Campaigns Update

There’s a general election on 12 December, and we’re calling on all political parties to embrace our vision for a thriving countryside that’s accessible to everybody.

We want the next government to take action to tackle the climate emergency, invest in the public transport and affordable homes that rural communities need, support a planning system that works for people and the environment and work to give all schoolchildren the chance to experience the wonders of our countryside.

Your next MP will play a key role in making this a reality. Do ask them questions at hustings and on the doorstep, and on Thursday 12 December, vote with the countryside in mind.

You may have seen the news last weekend that fracking has been halted in England - an effective ban. This is a huge victory for the countryside, communities and the climate.

The government also dropped proposals to fast-track fracking through the planning system, in no small part thanks to our campaign supported by so many of you taking action for local democracy and the countryside.  

The fracking industry will no doubt try to overturn this decision, but we’re confident this will spell the end of fracking in England.

What if we invested in our Green Belts, planting trees and allowing nature to recover, so that even more of us can enjoy beautiful countryside on our doorstep?⁠

Instead of using it for housing people can’t afford, we’re calling for our Green Belts to be enhanced and restored so future generations can enjoy these much-loved areas of countryside.

Our latest report found that just 1 in 10 houses built on former Green Belt land are affordable. This is the clearest indication yet that building on our Green Belts is not a solution to the housing affordability crisis.

We made a big splash with the report, with coverage in the Guardian and Daily Telegraph.

Read the full story below.

We’ve done the number-crunching on the data that our dedicated Green Clean volunteers collected throughout September. They collected a staggering 10,000 bottles and cans from countryside across England – a huge achievement.

For the second year in a row, the data shows that bottles and cans of all shapes, sizes and materials are littered in our countryside – which is exactly why they should be included in a deposit return system.

We’ll be using this information to keep the pressure on the new government to urgently introduce an all-in system that collects every bottle and can.