Local MP Steve Brine has joined forces with more than 50 others MPs cross-party to press the Government for important protections in the final National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).
The draft NPPF is a key part of Government reforms to make the planning system less complex and more accessible, and to promote sustainable growth, and was released for consultation, whoch closed in October, last summer.
In a joint letter to David Cameron signed by, among others, Zac Goldsmith and Julian Lewis, the MPs urge the Prime Minister to make a number of changes to the draft National Planning Policy Framework, which was set out in 2011.
Steve Brine said: "We all support a simpler system with more local control, and to be honest a number of the fears from last year were exaggerated. Having said that, I share a few concerns with both colleagues and constituents, and we are seeking a number of clarifications and explicit safeguards."
These include:
1) The need to use suitable brownfield land for development before green fields in order to prevent unsustainable urban sprawl
2) The intrinsic value of the ordinary, undesignated countryside which is loved so much by local communities
3) A commitment to genuinely sustainable development that does not prioritise short-term economic interests over long-term quality of life and well-being.
Steve continued: "We know that David Cameron attaches great value to the countryside and I share his instinctive recognition of its importance. An effective planning system is central to protecting our rural areas from urban sprawl and inappropriate and sporadic development. We are asking the Prime Minister to ensure that the final NPPF enables us to secure the growth and development the nation needs whole safeguarding one of our most valuable environmental assets , the English countryside, for future generations."
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You can view a PDF of the letter here.