Cornwall

The Government changes the rules by stealth

- to get its own way!

The Government appears hell-bent in its efforts to destroy the countryside and the rural communities that live there.  Parliamentary Bills have been introduced recently that make it more difficult to object to proposals that will affect England's rural environment.  The increasing frequency of parliamentary bills and the establishment of panels of enquiry make it very difficult for the ordinary person to keep up with the pace of proposals, let alone object.  Indeed, some issues are so similar that confusion reigns and legislation is passed by default.   Arbitrary targets become a mystifying objective that is obscured by further targets, which could be inclusive or additional.  The amount of materiel that is produced at taxpayers' expense to support Governmental aims and objectives is so vast that there is insufficient time to digest the contents, consider the implications and make a rational response to either support or reject the measures proposed.

At the present time CPRE Cornwall is endeavouring to respond to a number of measures that will have an enormous impact on the county.  These include numerous applications for wind turbines and wind farms; the imposition of 68,700 new homes in Cornwall by 2026; the establishment of an Eco-Town near St Austell; the waste incinerator at St Dennis; the expansion and development of Newquay Airport; the closure of rural post offices and schools; and the loss of prime agricultural land.  In addition to all this, the Government is changing the planning system; abolishing the "need test" when considering applications for out-of-town supermarkets; increasing the percentage target for renewable energy; and failing to understand the importance of the countryside and the need for a vibrant rural community. 

In its efforts to impose its will, the Government offers inducements that are nothing more than a bribe.  Wind turbines attract grants; wind farms are obliged to sell the electricity produced to the National Grid; and property owners close to a wind turbine receive Council Tax discounts!   No wonder it is so difficult to oppose wind farms.  And only deaf ears hear the message that the wind is not a continuous form of energy and that conventional power stations of one sort or another will still be needed.  The same attitude applies to housing!  Of course developers will include "affordable housing" in their schemes, but what is "affordable housing"?  If 68,700 new houses are built in Cornwall by 2026, where will those that live in these new houses work?  Will roads, hospital, schools and other essential services be capable of supporting the additional people living in Cornwall?  With an average of two people per house, the county's population could increase by 137,400 in eighteen years' time.

All these changes and proposals are occurring at a time when most people are worried and distracted by the rising cost of fuel and food.  The Government tells people not to waste fuel or food, but doesn't really address the problem.  The high tax and duty rate on fuel merely increases the tax revenue for the Government as the price of oil increases each week - diesel has increased by 40% since October 2007.  The Government announcement that it might reduce VAT on road fuel in order to help road hauliers is a cynical measure that attempts to placate both industry and the public, as VAT registered businesses can recover VAT anyway - whether it's 5% or 17½%!

We must all be alert to the creeping changes that the Government is trying to impose on the nation.  We must stand up for what we, as individuals, want and not just accept the changes that the Government wishes to impose on our society.  The Government was elected to represent the people, not to dictate and force through its own ideological stance.  Collective opposition is the best form of resistance to unwanted changes, so we must encourage others to join organisations such as CPRE.  Individually we can gather information locally and relay that information to CPRE Cornwall through its Executive Committee.  This gathering of intelligence is important as it enables CPRE Cornwall to be fully aware of activities throughout the county that could lead to the loss of our rural environment and its way of life.  Of greatest concern are planning applications that destroy the beauty, tranquillity and usefulness of the countryside, but there are many other problems too, such as blocked footpaths, fly-tipping and litter, damaged roads, and inappropriate land use.   If you are aware of anything that threatens our countryside, then please do inform the Executive Committee - and this can be done by e-mailing me at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Ted Venn

13^th July 2008

ENGLAND'S COUNTRYSIDE: A PRECIOUS ASSET WORTH KEEPING

England's countryside is a hugely precious national asset, which needs protecting more than ever in the face of growing pressures. 

This is CPRE's reaction  to the State of the Countryside 2008 report published by the Commission for Rural Communities ^[1] today (Wednesday, July 16th).

‘People are valuing the countryside more than ever, at a time when it is subject to greater pressures than ever before,' said Tom Oliver, Head of Rural Policy at CPRE.

The report shows that more people are choosing to live in rural communities and that those who do live healthier lives ^[2].  It also reveals that rural poverty has risen faster than in urban areas ^[3].

Tom Oliver continued:

‘Action to tackle rural poverty, and to increase the provision of affordable housing, should safeguard the characteristics that make the countryside special for so many people, whether they live there or not.  ‘The scale of the pressures on the countryside, from large scale housing schemes and other intrusive development, are making rural England a place which needs more careful protection than ever before ^[4].  Otherwise, we could be left with much of what we now value either lost or seriously damaged.'

Tom Oliver concluded:

‘Our own intrusion maps ^[5] show graphically how urban pressures are accelerating, fragmenting and eroding truly rural places.  Keeping such damage to a minimum is in everyone's interests.  This is a valuable report.  We urge Government to act on it and respond wisely to the pressures it reveals.'

NOTES FOR EDITORS

1. Further information about the State of the countryside 2008 published by the Commission for Rural Communities, the Government's rural advisory body, can be found at:

 file://www.ruralcommunities.gov.uk/projects/stateofthecountryside2008/overview

2. State of the Countryside 2008 - Key Facts: The population of rural England continues to rise at a faster rate than in the country as a whole. Most households moving into rural England are families with young children and people aged from 44-64.

3.  The State of the Countryside 2008 Summary Report states that ‘Poverty appears to be increasing in rural areas, and more than in urban areas. Over the last two years for which data is available the percentage of population under the poverty line rose 3% in rural areas compared to 1% in urban areas.'

4. State of the Countryside 2008 - Key Facts: Demand for new development is significantly higher (per household) in rural areas than urban areas and the countryside has seen a greater number of new houses than in the urban fringe in recent years.

5. State of the Countryside 2008 - Key Facts: The character of large parts of England's countryside is changing as a result of built development particularly in the lowlands and areas beside major transport corridors. Comparison of the levels of visual and noise intrusion since the 1960s show that rural areas have become much busier with a three-fold increase in the ‘disturbed' areas in the most rural districts.