Annual Review 2016/17
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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 Piccadilly 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