Trashing environment is a false economy

THIS government needs to drop the false choice between the environment and the economy and get on with delivering the basic building blocks for thriving rural communities that have been neglected for too long.

But sadly, the government seems hell bent on repeating the mistakes of the past rather than pursuing the policies rural communities really need in order to thrive.

If ministers want to see booming high streets in our market towns then they should be investing in a reliable and comprehensive bus network, not fast tracking road building schemes that have long since been proven not to deliver meaningful economic gains.

If ministers want to see more money in people’s pockets they should be delivering a massive programme of genuinely affordable homes not trying to bypass the democratic planning system.

If ministers want to keep business costs down, they should be making use of the 250,000 hectares of south facing commercial roofspace across the country to achieve a revolution in cheap domestically generated solar energy, not breaking manifesto commitments by trying to resurrect a fracking industry that will have no meaningful impact on wholesale gas prices.

The government’s plan to achieve growth by allowing businesses to trash the environment is a recipe for disaster that will ultimately leave rural communities poorer.

Sarah McMonagle Acting Director of Campaigns and

Policy at CPRE