Save the English Countryside

[Lord Pork Pie of Melton]

Our English countryside is under threat again. The government is trying to rush through massive changes to the planning system, which would make it much easier to build on green field sites. We've just a few weeks to stop this happening.

   Experts are lining up to condemn the government plans. The National Trust warns of “unchecked and damaging development”. [1] Friends of the Earth predicts “a building free-for-all that will blight our countryside with bad building”. [2]

A massive people-powered petition can make the government think again. It worked to stop England's forests being sold off. [3] It can work again to stop precious countryside being wrecked by bulldozers and concrete.

Please add your name now, then forward this message to all your friends:
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/save-our-countryside

   The English countryside is something we all enjoy. It's far too precious to build on willy-nilly. Once our green fields are gone, they're gone forever.

   If we work together, we can stand up for a balanced, careful approach to deciding what to build and where to build it. We can protect local communities' right to have their say, make sure social housing is built where it’s needed and protect wildlife and beautiful, tranquil places.

   Having to act fast to stop an urgent threat to our countryside feels eerily familiar doesn't it! It's only a few months since half a million of us came together to stop plans to sell off England's forests. It worked that time - now let's come together again to stop this new threat to our beautiful green places.

Take two minutes now to add your name to the petition:
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/save-our-countryside


   Thanks for being involved,

   David, Hannah, Johnny, Marie, Cian, Becky and the 38 Degrees team


   PS: The government "consultation" ends in October. They say that after that they want to press ahead quickly. So we've got just a few weeks to make this petition huge. Please add your name now, then forward this e-mail to all your friends and ask them to sign too: https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/save-our-countryside


NOTES:
[1] http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-chl/w-countryside_environment/w-planning-landing.htm
   [2] http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/press_releases/planning_reforms_meet_minister_07092011.html
   [3] Read more about the successful campaign to stop the forest sell-off here: http://blog.38degrees.org.uk/2011/02/17/victory-government-to-scrap-plans-to-sell-our-forests/


MORE INFORMATION:

   Stopping dangerous changes to the planning system was prioritised by thousands of 38 Degrees members in the August campaign priorities poll. You can see the full results here: http://blog.38degrees.org.uk/2011/09/16/august-member-poll-results-now-in/

Interesting articles:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jul/28/localism-bill-sacrifice-countryside-market
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2036528/Planning-reform-Ministers-urged-come-clean-links-builders.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/hands-off-our-land/
http://www.jonathonporritt.com/blog/planning-sustainable-development
   http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/blog/2011/sep/12/development-free-for-all-chaos
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/sep/05/george-osborne-motorway-sustainable-development


Campaigning organisations:
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-chl/w-countryside_environment/w-planning-landing.htm
http://www.foe.co.uk/news/planning_reform_rushed_through_32499.html
http://www.cpre.org.uk/what-we-do/housing-and-planning/
http://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/en/campaigning/planning-changes/Pages/nppf-statement.aspx

   

[claret999]

Well said Fed

[Lord Pork Pie of Melton]

Did you mean "well fed Fred"?

[Nick]

We have just three days until the government shuts its consultation on rigging the planning system in favour of property developers. We can stop this turning into a building frenzy which could blight our landscape for generations. But we haven't got a moment to lose!

 On Monday, the "Save Our Countryside" petition will be carried into 10 Downing Street. The more names on it, the more likely we are to get the government to protect precious green places and wildlife from bulldozers.

Can you ask your friends and family to join the 100,000 of us already saying "Save Our Countryside"? If enough of us get involved, we can make David Cameron realise the public wants him to rethink these dangerous plans.

Please forward this email now - ask your friends and family to take 30 seconds to sign the petition:
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/save-our-countryside

 So many different groups are worried about the current plans:
 The National Trust warns that "short term financial gain has been put ahead of everything else." [1]
 Friends of the Earth predicts “a building free-for-all that will blight our countryside with bad building.” [2]
 The National Housing Federation warns: “these changes could let private developers off the hook in terms of delivering thousands of affordable homes.” [3]

If we work together, we can change the government's mind. We can protect local communities' right to have their say. We can make sure affordable housing is built where it’s needed. And we can protect wildlife and beautiful, tranquil places for future generations.

 The consultation closes in three days. Once our green fields are gone, they're gone forever. So let's move fast now to protect them - just like we did to stop England's forests being sold off. [4]

 Please forward this email to friends and family now and ask them to take 30 seconds to sign the petition:
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/save-our-countryside

 If you use Facebook, please share the petition wth your Facebook friends by clicking here:
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/planning-facebook-share

 If you use Twitter, please send a tweet about the petition by clicking here:
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/planning-twitter-share


 Thanks for getting involved,

 David, Hannah, Johnny, Marie, Cian, Becky and the 38 Degrees

[Lord Pork Pie of Melton]

Almost exactly a year ago, 38 Degrees members finally managed to stop the terrible plan to sell off England's woodlands. It was a huge victory for people power and over 500,000 of us played our part in it. [1]

   We've helped keep our national forests safe.  But beautiful wild places owned by local councils could still be under threat. We can work together to protect these precious places too.

   38 Degrees members in Somerset have been in touch to ask for our help. Their council is trying to sell-off a local natural treasure, known as the Quantock Hills. [2] Councillors could decide to sell as soon as this Wednesday. If the sale goes ahead, a beautiful area of woodland and open countryside could be at risk.

   A huge people-powered petition can make Somerset Council think again and safeguard the Quantock Hills for future generations. Add your name now – local 38 Degrees members will deliver the petition to the Council at the debate this Wednesday:
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/protect-quantock-hills

The Quantock Hills are beautiful. Famous English poets like Wordsworth and Coleridge have written about them. [3] Rare plants and animals thrive there. [4] Hundreds of thousands of people visit every year. [5] If they're sold, there's every risk we'll see fences going up and crucial habitats in danger.

   If Somerset Council get away with this, other councils across the country could start trying to sell off local wildlife havens too. Stopping Somerset Council should help stop these kinds of sell-off schemes becoming a new national menace. So it makes sense for all of us who stood together to protect woodland owned by our national government to speak up against Somerset Council's local sell-off plan.

Add your name now in time for the Somerset council meeting this week:
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/protect-quantock-hills


   Thanks for being involved,

   Hannah, David, Johnny, Cian, Marie, Becky and the 38 Degrees Team