CPRE, the countryside charity

The govt has stripped out crucial protections from the Planning & Infrastructure Bill. This includes measures to safeguard nature, prioritise brownfield land and give Parliament proper oversight. https://www.cpre.org.uk/news/government-strips-protections-from-the-planning-and-infrastructure-bill/

Working alongside the Better Planning Coalition, we've helped secure key safeguards for nature and the countryside as the Planning and Infrastructure Bill progresses through the House of Lords. https://www.cpre.org.uk/news/countryside-wins-new-safeguards-in-the-planning-and-infrastructure-bill/

Delivering renewable energy should bring communities together.

But developments like this risk industrialising the countryside, while rooftops on homes and businesses sit waiting to be used.

CPRE Devon are saying no to 'Beacon Solar'. Please sign and share. https://devoncpre.org.uk/

Celebrating 100 years: bringing the countryside to RHS Chelsea Flower Show CPRE marks 100 years of standing up for the countryside with its debut garden, On the Edge, at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026.

🌸To mark 100 years of championing the countryside, we’ll be unveiling a show garden next year at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Designed by award-winning garden designer Sarah Eberle & supported by Project Giving Back, the garden celebrates our legacy, & looks to the future of nature and landscapes.

The definition of ‘grey belt’ is vague. This risks opening up Green Belt land to unnecessary development. We're supporting CPRE Hertfordshire's petition in calling for change. Sign the petition.

🔗 https://www.cpre.org.uk/news/help-protect-our-green-belt-petition-to-change-the-grey-belt-definition/

Our research shows nearly 60% of the biggest solar farms are built on top-tier agricultural land, needlessly sacrificing landscapes we should be protecting.

Renewable energy is vital. But it should bring communities together, not drive them apart.

Government approves 'UK's largest' solar farm in Lincolnshire Developers claim it will power about 300,000 homes - making it larger than any currently built.

A solar farm the size of Heathrow has been approved in Lincolnshire, on some of the UK’s best farmland.

This is industrialisation of our countryside while rooftops, warehouses & car parks sit unused. Rooftop solar alone could deliver over 60% of the UK’s solar target - without covering our fields.

We spent time speaking up for our countryside, engaging with MPs and our CEO, Roger Mortlock spoke on a panel about the importance of effective land use. [2/2]

We've returned from the Conservative party conference. They announced they no longer support the Climate Change Act and would drop net zero targets. Climate change is the biggest threat to the countryside, and we call on all parties to set out how they're going to tackle this threat. [1/2]

We can’t afford to weaken National Park protections ⚠️

But there are rumours that some in Westminster want to remove the Protected Landscapes duty - the only real power to secure action for nature

We can't let 30 years of campaigning go down the drain
https://bit.ly/48OseaX

We have just returned from the Green Party conference, our last of the season.

🌳 We spent the weekend talking about nature friendly planning, the importance of brownfield first and looking after our countryside.

We attended the Labour Party Conference, where we made sure rural communities, countryside protection, & smart solutions for renewable energy were part of the conversation.

We spoke up for our landscapes, raised issues around rural housing, & met MPs to spotlight the challenges facing rural areas.

UK fifth-worst country in Europe for loss of green space to development Exclusive: 1,680 football pitches of protected natural land in England, Wales and Northern Ireland lost in five years

The UK is the fifth-worst in Europe for green space loss, with 1,680 football pitches of protected land lost in five years.

Brownfield sites with planning permission sit unused. We must rethink our towns & cities as compact, sustainable places that celebrate the countryside on their doorstep.

CPRE makes case for the countryside at the Labour conference We are CPRE, the countryside charity. Learn how we're working for a beautiful and thriving countryside that's accessible to everyone - and how to get involved.

This evening at Labour Party Conference, we will launch 'Rural Futures' with @thefabians.bsky.social, a pamphlet exploring the opportunities & challenges facing the countryside.

With over 110 Labour MPs representing rural constituencies, it’s time to put rural regeneration at the heart of policy.

We respond to government's new towns announcement We are CPRE, the countryside charity. Learn how we're working for a beautiful and thriving countryside that's accessible to everyone - and how to get involved.

Well-designed new towns have a role to play, and we welcome the focus on urban regeneration and affordable homes.

They should be led by a brownfield-first approach, with genuinely affordable homes and rich in nature.
https://www.cpre.org.uk/news/we-respond-to-governments-new-towns-announcement/

Our most recent data shows that brownfield sites are spread across the country with a high proportion in London where demand for housing is highest.

But greenfield developments often need some kind of state subsidy as well. They are often car dependent so the state needs to build expensive new bypasses to serve them

Hi Jennifer, thanks for raising

Yes - brownfield sites will often need state support to be viable. We believe that this is good investment because it removes public health hazards and/or helps regenerate existing communities.

Of course, some greenfield land will still be needed, but we believe brownfield is too often underestimated, despite its huge potential.

We appreciate that not every site is ready to build on immediately, but 55% had planning permission in 2024. Sites on the brownfield register mean that LAs and owners are keen to see development happen within 5 years. All development takes time but brownfield can also be met with less opposition.

We don’t see this as brownfield vs greenfield. The best brownfield developments create thriving places with homes, shops, play areas and community spaces. And we only include sites that councils have already identified as suitable for housing.

Brownfield land is also widely spread across the country, with a particularly high concentration in London where housing need is greatest.

Hi Anna. Thanks for raising. Yes - some brownfield sites do need remediation. But that work also brings real public health benefits by removing hazards. And evidence shows that once planning permission is granted, brownfield builds usually progress at a similar pace to that in greenfield.

🏛️We headed to our second party conference of the season - this time with the Liberal Democrats in Bournemouth!

We wanted to spotlight nature in key debates on climate, housing, and renewables, urging them to protect landscapes and put the countryside at the heart of planning.

Volunteers in Cumbria to plant miles of new hedgerow this winter The Countryside Charity is aiming to plant and restore 27 miles (43km) of hedgerow.

Incredible news!

We're working with 13 CPRE local groups and volunteers across England to plant more than 27 miles of hedgerows nationwide this winter 💚, which will help us on our way to hit our target of planting 100 miles of new and restored hedgerows by our centenary next year.

Saturn reaches opposition on Sunday. Amazingly, the planet will be visible to the naked eye, a reason why dark skies are so important! And, if you can grab a telescope (150mm+ ideally), look south and witness its beauty in full glory. 🔭

https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/advice/saturn-opposition

Since 2012, 5 Acre Community Farm has been growing fresh, seasonal veggies for around 90 local families while caring for wildlife, boosting biodiversity, and building soil health.🌱

Read more! https://www.cpre.org.uk/5-acre-community-farm-ryton-near-coventry/

Brighton's rooftop solar panels can power 370 homes, council says Brighton & Hove City Council says panels on five of its leisure centres have generated the energy.

Great to see rooftop solar taking off in Brighton and Hove!

If we get solar panels on the roofs of car parks, warehouses and other public buildings, we can unlock clean power while protecting the countryside for nature recovery, food and people. 💚

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gjme6z1mro

🌿 Last week, one of our team joined CPRE Sussex at their Countryside Day event, capturing some brilliant moments from the day.

A few more Countryside Days are scheduled over the next few weeks. https://www.cpre.org.uk/news/cpre-is-celebrating-second-annual-countryside-day-2025/

Burning on England’s deep peat banned New rules come into force from 30 September in order to restore habitats and reduce flooding

🌱 Big news for our bogs! DEFRA has announced an extension to the ban on deep peat burning, a vital step forward for climate and nature that we fully support. 🙌

https://bit.ly/4mWw5Hb