Cornwall

IS THE GOVERNMENT HEARING NATURAL ENGLAND?

Is the Government refusing to listen or does Natural England need to turn up the volume? This is the question that CPRE is asking, two years after the Government's official adviser on landscape and wildlife was set up.

Across a range of policy areas, the Government appears uninterested in hearing about the importance of the natural environment, the core business of Natural England. This is despite earlier Ministerial aspirations that the body would be a ‘powerful and independent' voice for the natural environment. ^[1]

‘On aviation and airports, road building, renewable energy and the planning process, government policy appears to be giving too little weight to Natural England's advice,' said Tom Oliver, Head of Rural Policy at CPRE.

In particular:

Aviation:  The Government's recent decision to expand the number of fights from Stansted ^[2] will inflict additional pollution and noise on the surrounding population and countryside, including the unique and beautiful medieval Hatfield Forest. 

Road building:  The Department for Transport continues to pump huge sums of public money into a programme of road schemes ^[3], which would shatter the tranquillity of the countryside, destroy valuable wildlife habitat and make carbon reduction targets more distant than ever.

Renewable energy: Natural England's response to the Government's draft Renewable Energy Strategy ^[4] rightly questions the assumption by the former Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory reform (BERR) that protection of the natural environment is an obstacle to action on climate change. Natural England also challenges the Government to look beyond a narrow policy or reliance on large amounts of onshore wind energy. We hope that Ed Miliband, the new Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, will heed this advice.

Planning:  The Planning Bill threatens to reduce the influence of local authorities and the people who elect them.  It is not clear whether Natural England is briefing Ministers clearly enough on the danger to democracy and the environment which the Bill represents.  And there is still a long way to go before Natural England can achieve a consistency across the country in terms of its role as a watchdog for landscape. ^[5]

Agriculture: Only in the case of the role of farming in protecting landscape and wildlife has the Government managed to deliver adequate funding to allow Natural England to achieve its core objectives. But even here, questions arise over the pressure on Natural England to expand its remit without further funds to match. ^[6]

Tom Oliver continued:

‘Natural England has a critical role in helping Government to make wise decisions on the environment.  Unless the Government really listens to Natural England, the nation risks losing its fabulous inheritance of landscape and wildlife through bad decisions'.

Tom Oliver concluded:

‘While Natural England needs to make sure it is defending landscapes and wildlife for everyone, the Government has a lot to prove before CPRE will have confidence that it is taking enough notice of the very organisation it set up to do this crucial task.'

NOTES

1     The Government insisted throughout the legislative process that Natural England would be an independent and trenchant champion of the natural environment.  When introducing the legislation to set up Natural England on 6 June 2005, Margaret Beckett, the then Secretary of State for the Environment said that Natural England should be an ‘independent and powerful guardian of our natural heritage'. On 30 March 2006, Margaret Beckett re-emphasised, ‘The Act sets up Natural England as a powerful champion for the natural environment'.

2     The Government approved the proposal to increase the cap on passenger numbers at Stansted by 40% the same week that the Climate Change Commission recommended a cut in emissions by at least 80% by 2050 and that trends in international aviation should be considered in deciding whether this target needed to be raised further.

3     Regions are making recommendations for the funding of transport schemes up to the middle of the next decade as part of the Regional Funding Allocation process.  The majority of the funds are likely to be allocated to outdated road schemes, many of which will damage the countryside, for example the Kingkerswell Bypass in Devon and the Shrewsbury North Western ‘Relief' Road. Other immensely damaging schemes, such as the Weymouth Relief Road have already been given Government approval.

4     The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform published the UK Renewable Energy Strategy (RES) consultation paper on 26 June 2008. The RES is intended to deliver the UK's share of a forthcoming European Union Directive to produce 20% of EU energy from renewable sources by 2020.

5     Natural England's ability to understand threats to the landscape and to protect it where appropriate has been inconsistent.  The organisation has promised to resolve this but two years' on, there is still much to be done.  In the mean time, some projects are not being adequately appraised by Natural England.

6     Although the money allocated to green farming schemes has to cover a daunting range and scale of issues, including nationally designated wildlife sites and landscapes, public access to the countryside, historic landscapes and enhancing all farmland for wildlife and public enjoyment, Natural England has now been given additional tasks to take further action to protect natural resources such as water and respond to climate change.  There has been no new money to achieve these additional tasks.

CPRE Cornwall - Editorial Comment

It is disappointing that Natural England is not succeeding in its efforts to persuade the government to accept the importance of the natural environment.  This failure has significant implications for Cornwall, as the appealing attractiveness of the county's landscape and coastline is now very much at risk.  The basis of the county's economic future could be ruined if too many more houses are built, or too many wind farms are allowed to be established.  A rise in the county's population would require more jobs to be available, as well as the need to increase infrastructure such as schools, hospitals and roads.  All this development would consume valuable agricultural land and reduce the availability of the countryside that provides so many leisure opportunities that are good for people's health. 

It is most important that the Government takes into account the importance of the countryside when formulating future policy.   The important areas for Cornwall are:

Aviation:  Develop Newquay Airport to provide day time links with the rest of the British Isles, including the Channel Isles, and with France, Spain and Ireland.

Road building: Complete the dualling of the A30 from Hayle eastwards and improve local roads and junctions without large scale destruction of valuable countryside.

Rail transport:  Develop and promote the use of the rail network as a viable alternative to road transport.  Consider reducing fares as a way to encourage more passengers and freight.  Significant fare reductions are being made by many Scottish ferry companies from next year in an effort to attract more usage; this is a lesson for England, and Cornwall, too - less individual profit, but a greater number of purchases will cover operating costs and even increase the overall profit.

Renewable energy:  Promote other forms of renewable energy rather than to continue developing unsightly wind turbines and wind farms, as a way to reach internationally agreed carbon-emission targets and reduce reliance on other countries for Britain's energy supplies.  Research and development into solar energy should be the way forward.

Planning:  The current Planning Bill will restrict people and organisations from making valid objections.  It would be far better to make the existing planning process more transparent and straightforward.   Planning authorities should give greater consideration to the effects that a development would have on the rural environment.  This consideration should include the impact on neighbouring sensitive areas such as AONB; AGLV; SSSIs and the Heritage Coast.

Agriculture:  In the current economic downturn, it is essential that as much food as possible is grown and sold locally.  At the same time, farmers should be paid a reasonable rate for their products. 

Housing:  The imposition of housing targets for each county should be rejected.  In Cornwall, the proposed housing target would change the rural nature of the county.  Housing development should be limited to existing urban areas and infilling.  The loss of further amenity and agricultural land should be avoided.  Plans for the creation of an eco-town near St Austell should be scrapped.

Rural Communities:  More encouragement and support should be given by the Government for the retention of rural businesses that provide both local employment and an essential local service.  The latter includes post offices, which are the mainstay of a rural community, especially when incorporated with a shop.  Village shops and post offices are important as they reduce the need to travel and provide services for those unable to travel.

Ted Venn

28^th October 2008