Housing should be developed alongside transport infrastructure, say countryside campaigners

The paper argues that attention can also be given to smaller places like market towns, which play a 'hugely' important role in rural communities
The paper argues that attention can also be given to smaller places like market towns, which play a 'hugely' important role in rural communities

Housing should be developed alongside transport infrastructure for economic, social and environmental benefits, say countryside campaigners.

A new paper released by the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) argues that high-density development near to high-quality public transport services could boost businesses and jobs, create more well-designed homes and build more diverse, exciting communities - all while reducing pressure on the Green Belt and the wider countryside.

CPRE’s ‘Making the Link’ paper builds on emerging changes to Government policy: the Government’s recent NPPF consultation identified 680 commuter hubs suitable for high density development, for example.

The paper argues that attention can also be given to smaller places like market towns, which play a hugely important role in rural communities in delivering much needed connectivity, services, employment and business opportunities.

Situating high-density housing near transport hubs can concentrate development on brownfield sites in need of regeneration and increase connectivity to employment centres, the report suggests.

This has the potential to make towns "more attractive" for residents and business, halt "damaging" urban sprawl and reduce car use and road congestion.

'Reduced business rates for local businesses'

The paper suggests a number of options to encourage such development, such as reduced business rates for local businesses and the roll-out of planning tools to help identify suitable locations for development.

The paper calls for higher-density development based around public transport hubs, planned around local services and waking and cycling.

Trinley Walker, policy and research adviser at the Campaign to Protect Rural England and author of ‘Making the Link’, comments: "To build the homes we need and make our towns attractive for residents and businesses, housing development and transport must go hand in hand.

"Good access to public transport should be an important factor when councils make decisions about where to build houses – yet it often gets side-lined.

"This means that in many towns the potential for regeneration, quality housing and better connected communities is missed."