Farming UK reports that the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) has issued that the Government must set out clear steps on how it will level up the rural economy in order to benefit rural communities

New planning measures were outlined in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill after its announcement in Tuesday’s Queen’s Speech, including proposals to revamp the planning system "to give residents more involvement in local development".

Responding to it, the CLA called on the Government to include key measures in the new legislative agenda in order to close the rural productivity gap.

The bill proposes to overhaul the ‘one-size-fits-all’ planning system, which the CLA said had disadvantaged rural areas, especially villages.

The charity argues that instead, new design codes would let local communities set rules about the layout of new developments, with the aim of getting as close as possible to the target of building 300,000 new homes a year.

The more affordable houses in rural areas are, the more likely that people could afford to live where they work, the body has said, which would keep money within the local community.

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Farming UK - Government must act on the interests of rural economy, CLA says