The Rural Coalition
The Rural Coalition has published a report, The Rural Challenge as part of its campaign to give local people, entrepreneurs, community groups and councils the ability to ensure a thriving future for the countryside.
The Rural Coalition is made up of councils and leading organisations including Action with Communities in Rural Communities, the Campaign to Protect Rural England, the Country Land and Business Association, the Local Government Association (LGA), the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and the Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA).
The proposals include:
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To scrap plans for referendums in the government's proposed Community Right to Build scheme which would require 90% of community support before new, small-scale development can go ahead in villages. Instead Parish councils with community-led plans should initiate small-scale developments within a localised planning system.
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To reform the Housing Revenue Account system to allow councils to manage their own finances and give them the power to keep all income from selling existing council homes. This will allow councils to provide new affordable housing where it is needed the most.
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To adopt community-led planning as best practice. Guidance on how the community-led plan will occur in practice is given in a flowchart on page 41 of the report.
Clearly the Rural Coalition promotes the preservation of the countryside but what is it's stance on HS2 which will destroy great swathes of rural England and the communities within them.
