Land-use framework: CPRE responds
Responding to the government’s Land-use Framework consultation, Roger Mortlock, CPRE chief executive, said:‘Land is a finite resource. However, this simple truth rarely seems to influence how we use the limited supply we have. Our land is under more pressure than ever, with demand set to soon outstrip supply unless ill-judged decision making is replaced by a more strategic and joined-up approach. This will be the measure of the new Land-use Framework’s success.
‘Land provides us with food, homes, energy and countless other things our society depends on. The framework should guide sustainable decisions that balance each of these demands. This will require a truly cross-government approach that gives the framework the teeth it needs to hold decision makers to account.
‘If the government is serious about tackling the competing crises this country faces, the framework must not be allowed to sit on a shelf gathering dust. It must have a clear plan for implementation and be regularly reviewed, as is the case with the Land Commission in Scotland.
‘Done well, the new framework could help us build new homes and infrastructure in the most suitable and strategic locations, support nature’s recovery and help to tackle the climate crisis.
‘Land is critical to economic growth, but our finite land should not needlessly scarified in the name of growth.’