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CPRE Bedfordshire (founded in 1987) is a voice for everyone who wants to protect our countryside and is a leading contributor to planning, countryside and environmental debates. It seeks to protect and enhance the Bedfordshire countryside and its rural communities. We welcome support from anyone interested in the countryside - membership 
is open to all.
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Palmers Wood, Old Warden -
Oakley Bridge over river Gt Ouse -
Rare breed ponies, Barton Hills -
Great Barford Bridge over river Gt Ouse -
Swineshead -
Pegsdon Hills view over Pegsdon -
River Great Ouse, Oakley -
Rare breed sheep, Pegsdon Hills
Thanks to the work of dedicated volunteers, CPRE Bedfordshire monitors planning proposals that threaten the character and wildlife of the county, making balanced and informed comments, encouraging good design and campaigning against inappropriate and unnecessary development. We work closely with amenity societies, and town and parish councils and organise training sessions on planning issues, but any concerned individual may approach us for advice.
In order to help you influence planning decisions where you live and to engage more fully in all the planning processes, CPRE Bedfordshire has prepared a detailed 14 pps guide on how to use the existing local and national web based planning resources of both Central Bedfordshire Council (CBC) and Bedford Borough Council (BBC). Download our planning guide 1.9MB PDF.
Flash Update: Since compiling our guide, CBC appears to have removed access to the acrobat weekly planning lists and access to them may no longer be available as advised in our guide.
Information on the national planning system and how to make your voice heard on the decisions that shape your environment is available at CPRE's Planning Help website. CPRE & the National Association of Local Councils have produced a set of three excellent booklets for anyone interested in understanding planning:
Planning Explained PDF 4.84MB
How to respond to planning applications: an 8 step guide PDF 3.98MB
How to shape where you live: a guide to Neighbourhood Planning PDF 5.50MB
See what we are doing now in the latest edition of our newsletter Bedfordshire Matters Spring/Summer 2012 PDF 1.7MB.
In 2007, the branch celebrated 20 years of campaigning and produced to new banners highlighting issues and events in which the branch has been involved since 1987.
Follow this link to view the two banners.
Volunteering with CPRE Bedfordshire is rewarding work, so why not contact us ?
CPRE Bedfordshire is a charity financed by members and supporters and is a county branch of the national organisation, the Campaign to Protect Rural England (founded in 1926), widely respected for its rational, reasoned, and well researched approach to rural issues. CPRE has a long history of achievements in defending the beauty, diversity and tranquillity of the English countryside, encouraging the sustainable use of land and other natural resources and successfully campaigning for measures such as National Parks and Green Belts to protect our countryside. Our patron is Her Majesty the Queen and our national president, the award winning author, Bill Bryson.
Read the Herald & Post article about CPRE Bedfordshire (26 July 2007) (PDF 68KB)
Get the inside story on CPRE's campaigning with the Email newsletter - SIGN UP HERE
What is special about Bedfordshire’s countryside ?
Bedfordshire is one of the smallest shires yet contains a richly varied landscape with many gems: from the chalk Chilterns in the south, through the Greensand Ridge, to the stone-built villages of the Ouse valley in the north and the boulder clay wolds crowned with ancient woodland.
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| From Oakley Hill across the North Beds Ouse valley landscape towards Pavenham | Radwell Bridge & Village landscape |
Our threatened countryside
Bedfordshire is predominantly rural but its proximity to London and Milton Keynes has placed the county under severe pressure from unsuitable and excessive development that threatens its whole character. It is one of the areas targeted for major growth over the next twenty-five years. Massive housing proposals north of Dunstable and Luton would delete parts of the Green Belt and devalue the nearby Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Other areas within the county are also under severe pressure from development.
What you can do
You can still get involved and influence the final outcome of plans. If you care about Bedfordshire and the English countryside, then please join us today. Together we can do more to defend our countryside locally and nationally for everyone. Your subscription helps fund our work locally; you will also receive the branch newsletter Bedfordshire Matters and an events programme.
2011 © Campaign to Protect Rural England County of Bedfordshire Branch Registered Charity 1023435
