Members of the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) and guests from the National Farmers Union (NFU) had the opportunity to meet Labour’s parliamentary candidate for High Peak, Jon Pearce, last Thursday in the Hope Valley.

Meeting at a member’s venue, CLA Midlands Regional Director, Sophie Dwerryhouse, chaired the informal round table meeting directing questions from constituents.

 Ms Dwerryhouse said “Holding these meetings is a really important way of enabling our members to speak about their challenges and opportunities within their rural communities.

 “The High Peak is a beautiful landscape and has a different set of issues compared to other areas, and these issues need be addressed in a balanced way.”

 A varied agenda was discussed with questions being asked regarding planning issues within the Peak District National Park, concerns were raised about the future of farming for the next generation, and viable opportunities for them to live and work in the area and responsible access being but a few.

 Mr Pearce said “I’m hugely grateful to CLA for organising this event and to all those that came. The farming community is facing huge challenges but it was such a positive discussion about how through things like planning reform, better connectivity and cutting unnecessary red tape a brighter future was possible.” 

 The CLA is the membership organisation for landowners, property and businesses in rural England and Wales. Together, our members own and manage around half the rural land. This land supports a wide variety of businesses including agriculture, forestry, tourism, hospitality, retail, commercial and residential lettings.

 Jon Pearce lives in Hope Valley with his young family.