CPRE Norfolk

CPRE Norfolk

At a glance

Causes

  • Campaigning
  • Environment
  • Local / community

Other details

Organisation type: 
Charity
Geographical remit: 
Regional

Objectives

The Norfolk branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE Norfolk) fights for a better future for the Norfolk countryside.  We work locally and, with our head office nationally, to protect, shape and enhance a beautiful, thriving countryside for everyone to value and enjoy.   We are an independent voice for the landscape, engaging with local and regional planning systems to ensure that our views are heard by decision makers.  We campaign locally for positive solutions that will support the long-term future of Norfolk – one of England’s most rural areas. 

Activities

The vast majority of our work is based around our core campaign brief 'A Vision for Norfolk' which aims to bring common-sense solutions to all the issues currently facing the Norfolk countryside - everything from planning, to design, to transport, energy, water resources, tourism, agriculture and more.  Read more here.

Campaigning for the Countryside

We’re passionate about making the countryside in Norfolk a better place for everyone to enjoy. Our vibrant team of volunteers works with individuals, parish councils and public and private sector organisations to inspire people to care for the countryside and enjoy the benefits it brings wherever they live. This means we work in a very wide area with climate change, youth engagement and bio-diversity all being vitally important, alongside housing, transport, water, food production, energy and planning both at a local and national policy level.

Through the CPRE Norfolk Awards we reward excellence in local authorities, schools, architectural practices and conservation bodies to highlight and improve public understanding of exemplar projects that enhance the Norfolk countryside.

Monitoring Planning

CPRE Norfolk provides independent expertise on major planning issues affecting the countryside.   We provide planning support to parish councils, conservation groups and individuals in the countryside and run seminars and conferences on planning topics.

Challenging Decision Makers

CPRE Norfolk monitors ‘the big picture’ of how the land, coast, skies and communities of Norfolk are developing and engage with decision-makers on an ongoing basis.  Our team respond to a wide range of high level planning policy consultations every year and seek to protect the landscape and influence the shape of Norfolk in the years to come.  We press Norfolk MPs, councillors, planning departments and other decision makers to support the countryside, safeguard precious and protected areas of Norfolk, promote urban renewal, restrict development on greenfield sites, protect country lanes and preserve rural tranquillity.

Our work at present

Particular areas featuring in our work include:

  • The local impacts of the government's White Paper on planning reforms which could lead to huge numbers of extra housing in the Greater Norwich Area - way above numbers that have already been agreed.
  • A continued push for a Green Belt around Norwich which would take the form of green wedges, radiating from the city into open countryside, following existing green corridors and giving access to rural tranquility for residents and green commuting routes for those living outside.
  • Our concerns about plans to build an A47 link road across the Wensum Valley and our opposition to the relocation of an agricultural machinery firm to a greenfield site which contravenes local and national planning guidance.
  • Our successful Parish Partnership Alliance, which now engages with 157 parishes and town councils, which have signed up to make the case for building existing housing allocations before new allocations are made. This phased approach to the delivery of housing tackles land banking and ensures that additional greenfield sites aren't sacrificed to development.
  • Our campaign to reduce light pollution in the Norfolk countryside, which includes a 'light pollution clause' in every planning application response we make to limit the impact of outdoor lighting on the environment.
  • Norfolk's unique environment allows us to grow a substantial amount of the UK's food and supports a major tourism industry. We want to see businesses expanding in a sustainable way, valuing the environment at least equally to economic considerations.

Current opportunities

Norfolk, NR3 1RS

Do you care about the future of the Norfolk countryside? Do you have skills you could bring to our work? CPRE Norfolk are looking for potential...