Wednesday 17 October 2007

The importance of NGOs’ involvement in the planning system

• Campaign to Protect Rural England

• The Wildlife Trusts

• Other organisations

Two questions

• How important is the involvement?

• What form does it take?

How important?

• Depends on NGO

• Depends on planners

• Depends on external environment

What form does it take?

Regional Government

• Two RDAs

• Two RAs

Local Government

• 3 county councils

• 2 unitary authorities

• 15 district councils

Planning applications

• Scrutiny of 21,900 applications

• [SSSIs] & Wildlife sites

• 269 comments or objections

• Extreme pressure on staff

Partnerships

Imminent changes• Climate Change Bill • Marine Bill ?• Planning White Paper ו Regional Government Reform ו Housing, aviation, energy ו Agri-environment Reform ?

Natural Environment & Rural Communities 2006

Every public body must, in exercising

its functions, have regard, so far as is

consistent with the proper exercise of

those functions, to the purpose of

conserving biodiversity.Section 40

What does that mean?

• All departmental policies and activities

• Understanding by all

• Sustained support for initiatives

• Habitat & species protection

• Access to professional expertise

• Reports on BAP targets

Meeting NERC duties

• Local Strategic Partnerships

• Sustainable Community Strategies

• Local Area Agreements

• Local BAPs

No legal compulsion but possible financial incentives

Regional habitat opportunity

maps The Wildlife Trusts leading on

the development of a UK network of wildlife corridors

linking biodiversity heartlands

The Wildlife Trust’s Vision forBiodiversity in the Nene Valley

“A valley with naturally functioning interlinked wetlands, rich in wildlife for the enjoyment of everybody”

BedfordshireCambridgeshireNorthamptonshirePeterborough

The Great Fen