The National Planning Policy Framework: mapping our collective response

As the 2025 consultation on the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) drew to a close, CPRE brought together a powerful national response calling for a planning system that genuinely protects what makes the countryside special.

Our campaign focused on three core priorities: defending the Green Belt, recognising and safeguarding valued landscapes, and delivering genuinely affordable housing in rural communities.

A blog on the national CPRE website offers an overview of the responses generated through that campaign. It provides a snapshot of the scale of public engagement, highlights which issues mattered most to people across the country and explores how your concerns varied geographically.

What we did in Phase I and why it matters

Alongside CPRE’s detailed national response to the NPPF consultation, we published a clear and accessible summary of CPRE’s policy asks and encouraged supporters to use our template to submit their own responses to the consultation. The template focused on three core priorities:

• Stronger protection for the Green Belt
• Recognition and safeguarding of valued landscapes
• Delivery of genuinely affordable rural housing

Following the consultation, we sent out a short survey asking respondents which Local Planning Authority (LPA) they were writing from and which of the three issues they considered their top concern. The results give us a clearer picture of both the breadth of engagement and how different issues resonate across England.

A strong national response

In total, at least 946 people responded to the NPPF consultation through CPRE’s campaign – a clear demonstration of the depth of public concern about the future of planning and the countryside.

When asked to rank their top concern:

• 64 per cent identified Green Belt protection as their primary issue
• 25 per cent prioritised valued landscapes
• 11 per cent highlighted rural affordable housing

What happens next: Phase II of the campaign

With the NPPF consultation closed, Phase II of our campaign is now under way. We are working with local CPRE groups across England, sharing MP letter templates and our full, detailed survey findings to support you in influencing decision-makers as we await the NPPF’s conclusion.

If you took part – or want to get involved – now is the time to act. Speak to your local CPRE group (Essex!) to craft personalised messages to your MP and help ensure the final NPPF reflects the care, ambition and concern shown by hundreds of people across the country.

Together, we can keep pressing for a planning system that truly protects the countryside for generations to come.

• To read the full report on the collective response to the NPPF consultation, and to see the priorities of people in your district, visit the national website here