Our Aims

Protection of the countryside from the many threats it faces is at the heart of all that we do.  Our team of technical secretaries (our term for planning researchers) works hard to ensure that development detrimental to the countryside does not happen or, if it does, that its more egregious aspects are mitigated or ideally eliminated altogether. 

 

We live in the real world, we know that there must be development to cater for the needs of a growing population.  All we ask is that proposed development be in the right place, ideally a brownfield site, have a generous allocation of affordable housing, be sympathetic to the landscape and be supported by an adequate infrastructure.  Quite obviously its carbon footprint should be as small as practicable.

 

While our day-to-day work on planning concentrates on what is happening within the confines of Northamptonshire, we have serious concerns about the impact on the county of government proposals on the Oxford-Cambridge Arc and of its views on national planning policy as set out in its 2020 White Paper Planning for the Future.  The government appears to be backtracking on the latter but experience tells us that, until its change of heart is confirmed in a new white paper, we should continue to campaign.

 

It would be easy for our team to become downhearted but their doggedness and determination do them credit.  Fortunately they draw strength from their many successes over the years.  Under Current Issues you can find out more about their work, the difficulties they face and the dedication they show in tackling them.