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CPRE, the countryside charity

@cprecountryside.bsky.social

490 followers 49 following 99 posts

We’re CPRE, the countryside charity. Together, we can help our beautiful countryside thrive, for everyone’s benefit. www.cpre.org.uk

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CPRE, the countryside charity @cprecountryside.bsky.social · May 1

🎉Yay! This is a big campaign win!

Now let’s get rooftop solar rolled out across warehouses, car parks, and existing homes. 🌞

www.cpre.org.uk/news/plans-f...

Plans for solar panels on all new homes a big campaign win

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.

www.cpre.org.uk

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CPRE, the countryside charity @cprecountryside.bsky.social · 1d

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.

CPRE, the countryside charity @cprecountryside.bsky.social · 1d

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.

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.

www.bbc.co.uk

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CPRE, the countryside charity @cprecountryside.bsky.social · 2d

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]

CPRE, the countryside charity @cprecountryside.bsky.social · 2d

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]

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CPRE, the countryside charity @cprecountryside.bsky.social · 7d

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

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CPRE, the countryside charity @cprecountryside.bsky.social · 9d

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.

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CPRE, the countryside charity @cprecountryside.bsky.social · 12d

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.

CPRE, the countryside charity @cprecountryside.bsky.social · 13d

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.

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

bit.ly

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CPRE, the countryside charity @cprecountryside.bsky.social · 15d

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.

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.

bit.ly

CPRE, the countryside charity @cprecountryside.bsky.social · 17d

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/

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.

www.cpre.org.uk

CPRE, the countryside charity @cprecountryside.bsky.social · 21d

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.

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CPRE, the countryside charity @cprecountryside.bsky.social · 21d

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

CPRE, the countryside charity @cprecountryside.bsky.social · 21d

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.

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CPRE, the countryside charity @cprecountryside.bsky.social · 21d

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

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CPRE, the countryside charity @cprecountryside.bsky.social · 21d

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.

CPRE, the countryside charity @cprecountryside.bsky.social · 21d

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.

CPRE, the countryside charity @cprecountryside.bsky.social · 21d

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

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CPRE, the countryside charity @cprecountryside.bsky.social · 21d

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.

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CPRE, the countryside charity @cprecountryside.bsky.social · 22d

🏛️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.

CPRE, the countryside charity @cprecountryside.bsky.social · 23d

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.

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.

www.bbc.co.uk

CPRE, the countryside charity @cprecountryside.bsky.social · 26d

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

CPRE, the countryside charity @cprecountryside.bsky.social · 27d

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/

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CPRE, the countryside charity @cprecountryside.bsky.social · 29d

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

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.

www.bbc.co.uk

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CPRE, the countryside charity @cprecountryside.bsky.social · Sep 13

🌿 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/

CPRE, the countryside charity @cprecountryside.bsky.social · Sep 12

🌱 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

Burning on England’s deep peat banned

New rules come into force from 30 September in order to restore habitats and reduce flooding

bit.ly

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