2/n New Expression of Interest form for councils simply asks whether proposed Investment Zones would be on land which is in a National Park, SSSI etc
Nexts para says that various planning policies 'will continue to apply' - but only lists Green Belt & 'heritage', not environment
3/n Elsewhere the EOI form says councils must agree to *mitigate* environmental impacts of the Investment Zone, on or off site.
But there's no mention of *avoiding* environmental impacts in choice of siting - pretty significant if Zone is in an SSSI, SAC, National Park etc!
4/n Meanwhile the Investment Zone guidance is littered with mentions of 'planning liberalisation', 'planning matters impeding delivery' and 'streamlining the planning system'
All sounding rather like Jenrick's abortive planning reforms (which were VERY unpopular)
5/n Last observation for now: everything is being done in a huge hurry.
Local Authorities have *two weeks* to submit Expressions of Interest from today.
6/n PS: Whilst National Parks, AONBs, Green Belts, SSSIs and World Heritage Sites are at least *mentioned* in the guidance doc, notable by their absence are any mention of Natura 2000 sites - SACs and SPAs: designations under the Habitats Regulations the govt wants to scrap...
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So @TheGreenParty manifesto is now out - here's my take on their nature policies.
Most significantly, I think, is their pledge for a new Rights of Nature Act - "giving rights to nature itself".
This would be a transformative shift in how we relate to the rest of nature. 1/
2/ Lawyers like @LawForNature @paulpowlesland have been calling for nature to be granted rights for years, to better defend habitats and species from destruction.
A Rights of Nature Act would transform how we currently relate to nature as mere 'property' or a 'resource'.
@LawForNature @paulpowlesland 3/ The Greens are also pledging a new Clean Air Act (something the Lib Dems have also pledged); to end the emergency authorisation of neonic pesticides (which Labour recently also pledged to do); and to meet 30x30 (a goal that is shared by the Tories, Labour & Lib Dems)
The Tory manifesto is now out - here's my take on its nature policies.
First off, the Tories attack Natural England & the Environment Agency: "we will improve their accountability & give them clearer objectives"
Sounds like they want to gut our environmental regulators 1/
2/ Earlier this year I heard a rumour that the Tories were mulling a manifesto pledge to abolish Natural England.
This clearly falls short of that, but it's part of a vicious war that the Tories have waged on NE for years - simply for trying to do its job.
3/ For eg, back in March, a group of Tory MPs proposed a Bill that would gut Natural England's powers to designate nature reserves (SSSIs). They even wrote to the Environment Secretary urging him to back it. Fortunately the election put paid to their plans
2/ A big tranche of the Lib Dems' policies under 'Natural Environment' are about tackling sewage pollution in rivers (all those next to the red highlight below).
Fair play - sewage in rivers is a huge scandal & lots needs doing.
But sewage is only half the problem in rivers...
3/ Agricultural river pollution is just as big a reason for why our rivers are in such a poor state - and that only gets one line in the later 'Food & Farming' section. It's also unclear what 'supporting farmers' means here (money? regulations?). Still, glad it's mentioned...
'We will help coordinate nature's recovery with bodies responsible for public land and major landowners'.
This sounds anodyne but could actually be pretty significant. Here's why: 1/
2/ The government is committed to 30x30 – protecting 30% of England’s land for nature by 2030. But at present it’s waaay off target - @WCLnews say the current total is about 3% of England is properly protected & managed for nature: wcl.org.uk/assets/uploads…
@WCLnews Labour has pledged to meet 30x30, alongside targets in the Environment Act 2021 – many of which also land in 2030:
@Right_2Roam 3/ But Labour's wider package of nature policies is more encouraging.
My favourite is a Community Right to Buy for nature. England's existing 'Community Right to Bid' is far too weak - but Scotland has had a stronger version for the last 20 years.