2021 Strategy

At last week’s Committee meeting, we were able to finalise our 2021 strategy and get activities underway in earnest.

Out of a facilitated session that took place in early January, we have developed the following vision and plans to guide us through the coming year and beyond.

What is the ‘Vision’ of our Branch

To value, and encourage others to value, the unique and varied Landscape Character of Derbyshire*. Our focus will be on those often-overlooked parts of our beautiful county outside the Peak District National Park. We will work to promote people’s love of the countryside and their ability to access it.

What we agree as our priorities to realise this Vision:

• Encourage sympathetic and appropriate development, based on:
  • retaining or enhancing landscape character
  • preserving countryside views and amenity use
  • preventing urban/village sprawl
  • conforming to the Local Plan or Neighbourhood Plan
  • valuing local heritage and history
  • preserving the Green Belt
• Support plan-led development
• Give priority to development on recycled brownfield Land
• Make sure any changes to the planning system strengthen, rather than undermine, local democracy.
• Make sure new developments help to mitigate climate change

How we want to achieve this:

• Broaden our profile and increase local awareness of us and our aims:
  • Continue to make good use of social media
  • Publicise success stories, including in the local press.
  • Hold public events and activities
• Establish links with like-minded organisations – Ramblers, Civic Societies
• Have better, more sustained links with local action groups that are opposing developments, which we would also oppose, possibly taking the lead.
• Form links with MPs, Councillors and personnel from planning departments.
• Promote national CPRE campaigns to the benefit of the branch as well as the CPRE brand

Based on this we have allocated roles and responsibilities across our existing core team and we are developing a number of specific new volunteer roles that we will need, particularly people with some skills and experience in planning and in fundraising.

We plan to be in a position to advertise these very soon.