anniversary year

“CPRE hold the Government “I have great respect for the to account and put priceless contribution your members “Is the Campaign to Protect resources of energy, passion have made to public life Rural England the best heritage and dedication into preventing over many decades in your conservation body? In a word, our precious countryside being ceaseless campaign to protect yes. CPRE tends to be logical the soft target of ruthless and enhance the English and consistent … they always development. I applaud their countryside. CPRE has played say what they really think, not thousands of volunteers … the such a distinguished role – and what pleases the Government, nation as a whole has a great for such a long time – that you and they never have a day off debt of gratitude to them all.” from their core beliefs.” suffer from that paradox of Merrick Denton-Thompson success: many people are Heritage Journal website President of the Landscape completely unaware of your Institute profound impact on the English landscape because they simply take it for granted.” Gavin Barwell “We are extremely proud to Former Housing Minister be a long term supporter of CPRE, as we understand the importance of protecting and “The English countryside is a maintaining our precious work of art that has been created and beautiful countryside for over many centuries. CPRE plays future generations. CPRE are a crucial role in defending this succeeding in raising public vitally important national awareness of the current threat artefact for the enjoyment of to our Green Belt, so supporting everyone. The fact that so much “CPRE has an ever more crucial this campaign helps to preserve, beauty survives is in large part role in shaping the future of rural invest and protect in this natural due to the campaigning vigour England. Without it, the vandals asset, enabling positive benefits of CPRE.” would have found it far easier for everyone.” Clive Aslet to lay waste to this precious Writer heritage. For the sake of us all, The Underwood Trust CPRE must always be there to stop them in their tracks.” Jonathan Dimbleby Broadcaster

12 2016/17 Annual Review A final word From Su Sayer Chair of the Campaign to Protect Rural England

he core business of influential national research CPRE has always been relies on the local information saving green fields provided by our branches. It is from inappropriate only because of our unique Tdevelopment, so I must pay grassroots network that we can special tribute to the work of our produce research reports which county branches – the front line Nicholas Crane recently described in the defence of the English as “balanced, informative and landscape. critically important”. In many cases, CPRE’s branches Because we are independent from are the only “third party” groups Government funding, and own at planning inquiries, often no land, CPRE has the freedom to facing an array of well-funded fight for real and lasting change vested interests to fight for in the public interest. It also countryside that would otherwise means that our work relies on the be lost. They rely on hundreds financial support of members and of volunteers who contribute supporters who share our vision of thousands of hours by campaigning a beautiful and living countryside. locally: supporting community Their humbling generosity has groups, responding to local helped us achieve so much in plans and scouring individual 2016/17. Please help us do even planning applications. more as we work towards an ambitious Strategic Plan for But our local volunteers aren’t 2017-19: to defend the countryside merely on the defensive. They are from damaging development, constantly promoting practical enhance its distinct rural ways of enhancing local character and ensure that our countryside (from tree planting most precious resource – the land to litter picking); engaging young – is used far more sustainably. people with environmental issues; Be part of the Campaign to Protect and championing the kind of Rural England – join us today at positive development CPRE wants to see. And of course, CPRE’s cpre.org.uk CPRE fights for a better future for England’s unique, essential and precious countryside. From giving parish councils expert advice on planning issues to influencing national and European policies, we work to protect and enhance the countryside.

Our work Our aims We campaign for a sustainable l To promote and enhance the future for the English countryside, character of the countryside a vital but undervalued l To promote a more sustainable environmental, economic and approach to land use social asset to the nation. We highlight threats and promote l To defend the countryside from positive solutions. Our in-depth damaging development research supports active campaigning, and we seek to influence public opinion and decision-makers at every level.

Photo credits: © CPRE except: Cover image © Mike Stafford; Campaign to Protect Rural England Inside front cover © Emma Bridgewater; Page 1 banner 5-11 Lavington Street Sheffield Green Belt © Eric Murphy/Alamy Stock Photo, top left © Nigel Keene, top centre © Westmorland Gazette, London SE1 0NZ top right © Nigel Keene, centre left © Steve Harling/Alamy Stock Photo, centre © Nigel Keene, centre right © Everyday T 020 7981 2800 Image/Alamy Stock Photo, bottom left © CPRE Kent, bottom right © Nigel Keene; Page 2 top Shutterstock, F 020 7981 2899 left Heather Lindsay-Chapman, centre © Alamy Stock E [email protected] Photo, right Tom Quinn; Page 3 background © Shutterstock; Page 4 top © Chris Howe, centre © Shutterstock; Page 6 top www.cpre.org.uk left © Shutterstock, top centre ‘Tupinambah’ via Flickr Creative Commons, top right © Gerry Sansom, bottom left @CPRE Angel Ganev via Flickr Creative Commons, bottom right © Shutterstock; Page 7 top left © Thinkstock; Page 8 bottom right both © Shutterstock; Page 11 top right © andrew-mitchell-mp.co.uk, bottom left © Jordans Mill; Page 12 top left © Nigel Keene, top right © Nigel Keene, bottom left © Antonio Olmos, bottom right © Nigel Keene; Page 13 background © Alamy Stock Photo Design: www.staffordtilley.co.uk

Registered charity number: 1089685 CPRE is a company limited by guarantee registered in England, number 4302973 This document has been printed by Press using Waterless printing presses, vegetable based inks, power June 2017 from 100% natural renewable energy sources and paper The CPRE logo is a registered trademark that is made from 100% recycled waste and FSC certified. www.cpre.org.uk