Surrey CPRE - The Countryside Charity

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Surrey CPRE - The Countryside Charity

We are the Surrey Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE). We are the only charity whose mission The Green Belt is being weakened.

Green spaces are a lifeline for both people and wildlife, but Surrey’s are under threat. The Green Belt around Surrey has done more than anything else to keep Surrey green and pleasant but the county is under increasing pressure to build more houses, with fields and farmland being offered up for development. CPRE campaigns to protect precious green spaces, for the sake of present and future genera

tions. Surrey’s Green Belt countryside is vital for public health and well-being, for nature and biodiversity, for food-production, and to reduce climate-change. That’s why CPRE plays an active role in the planning process, to ensure that green spaces are not sacrificed unnecessarily. We contribute to public consultations and respond to planning applications that affect the Green Belt.

04/09/2026

CPRE Surrey has joined 21 national community and environmental organisations in signing a handwritten letter delivered directly to the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street, calling for a fair and independent right of appeal for communities affected by airspace decisions.

We believe residents deserve a transparent, accountable and genuinely fair way to challenge decisions that could affect flight paths, noise, health and quality of life.

Read our latest blog to find out why we’re calling for change and how you can support the campaign. 👉 https://www.cpre.org.uk/surrey/news/cpre-surrey-joins-national-call-for-fair-appeal-rights-on-aviation-reforms/

01/09/2026

As we come into September, it’s certainly easy to see that we are edging into autumn and all things cosy, you can almost smell the pumpkin spiced lattes! The temperature has cooled and some much welcome rain has finally made an appearance.

Don’t start reaching for the cosy blankets and heading to your favourite corner of the house just yet, as this is a wonderful time of year to get outside. Mild temperatures, bright sunshine combined with crisper mornings make this such an easy time to enjoy the countryside around us.

Here some things you can spot on your September stomps:

🍂 If *foraging is your vibe then this month is ripe for you to reap the rewards on your countryside walk. Blackberries, elderberries, and sloes can all be found amongst the hedgerows right now.

🍂 Woodland floors will start to become a treasure trove through September with hazelnuts, conkers, acorns and beech nuts littering the ground.

🍂 This is a great month for eager fungi spotters as damp woodland floors are the perfect habitat for an array of weird and wonderful mushrooms. This is a look-but-don’t-touch situation as many mushrooms can be poisonous!

🍂 Our summer holidays might be coming to an end but our migrating feathered friends, like swallows, will be preparing to begin their journey south.

🍂 Bees, butterflies and other pollinators will still be busy working and looking for those late-season nectar sources before it gets too cold.

September might not have quite the kaleidoscope of colours that we’ll see in October but if you look closely you’ll start to see the autumn colours creeping through.

Are you sad to see the end of summer or are you ready for cosy season?

*always follow UK laws around foraging.

29/08/2026

International Bat Night has been celebrated since 1997 with more than 30 countries now taking part.

Bats play a vital role in our ecosystem, pollinating plants, dispersing seeds and eating insects which can harm crops. But their population has declined over the last century as building and developments affect their habitats.

You might not see these nocturnal mammals often but they are an important indicator of the health of our local landscapes.

You can help bats across the UK by supporting the Bat Conservation Trust on International Bat Night.

27/08/2026

Have your say on the future of our airspace.

On 1st September, the Civil Aviation Authority Bill will have its first reading in the House of Commons.

Campaigners are calling for an amendment that would introduce an independent ombudsman to oversee CAA airspace change, providing greater scrutiny and accountability for decisions that can have a lasting impact on communities.

Airspace decisions don't just affect the skies. They can affect communities on the ground through aircraft noise, pollution, health and quality of life.

That’s why it’s important that MPs hear from their constituents before the Bill progresses.

📩 Please contact your MP and ask them to support the amendment for an independent ombudsman to oversee CAA airspace change.

A template letter that you can adapt or send as it is, along with further information about the Bill and proposed changes to air navigation guidance, is available from CAGNE (via the link in bio) http://www.cagne.org

25/08/2026

Local people should have a say in the decisions that shape our communities.

Currently, applications that would significantly impact the community are often decided by planning committees, made up of locally elected councillors, with local people usually given the opportunity to have their say.

Recently the Secretary of State has introduced new Regulations coming into effect shortly under which decisions over smaller planning applications in your community will be made by planning officers and not by democratically elected planning committees made up of local people. This means decisions around new local developments could be made without input from those it would impact the most, the local community.

Find out more about changes to the planning decision process in our latest blog post https://www.cpre.org.uk/surrey/news/planning-changes-what-they-mean-for-local-communities-in-surrey/

17/08/2026

The countryside is more than somewhere to enjoy.

It plays a vital role in managing water, supporting wildlife, storing carbon, producing food and giving us space to breathe.

Our countryside is working hard for us, so let’s work hard to protect it.

14/08/2026

Do you think of nature or the countryside as something to visit? When we live busy lives that take us from brick building to brick building, it’s easy to start to think of nature as something other.

In reality, the countryside is as important a part of our infrastructure as the roads, buildings, and communities around us.

Having access to amazing green spaces and countryside within easy reach of our towns has such a positive impact on our quality of life and our wellbeing.

But it’s not guaranteed. Which is why we are here to protect it.

13/08/2026

We love to see young people standing up for the countryside, so we were especially delighted for university student, Emily Johnson, to join CPRE Surrey as one of our Trustees.

We caught up with Emily to find out more about why she wanted to join CPRE Surrey and what the Surrey countryside means to her.

Read more in our latest blog post https://www.cpre.org.uk/surrey/news/meet-our-trustees-emily-johnson/

06/08/2026

This September, Campaign to Protect Rural England are inviting people to join Love Your Countryside month!

September is an amazing time to get outdoors. The weather is often still mild, evenings are still long, and nature is still bursting with plant and wildlife.

Love Your Countryside month aims to help you celebrate your local countryside by sending four weeks of inspiration straight to your inbox.

Throughout September you’ll receive:

💚 Ideas for getting outside and discovering new places.

💚 New ways of seeing and appreciating your local landscapes.

💚 Recommendations, stories and reflections from writers, campaigners and countryside voices.

💚 Hidden gems and walks shared by people across England.

The first 1,000 people to sign up with also get a free Love Your Countryside badge!

Sign up now https://takeaction.cpre.org.uk/page/195760/petition/1?ea.tracking.id=launch_email&utm_medium=email&utm_source=engagingnetworks&utm_campaign=LoveYourCountryside_IntroSupporters&utm_content=Love+Your+Countryside+intro

04/08/2026

Could your local green space be protected as a village green?

The Open Spaces Society is encouraging communities across Surrey to identify and register eligible local green spaces before they are threatened by development.

Speaking at our recent Annual General Meeting (AGM), the Society highlighted how registering land as a town or village green can help protect valued spaces, giving local people rights to enjoy them while safeguarding them for the future.

With increasing pressure on our countryside and green spaces, community action has never been more important. 💚

Find out more about village green registration, what it means for local communities, and how you can help protect Surrey’s special places https://www.cpre.org.uk/surrey/news/surrey-communities-urged-to-register-local-green-spaces/

Address

PO Box 865
Godalming
GU79LH

Website

https://www.cpre.org.uk/surrey/

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