Urgent: Save Our Countryside

Message from 38 degrees - if you haven't already done so please sign their petition: We have just three days until the government shuts its consultation on rigging the planning system in favour of property developers. We can stop this turning into a building free-for-all which could blight our landscape for generations. But we haven't got a moment to lose! On Monday, the "Save Our Countryside" petition will be carried into 10 Downing Street. The more names on it, the more likely we are to get the government to protect precious green places and wildlife from bulldozers. Can you ask your friends and family to join the 100,000 of us already saying "Save Our Countryside"? If enough of us get involved, we can make David Cameron realise the public wants him to rethink these dangerous plans. Please forward this email now - ask your friends and family to take 30 seconds to sign the petition: https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/save-our-countryside So many different groups are worried about the current plans: The National Trust warns that "short term financial gain has been put ahead of everything else." [1] Friends of the Earth predicts “a building free-for-all that will blight our countryside with bad building.” [2] The National Housing Federation warns: “these changes could let private developers off the hook in terms of delivering thousands of affordable homes.” [3] If we work together, we can change the government's mind. We can protect local communities' right to have their say. We can make sure affordable housing is built where it’s needed. And we can protect wildlife and beautiful, tranquil places for future generations. The consultation closes in three days. Once our green fields are gone, they're gone forever. So let's move fast now to protect them - just like we did to stop England's forests being sold off. [4] Please forward this email to friends and family now and ask them to take 30 seconds to sign the petition: https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/save-our-countryside If you use Facebook, please share the petition wth your Facebook friends by clicking here: https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/planning-facebook-share If you use Twitter, please send a tweet about the petition by clicking here: https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/planning-twitter-share Thanks for getting involved, David, Hannah, Johnny, Marie, Cian, Becky and the 38 Degrees team NOTES [1] https://www.planningforpeople.org.uk/ [2] http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/press_releases/planning_reforms_meet_minister_07092011.html [3] http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/oct/01/social-housing-planning-reform [4] http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/oct/02/will-conservative-housing-scheme-effective [5] https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/we-saved-our-forests MORE INFORMATION Read more about the government’s proposed planning changes on the 38 Degrees website: https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/save-our-countryside-blog