Land Use Planning Working Group
Chair: Simon Marsh, RSPB
Vice Chair: Paul Miner, CPRE
Secretary: Fiona Llewellyn
The Land Use Planning Working Group acts to conserve the natural and historic environment, by working to improve the national planning system for the benefit of biodiversity and landscape. The group seeks to ensure the implementation of environmentally-benign national planning policy and the improvement of existing policies, and monitors progress of the eco-towns agenda.
QUARTERLY UPDATE: April to June 2010
The quarter began with Link’s Land Use Planning Group concentrating on a response to the consultation on a new Planning Policy Statement (PPS) for the natural environment. The new PPS was published for consultation by the department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) back in March. D
Despite the change in government since then, we still felt it was important to formally submit Link’s views on the PPS. We especially highlighted the need for a planning system that delivers biodiversity and landscape protection and enhancement. Link’s full response to the PPSis available on our website.
The new government means big changes for England’s planning system, presenting Link with both opportunities and challenges. In May Link hosted a workshop on the future planning to review these changes and the implications they will have for the natural environment.
Link is now beginning work on a new publication; our Vision for the future of planning, to be launched and presented to government and all relevant stakeholders later this year. Link’s land use planning activities will be stepping up a gear over the coming months as we take every opportunity to influence new planning reform for the benefit of the natural environment.