C is for Centenary

Our first blog of the year couldn’t be better timed…

The next letter in our A to Z series is ‘C’ — and what better way to mark it than by celebrating the start of CPRE’s centenary year?

For 100 years, CPRE has championed the countryside and the communities who care for it.

From shaping the planning system we rely on today to protecting some of England’s most treasured landscapes, our history shows what determined campaigning can achieve.

Here are just a few standout moments:

1920s: CPRE is founded in 1926 to stop unchecked development and protect rural England. Just two years later, CPRE Gloucestershire is established.

1930s–40s: We help lay the foundations of modern planning, push back against urban sprawl and make the case for Green Belts and National Parks. In 1949, after 20 years of campaigning, CPRE helps secure the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act.

1950s–60s: Green Belts are formally backed by government, while protection expands to coastlines, footpaths and rural communities.

1970s–80s: CPRE launches its hedgerow campaign, raises early concerns about plastic waste and helps pioneer environmentally sensitive farming.

2000s–2010s: We help shift housing policy towards brownfield‑first development and play a key role in campaign wins such as the 5p plastic bag charge.

Today: CPRE is unwavering in its mission to champion and protect our countryside. Here in Gloucestershire, we’re driving action on multiple fronts to safeguard and enhance the countryside we all cherish – discover our work shaping Gloucestershire’s countryside by clicking the button below.

Our action in Gloucestershire

But our centenary isn’t only about looking back, we also need to look forward. The countryside now faces unprecedented pressures; from climate change and nature loss to poorly planned development. That’s why this milestone year is also a call to action.

We’re inviting everyone to Love Your Countryside: to protect what matters, restore what’s been lost and connect more deeply with the places that sustain us. Our newly published Letter to Gloucestershire sets out what’s at stake; and how together we can shape a better future for the countryside.

If you believe in a beautiful, resilient countryside, read the letter and add your name.

Read the letter & add your name

CPRE have published a full timeline of our history and achievements over the past 100 years, which can be viewed by clicking the button below.

View CPRE’s timeline