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release: 22 December 2011

PLANNING RECOMMENDATIONS

A step in the right direction for Berkshire’s wildlife

After raising concerns regarding the Government’s controversial planning reforms, the RSPB has welcomed the latest recommendations from a committee of MPs.

The Localism Act was given royal assent last month and involved proposed reforms to the planning system, causing widespread concern with its contentious ‘presumption in favour of sustainable development’ recommendations, without providing a clear definition of the term sustainable development.

Yesterday (Wednesday December 21) the cross party Communities and Local Government Select Committee released a report on the draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

Recommendations included the need for a clear definition of sustainable development, which will address previous concerns that the policy fails to balance the needs of economic growth and the environment.

Steve Gilbert, RSPB conservation programme manager in the south east said: “This report delivers a healthy dose of common sense when it comes to planning reform.

“It is clear to anyone who cares about our natural environment that the Government’s plans are too biased in favour of development.  The report recognises this and reflects the concerns many people have raised over the draft policy’s presumption in favour of sustainable development.”

A particular sentence in the NPPF that caused much concern for the RSPB and other conservation organisations is one which recommends that the default answer to development is ‘yes’. The committee has called for this to be removed.

Steve continued: “This is exactly what we, and others, have been saying for months, but now it is clear that it’s not just ‘scaremongering’ conservation groups kicking up a fuss about nothing.

“Sustainable development is about making sure we protect the environment for future generations alongside development.  This couldn’t be more pertinent than in the densely populated south east of England, where our environment and natural resources face growing pressures.

“The ball is now firmly in the Government’s court to publish a revised NPPF that meets the concerns of MPs, environmental groups and the thousands of members of the public who wrote in to make their views known.

“One thing we would also urge the Government to consider is a strong and explicit reference to the protection of Sites of Special Scientific Interest, which in the current document are under threat from damaging development.”

If you’d like more information on wildlife law and the planning system or even want to get involved in protecting sites important to you, the RSPB have produced a set of leaflets that give you the power to influence local decisions and protect the wildlife that is important to you.

You can get a local planning pack at: http://www.rspb.org.uk/advice/takeaction