report
Two-thirds of mega solar farms built on productive farmland
Thursday 31 July 2025
England’s most productive farmland is being lost to mega solar farms, CPRE research reveals. As the country scales up on solar power, our analysis shows that large-scale developments are putting vital agricultural land at risk, despite alternatives like solar on rooftops and brownfield sites. Research from our new report reveals that 59 per cent of […] Read more >
‘Draw breath. Listen more. Deliver better.’ Report puts Great Grid Upgrade under the green spotlight
Wednesday 5 June 2024
CPRE Essex has joined a coalition with two other CPRE branches in the eastern region, endorsing a report into National Grid’s plans for new onshore transmission projects, seven of which will have a substantial impact on our communities and landscapes. The proposals by National Grid are at the heart of its Great Grid Upgrade, a […] Read more >
Rooftops and car parks can power the country to more than half its solar energy targets, finds new CPRE report
Friday 26 May 2023
More than half of the solar panels required to hit government net-zero targets could be fitted on rooftops and car parks, a new report for CPRE, the countryside charity, has found. The research, by the UCL Energy Institute, shows that decarbonising the grid requires far less land than previously feared. The government is advised to […] Read more >
Enough brownfield land for 1.3 million new homes, CPRE report reveals
Monday 2 November 2020
There is enough brownfield land for 1.3 million new homes, while more than half a million already have planning permission, a report from CPRE, the countryside charity, reveals. The figures demonstrate that there is already enough available and suitable land in the planning system to meet the government’s ambition to build 300,000 homes per year […] Read more >