The CLA, which represents landowners, farmers and rural businesses in Wales and England, will launch a new report today to persuade politicians to unlock the potential of the rural economy.

‘Standing Up for Rural Businesses’ will today be presented by CLA President Ross Murray, who is a Monmouthshire rural business owner, to the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Rural Business in the House of Commons.

The report demonstrates the vital contribution that rural businesses make to the countryside and to the wider economy. It also highlights key issues for rural areas within the current political agenda, including housing, economic development frameworks and digital connectivity.

Through to the Assembly elections in May and beyond, CLA Cymru will be meeting with AMs and policy makers to help ensure the development of a coherent vision for the rural economy that delivers the right outcomes for rural areas.

CLA President Ross Murray comments: “The countryside is buzzing with economic potential, but too often the 100,000 rural businesses in Wales are overlooked. We are the Cinderella of the economy. Our vision is that a person setting up or growing a rural business should have the same opportunities as anyone seeking to do so in towns and cities.”

CLA Cymru Director Rebecca Williams added: “Successful rural businesses – from food, farming and forestry to tourism, leisure and retail – are the heartbeat that sustains our countryside. The CLA is committed to standing up for rural businesses in discussions with politicians in Cardiff and Westminster. We invite any politicians to come and meet with rural business owners to see for themselves the positive contribution rural businesses make in Wales.”

The Standing Up for Rural Businesses report highlights four priorities relating to the current political agenda. CLA President Ross Murray comments on these priorities:

• Digital connectivity

“Rural areas have suffered for too long with poor or no broadband connections. Communities taking the initiative to invest in their own connections should be empowered with access to match funding or other incentives, rather than penalised.”

• The planning system

“The needs of sustainable development in rural areas must be fully embedded in Planning Policy Wales, both in terms of plan making and decision making.”

• Rural housing

“Rural businesses have a crucial role to play in tackling the housing crisis in the countryside. It is more important than ever to unlock the potential of private investment for housing delivery, along with a more positive approach to planning.”

• Economic development frameworks

“CLA Cymru is calling on Welsh Minister to adopt a coherent vision for the rural economy, ending the development of policy in silos and addressing the needs of rural communities.”