Safeguard our Soils, Mr. Pickles!
http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/Safeguard_our_Soils_Mr_Pickles/?launch
Why is agricultural land, described in one planning application as ‘a mixture of 80% Grade 2 (very good quality) and 20% Subgrade 3b (good quality)’, being developed?
We need change before any more agricultural land is offered to/bought up by developers.
Who can make this happen?
Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Mr. Eric Pickles MP
Why is the petition important?
We must accept that Britain cannot rely on world food supplies because, as prices rise, Britain needs a stable, secure food supply, with short distance from field to plate.
Over the next 50 years, food and farming face the stark challenge of providing better nutrition for more people in spite of rapid environmental change, while cutting our diet’s impact on natural resources, ecosystems and the climate. This calls for changes in our eating habits, reductions in food waste and improvements in food production. We want to make sure organic and other agroecological approaches are at the heart of efforts to achieve this.
It used to be the case in England that the grade of agricultural land was a prime consideration for planners and local authorities in allocating sites for development.
But changes to planning policy in the late 1980’s downgraded the importance of agricultural land classifications in planning, in response to the more globalised market for food that had developed and this level of attention to quality of land was no longer needed.
The DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) report http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Document.aspx?Document=9905_SP1501finalreport.pdf demonstrates that before the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), Local Planning Authorities didn’t have the tools they need to protect our best agricultural land from development – and the NPPF has done nothing to improve planning policy to address this.
What is the text of your petition?
Because the present National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) policy does not amount to protection of Best and Most Versatile agricultural land (BMV) – merely a requirement to take it into account – I believe that there should be a specific direction in the NPPF to plan positively for the future use of BMV for benefits beyond food production. Areas covered should include increased biodiversity and an increased level of resilience for agriculture.
We really do need to maximise UK production sustainably, and not rely on world markets, and the loss of above average farmland should once more become a prime consideration in planning decisions.
The NFU needs land for farming
We need food security in the UK (see Soil Association website)
In SE Essex here, we have lost prime wheat growing acres big-time.
It is all part of the BIG PICTURE.
Signing online petitions actually does achieve a lot. As a matter of interest, as an organisation, Avaaz are rapidly expanding and have currently almost 20,000.000 members worldwide. By running a number of extremely successful petitions they have achieved a lot.
On http://www.avaaz.org you can see what petitions worldwide are being currently signed. If you sign our ‘Safeguard our Soils, Mr. Pickles! petition, this will be seen anywhere in the World.
Please also pass this on to others.
Richard Jacobs, the Chief Executive of Organic Farmers & Growers, has very kindly put up a great blog piece about my petition, see – http://www.organicfarmers.org.uk/blog/politics/its-all-about-the-soil/
Thank you.Richard!
Totally agree so have just signed your petition. Well done. I am in Tednring, NE Essex.
Did you know it is illegal in Essex to help our neighbours by taking their re-cyclable garden waste to any local tip? I have been campaigning nopw for 2 years and appeared in local Gazette September 2011 and last again Saturday 6th April East Anglian Daily Times.
I will email you later with copies of open letters sent to Tendring District Councillors and our N Essex County Cllrs. All they seem to promise is another review. Next is due in November 2013!
So what are Essex folk who are without cars to do if they cannot compost everything in thier own gardens?
What about other waste too?
NB Veolia will sell you Green bags for re-cyclable garden waste then take with the Black bags to Landfill apparently!
This is a County wide disgrace in my opinion.
Will you support us please?
Hi Eric,
Paula Whitney said she will contact you about this.
Best wishes,
Carole
UK set to become net importer of wheat for the first time in a decade
Twelve months of record-breaking wet, dull weather have contributed to a dramatic downturn in wheat yields. Britain lost more than two million tonnes of wheat last year, and is facing a 25% drop on its wheat crop this summer. The NFU predicts the UK will become a net importer of wheat for the crop year July 2013 to July 2014.
Farmers Weekly (8 Apr)
‘Best and most versatile land’ – updated Natural England publication TIN 049
We have kindly been informed that a second edition of TIN 049 was published in December 2012. It incorporates the changes in policy and legislation since the 1st edition and gives current details about how to access available ALC survey maps and data. The new version can be accessed via Natural England’s website at http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/35012?category=23033
The updated publication is very useful and is a reminder of the importance of pressing local planning authorities (LPAs) to ensure that agricultural land quality is taken into account in the decision-making process. Where there is a probability that ‘best and most versatile’ land is involved that should mean ensuring that suitably detailed and reliable survey information is made available either from existing data or by requiring a new survey.
The Echo (Friday 13 September) has reported that building work on 600 new homes could start in spring. Rochford District Council expects to receive a planning application from the developers by week commencing Monday 16 September – see http://www.rochford.gov.uk/planning/planning_applications/major_residential_planning_app/hall_road_planning_application