The writer Sir Andrew Motion will formally be proposed as the new President of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) in June 2012, succeeding the author Bill Bryson who finishes his 5-year presidency this summer.
Sir Andrew, who was Poet Laureate from 1999 until 2009 and is Professor of Creative Writing at Royal Holloway, University of London, spoke at a CPRE event on Wednesday night of his passion for the English countryside, the inspiration he draws from its beauty and tranquillity, and how the countryside is a national asset that should be accessible to everyone.
Sir Andrew Motion says: "To be proposed for this role is a mixture of joy, honour and a little trepidation, particularly when following in the footsteps of the current incumbent, the magnificent Bill Bryson. But if CPRE members will have me, then I am fully prepared to stand up for the countryside alongside them.
"When Government planning reform could place two thirds of rural England at the mercy of a presumption in favour of development, this is a critical moment for the countryside and for anyone who wants a say over what happens to their community and their surroundings."
Sir Andrew Motion will be proposed at the CPRE AGM on June 28. Bill Bryson has held the post since June 2007.
