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Spring / Summer 2018
Aspects of Land
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Over the next year the
Government will meet a range
of stakeholders to identify what
contribution each can make to
the goals set out in the plan.
It plans to set up an
independent body that will hold
the Government to account
on its environmental measures
and form a set of principles to
underpin policy-making.
It is establishing a set of
metrics to assess progress
towards the 25-year goals.
There will be a new green
business council and the
Government is looking at
the potential for a natural
environment impact fund.
n
To register as a stakeholder
in the plan, visit
gov.uk/government/publications/
25-year-environment-plan
many believe it is unlikely that this
Government will broach any additional
large pieces of legislation.
Christopher Price, Director of Policy at
the Country Land and Business Association
(CLA) is keen to see more detail on the
funding. “Much of what is proposed will
require significant investment consistently
delivered over decades,” he said.
It’s a concern that was brought up
in parliament by Green Party co-leader
Caroline Lucas. In response to her
question, the Government admitted that
only an extra £15.7m of funding had been
set aside for the plan.
Donna Collier of Savills Rural Planning
is watching out for developments.
“The plan sets out the Government’s
aspirations and indicates a direction
of travel. Those aspirations have the
potential to impact on a wide variety of
different rural landowners and it will be
important for them to stay up to date.
We are currently monitoring how the
greater emphasis being placed on the
environment will affect planning guidance
and regulation.”
Changes to the National Planning
Policy Framework, which is currently
undergoing consultation and due to be
implemented later this year, suggests
development will have its role to play in
meeting the plan’s objectives. “Although
the proposed draft changes have broadly
been described as an ‘evolution’ rather
than a ‘revolution’,” she says.
“The United
Kingdom is blessed
with a wonderful
variety of natural
landscapes and
habitats and our 25-
Year Environment
Plan sets out our
comprehensive and
long-term approach
to protecting and
enhancing them in
England for the next
generation. Its goals
are simple: cleaner
air and water; plants
and animals which
are thriving; and
a cleaner, greener
country for us all.”
THERESA MAY
Clean water is included in the ambition
However, although the NFU and other
organisations have welcomed the broad
strategy, they have noted that although
the plan is big on ideas, it is short on clear
action points and a funding strategy.
In the words of the Wildlife Trust’s
Chief Executive Stephanie Hilborne,
although the plan contained “some very
encouraging words and ambitions”,
its lack of legal underpinning was “a
fundamental flaw”. She says she would
like to see the plan followed up with
an ambitious Environment Act in the
next Queen’s Speech. “Without real
Government leadership our wildlife and
wild places will continue to decline.”
There has been no comment from the
Government about a new Environment
Act. However, given the current
challenges of the Brexit negotiations
SHUTTERSTOCK