The CPRE want to safeguard the characteristics of rural areas
The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) has responded to a report published by the Commission for Rural Communities.
The ‘State of the countryside 2008’ report shows that more people are choosing to live in rural communities and that those who do live healthier lives. It also reveals that rural poverty has risen faster than in urban areas.
The CPRE feel that the Government should take action in response to the report’s findings, as England’s countryside is a hugely precious national asset, which needs protecting more than ever in the face of growing pressures.
"People are valuing the countryside more than ever, at a time when it is subject to greater pressures than ever before,” said Tom Oliver, Head of Rural Policy at CPRE.
“Action to tackle rural poverty, and to increase the provision of affordable housing, should safeguard the characteristics that make the countryside special for so many people, whether they live there or not.
“The scale of the pressures on the countryside, from large scale housing schemes and other intrusive development, are making rural England a place which needs more careful protection than ever before. Otherwise, we could be left with much of what we now value either lost or seriously damaged.
“Our own intrusion maps show graphically how urban pressures are accelerating, fragmenting and eroding truly rural places. Keeping such damage to a minimum is in everyone’s interests. This is a valuable report. We urge Government to act on it and respond wisely to the pressures it reveals.”
