Petition · Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
Introduce new rules and protections from development in rural green heartlands
Open for signatures
1,169 signatures
What the petition asks
We believe that the South West — Devon, Somerset, Dorset, and Cornwall — stands at a breaking point. We are concerned that our cherished green fields, productive farmland, and close-knit rural communities are being swallowed by unchecked urban expansion.
Strengthen the National Planning Policy Framework with these rules for rural areas:
1. Require developers to evidence a genuine local connection (e.g. headquarters or major operations within the county) before reserved matters approval.
2. Mandate full upfront infrastructure funding via Section 106 or Community Infrastructure Levy — no new homes without the services to support them.
3. Review policy and make any necessary changes to ensure best agricultural land (Grades 1–3a) and wider countryside is excluded from the grey belt unless every realistic brownfield alternative is exhausted.
1. Require developers to evidence a genuine local connection (e.g. headquarters or major operations within the county) before reserved matters approval.
2. Mandate full upfront infrastructure funding via Section 106 or Community Infrastructure Levy — no new homes without the services to support them.
3. Review policy and make any necessary changes to ensure best agricultural land (Grades 1–3a) and wider countryside is excluded from the grey belt unless every realistic brownfield alternative is exhausted.
Timeline
| 8 May 2026 | Petition opened for signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
1,169
Status
Open for signatures
Department
Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
Opened
8 May 2026
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 26 Jul 2026.