CPRE warns Chancellor of 'urban sprawl' following Autumn Statement
Campaign to Protect Rural England
The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) has warned of the effects of some of the policies announced in the Autumn Statement.
The Chancellor has been warned of an “urban sprawl” particularly in the South East after he spoke of funding for new homes for “in-demand” areas.
CPRE has also warned the funding could result in a failure to deliver national growth.
Paul Miner, planning campaign manager at the CPRE, says: “In his Autumn Statement the Chancellor spoke of funding for new homes for 'in-demand' areas, but we fear this will lead to further urban sprawl, particularly in the South East, and fail to deliver the nationwide growth the Government wants.
“We hope the £2.3bn fund helps provide communities with the type of homes they really need, and meets previous commitments to prioritise brownfield land.
“We also hope the Government’s welcome new funding for affordable housing will provide a fair share for rural communities, where only 8% of the housing stock is affordable”.
The Chancellor said a Housing White Paper would be published ‘in due course’: see CPRE’s hopes for the document here.
