Chapter 9: Conserving and Enhancing Our Countryside

Tackling Development Pressure in the Countryside: Planning for Rural Areas

• See details of the commitment in the Rural White Paper
• Download this document in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format [47KB]

Status key:-

- completed
- revised
- on track
- redundant

RWP Commitment	RWP Ref	Achievements/next stages	Date	Status	Lead
National target that, by 2008, 60% of additional housing to be built on previously developed land or reuse existing buildings	9.2.4	In 2001, 64% of new dwellings were provided on previously developed land and through conversions.  Full details in DTLR Statistical Release LUCS-17	May 2002		Office of the Deputy Prime Minister -PD1
		Good practice guidance issued to local authorities.
		Ongoing monitoring of performance to at least maintain achievement  of target in each year.	Through 2001 to 2008
Update planning guidance on the Countryside (PPG7) to take account of the needs of the living, working countryside	9.2.4	Achieved - Clarified PPG7 guidance on farm diversification and best and most versatile agricultural land (see also entry for Chapter 8, 8.4.6, above).	March 2001		Office of the Deputy Prime Minister – PD1
		We are reviewing PPG7 in line with the proposals in the 2001Planning Green Paper. We shall be issuing a draft of an updated statement of planning policies for rural areas (to replace PPG7) for public consultation.	Spring 2003
Issue new transport planning guidance (PPG13) to help strengthen market towns as focus for development	9.2.4	Achieved - PPG13 published See entry for Chapter 7 (7.2.5), above	March 2001		Office of the Deputy Prime Minister – PD1
Issue new planning framework to help safeguard recreational open spaces and create new ones	9.2.4	All Achieved - Issued draft revision of planning guidance on Sport, Open Space and Recreation (PPG17) published.	July 2002		Office of the Deputy Prime Minister – PD1
		Final version of PPG17 published.	July 2002
		Companion Guide to PPG17 published.	Sep 2002
Encourage production of  village design statements for adoption as supplementary planning guidance	9.2.4	See entry under Chapter 12
Consult on range of options, including impact fees and broadening the range of local improvements, which can be requested under a planning obligation	9.2.4	Achieved Further public consultation document on planning obligations to be published.	Autumn  2003		Office of the Deputy Prime Minister – PD1B
		Consider responses.	Spring 2004
Issue new guidance to discourage further housing development in areas of high flood risk	9.2.5	Achieved - revised PPG25 (Development and Flood Risk) issued on 17 July 2001	July 2001		Office of the Deputy Prime Minister – PD 2D
Water regulators to look closely at sustainable water management	9.2.5	See entry under Chapter 10 (10.3.15), below

