A new funding package announced by the government to re-establish support in rural areas has a large, tent-shaped hole in it, according to Dan Yates, founder of Pitchup.com.

The package – dubbed Unleashing Rural Opportunity and including a £7m pot to improve internet connectivity – fails to address one simple change that could pour millions of pounds into the rural economy, Mr Yates said.

“Earlier this year, the government consulted on extending Permitted Development Rights (PDR),” he said.

“But ministers are stalling over announcing the outcome of the consultation.

“This simple, quick change has the power to immediately begin generating millions for the rural economy, which in my view is the quickest way the party will win back support.”

PDR enables farmers and landowners to run temporary campsites for up to 28 days each year without needing to apply for extra planning permission.

During the COVID pandemic, however, this was extended to 56 days in a move that generated more than £25m of extra revenue for the rural economy in 2021.

Despite this, PDR reverted to 28 days at the end of 2021, prompting Pitchup.com to lobby government to reintroduce the change on a permanent basis.

In a significant victory for the business, ministers launched a consultation on the issue earlier this year, but have since remained tight-lipped.

Now, Mr Yates is urging them to make an announcement.

He said: “Unleashing Rural Opportunity has clearly been rushed through after the Tories realised they were losing voters in their rural heartlands.

“Whereas financial support is likely to be met with cautious optimism, the plan is currently light on detail. But what we do know is that some key parts will require further consultations before being implemented, which means it could be a long time before changes are felt on the ground.

“Extending PDR, by contrast, is quick and easy to do, and is something that is already proven to inject millions of pounds into the rural economy over a short period of time.”

Mr Yates added that analysis carried out by Pitchup.com demonstrated that of the £25m extra revenue generated by temporary campsites in 2021, almost half was spent in communities surrounding the campsites.

“It isn’t just farmers and landowners who benefit,” he said.

“Local shops, pubs, restaurants, and residents all do as well.”

The announcement of Unleashing Rural Opportunity comes hot on the heels of a poll by the Country Landowners and Business Association (CLA) and Survation that revealed an 18% fall in support for the Tories in England’s top 100 rural constituencies.

The poll also showed a 16% surge in rural support for Labour.

Key provisions of the announcement include:

·        £7m to improve internet connectivity to rural areas

·        Consultation on cutting red tape to make it easier for farmers to turn redundant buildings into homes

·        £2.5m to create a network of Rural Home Enablers who will identify sites with local support for development

·        New funding for the NPCC’s national rural crime unit, to help combat countryside crime

·        Consultations on providing funding for small abattoirs and on planning changes to enable farmers to repurpose existing agricultural buildings more easily.

The full list of provisions can be found here.

The fund comes on the back of the Rural England Prosperity Fund, which was launched in April to provide support for rural businesses and organisations, and on top of other government commitments around sustainable farming, skills development, childcare provision, and more.

Mr Yates said extending PDR as the ‘missing piece of the puzzle’ in increasing prosperity in the countryside.

He said: “Funding is all very well and in many cases, much needed. But alongside this, the government should be empowering communities to help themselves with initiatives like extending PDR.

“This costs the government nothing and would have an almost immediate and huge financial impact on the rural economy. We implore ministers to clarify their position as soon as possible.”