Edward has meet with local Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) Leicestershire and Rutland representatives in Syston to discuss their work and issues related to planning, housing, and transport in Charnwood.
The local CPRE work in Leicestershire and through their national office in London to campaign for the countryside, campaigning to protect it from threats it faces, and to preserve it for future generations. The CPRE in Leicestershire has been active for over 75 years, engaging with the planning process and local and national Government to put its case. In that time, they’ve helped to influence and apply planning laws to help preserve the special beauty and character of the countryside.
Edward's local discussions with them covered a range of issues, from concerns about the outline proposals for a new Leicester by-pass road and its potential impact on the countryside around Syston, to the volume of local planning applications and development in and around our villages, housing targets for the area, and the importance of maintaining the rural character of our area and ensuring that local infrastructure is in place for any new housing developments.
Anyone interested in the CPRE, and its work locally, can get in touch with the Leicestershire Branch by emailing [email protected]
Following the meeting, Edward said: "While we all recognise the importance of having the right housing, in the right place, to meet changing local needs, it is vital that any new developments have the right transport and service infrastructure in place to support them; that they preserve and enhance rather than threaten the distinct, rural, character of our local towns and villages; and that we protect our precious countryside from over-development.
Organisations like CPRE Leicestershire & Rutland, who campaign on these issues, and actively and constructively engage with the planning process on behalf of their members and communities play an important part in ensuring local voices are heard when planning applications and infrastructure projects are considered. I found our meeting constructive and useful, and look forward to further engagement with our local CPRE in the future."