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CPRE GLOUCESTERSHIRE BRANCH QUESTIONNAIRE ON KEY ISSUES AFFECTING OUR COUNTRYSIDE

ANALYSIS OF RESPONSES

Number of responses: 148

Overall Message

Love of the countryside comes from experiencing it not just seeing it. There is of course the beauty of the landscape in all its forms and diversity but experiencing comes from getting out into it and seeing the detail, hearing the sounds, smelling the smells, and feeling the sense of being away from it all. Part of the experience is rural life based on strong communities and rural recreation and a sense of place often associated with particular landscape features. We all feel these experiences in different and individual ways but they are not shared by many city dwellers or young people. Bridging this disconnect is vital – it will not be done by pretty pictures but by education, media promotion and active encouragement by country people to city people to come out and experience it. Central to the countryside is farming as custodian of the land and as food producer. Politicians and the general public need to understand that the countryside is not only complex and beautiful but also plays a vital role in supporting the nation. Equally, the countryside can not stay still: it needs to develop and change, play its part in combating climate change and be host to recreation for the nation – this can all be done without sacrificing what makes each area special.

Summary of responses to each question

Q1. What are the three things you most love about the countryside near you, which make it special and which should be protected into the future?

The responses to this question were wide ranging. The five dominant themes of how people see and value the countryside were:

The countryside near to home was clearly valued.>p/p>

Q2A. How should the countryside develop over the next 20 years

While a minority want nothing to change, the overwhelming view was that the countryside must evolve, but with development determined by local needs and not at the expense of the character of the countryside. There was almost no support for the suggestion that the countryside should absorb more development in order to take pressure of Gloucestershire’s main towns.

More respondents (about 50%) were of a view that essential development should be dispersed across both smaller and larger settlements in the countryside rather than being concentrated in the market towns and larger villages (40%).

Q2B. What sort of recreational activities should be encouraged in the countryside and what should be discouraged?

There was strong opposition to noisy and intrusive activities, particularly activities involving powered vehicles.

There was strong support for encouraging physical activities such as walking and cycling and activity-based activities linked to conservation.

There was also strong support for the provision of better community recreation and sports facilities.

Q3. Do you think it is important to have active communities in each village or town near you?

The response was almost unanimous on the importance of active communities.

Key to sustaining/reviving active communities was seen to be:

Q4A. Do you think commuters or weekenders play an active role in the community?

The general view was that commuters and particularly weekenders play only a small role in the community but more could be done to encourage their involvement.

Q4B How much do you think city and young people understand and care about the countryside? If not much what should be done to help them do so?

The overwhelming view was that there is a disconnection between town and country and between young people and the country which is difficult to address.

Three suggestions for action were prominent in the responses:

Q5. How should farming and land management change?

There were four strong messages in the responses:

Q6. Which of the following possible contributions should your part of the countryside make to combating climate change?

Only a tiny minority rejected the science around the climate change debate.

In terms of action:

Some surprises

There was not a single mention of Green Belt, even though the Gloucester – Cheltenham Green Belt is under threat

There was not a single voice against nuclear power, although there were a number of advocates

The high level of response – about 20% of member households

In terms of countryside values, only a tiny number of respondents mentioned the historical dimension/links with the past

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