Now is the time to make major and long-term improvements to the urban-rural fringe.
Countryside Agency Archive

Breadcrumbs

Strike while the iron is hot to forge links between town and country – 20 January 2003

Now is the time to make major and long-term improvements to the urban-rural fringe. This is the message from rural advocate and Countryside Agency chair Sir Ewen Cameron speaking at the Groundwork National Conference today (Monday 20 January).

Sir Ewen said: “With Government’s Planning Bill coming through at the moment and the trend towards more integrated social, economic and environmental thinking at central, regional and local government level, there is a real opportunity to improve the countryside on the edge of our towns and cities. At the moment this countryside is all too often badly planned and badly managed making it unattractive and neglected - it is a wasted asset. If we can invest in improving these areas there will be enormous benefits to both town and country dwellers.

Two key facts illustrate the importance of the urban-rural fringe:

  • at the moment over half of all day trips to the countryside have a round trip distance of under five miles;
  • some of the most deprived urban estates are found on the edge of cities. 

These are just two of the many compelling reasons why regeneration is so important in areas of urban-rural fringe.   Well managed urban-rural fringe will bring health and social benefits for local communities and attract visitors. At the same time visitors bring much needed money into the local economy, the opportunity for local farmers to re-engage people with the process of food production can be encouraged and a more attractive urban-rural fringe will help to encourage inward investment.

“We need a ten year vision, incorporating our experience and lessons learned from successful projects like England’s twelve Community Forests. We look forward to working with Regional Development Agencies, Local Authorities, Groundwork and others to create this vision and to encourage local communities to turn it into their own blueprint for action.”

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Notes to editors:
For further information please contact the Countryside Agency press office on 020 7340 2909/7.

The Countryside Agency is responsible for advising Government and taking action on issues affecting the social, economic and environmental well being of the English countryside.