Understanding, evaluating and protecting countryside diversity and character

• See details of the commitment in the Rural White Paper

RWP Commitment	RWP Ref	Achievements/next stages	Date	Status	Lead
Provide good practice advice in respect principally of Best and Most Versatile agricultural land in evaluating agricultural quality, landscape value and biodiversity	9.3.2 and 9.3.4	All Achieved - Contract let for research to inform guidance	August 2001		Office of the Deputy Prime Minister – PD1
		Ist Phase: research complete, draft report being considered - report to be published on the ODPM web site COMPLETED	July 2003
Clarify planning arrangements in respect of Best and Most Versatile agricultural land	9.3.4	Achieved - Amended planning guidance (PPG7) to clarify approach local planning authorities should take towards BMV land. Action complete	March 2001		Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
Repeal of Minister of Agriculture’s powers to intervene in Decisions on BMV land	9.3.4	Powers in relation to unitary and local  development plans were repealed by MAFF (Dissolution) order	March 2002		Defra / ARBR
Produce soil strategy for England	9.3.4	Draft strategy for consultation published	March 2001		Defra- FFSU
		Public consultation exercise completed.  Public announcement to be made.	Feb 2003
		First Soil Action Plan for England produced, effectively replacing the draft Soil Strategy. Currently with Ministers, awaiting approval for publication.	Dec 2003
		Publication and early implementation of the Action Plan	Spring 2004
Ensure that quarrying of aggregates carries a price tag which encourages use of alternative recycled materials	9.3.5	Achieved - Aggregates Levy (of £1.60 per tonne on sales of primary aggregates), now enacted;came into force on 1 April 2002.	April 2002		Defra – WS/ HMT Defra – WS/ HMT
		Following consultation on detailed proposals for the distribution of the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund in England, final decisions on distribution were announced on 10 April 2002. The fund will support work in the three main categories consulted on – minimising the demand for primary aggregates promoting environmentally friendly aggregates extraction and transportation, and reducing the local effects of aggregates extraction.	April 2002
Issue new planning policy guidance on aggregate supply	9.3.5	Following public consultation that on 4 December 2002, revised guidelines for aggregates provision in England for the period 2001-2016 have been prepared and will be published in early June 2003.  Achieved	June 2003		Office of the Deputy Prime Minister/ MWPD
		Work is in progress on a consultation draft of Minerals Policy Statement 1, which will set out general minerals planning guidance. The aim is to put that to public consultation in spring 2004. An annex to MPS1 on aggregate minerals (replacing MPG6) should go to public consultation in 2004, subject to review of work plans	Spring 2004
Consult on the application of environmental impact assessment procedures to intensive agricultural operations	9.3.6	Consultation completed and regulations made requiring proposed projects to use environmentally significant uncultivated land or semi-natural areas for intensive agricultural purposes to undergo environmental impact assessment.	Dec 2001		Defra – SLU
		Review of Regulations (delayed until outcome of relevant CAP Reform proposals known, in case this prompts any revision of the regulations).	Mid 2004
Continue to support the voluntary sector through grants for projects and core-funding for key partners	9.3.8	In first year (2.2.00-31.1.01) of Local Heritage Initiative (LHI) 125 Projects approved with total grant value of £1.25m.	01/02		Countryside Agency
		Launch LHI multimedia resource base	Dec 02
		On average, every project has around 100 active participants and 70% of groups said that they have gained new skills through running a LHI project.	Dec 02
		The interim LHI website won a National Library for the Blind accessibility award and the main LHI website and online project database is now live.
		An additional 300 projects are planned for 2003/04.	03/04
		As at the end of August 2003, a total of 663 LHI grants have been offered with a total value of £8.5m	Aug 03
		As at the end of November 2003, a total of 719 LHI grants have been offered with a total value of £9.6m.	Nov 03
		Total number of people who contributed voluntarily to projects estimated at 30,758	Nov 03
		At the end of December the total will exceed £10m	Dec 03
		Some 123 groups have benefited additionally from Nationwide Building Society Awards to enhance the projects or increase participation.	Dec 03
		The LHI Evaluation report was completed.	Dec 03
		Successful awareness raising conference held at British Museum.	Mar 04
		35% of all projects located in areas classified as disadvantaged (e.g. SRB, Objective 1 & 2, Rural Priority Areas, IMD etc.).	Mar 04
		At April 2004 total amount of grant awarded is £11.7 million.	Apr 04
		Total grants awards from Feb 2000 to April 04 is 829.	Apr 04

Promoting Tranquillity

• See details of the commitment in the Rural White Paper

RWP Commitment	RWP Ref	Achievements/next stages	Date	Status	Lead
Consult on proposals for a National Ambient Noise Strategy	9.4.2	Consultation issued	Dec 2001		Defra-AEQ
		Published results of the consultation	Dec 2002
Complete noise mapping exercise (for inclusion in National Ambient Noise Strategy)	9.4.2	London Road Traffic Map completed. Scoping studies for rail, air and industry completed and published. Projects to map other parts of England to be let	2004		Defra-AEQ
60% of trunk road network – including all concrete roads - to have low-noise surfaces	9.4.3	Criteria for prioritising the surfacing of concrete trunk roads with quieter materials announced, together with a list of schemes up to 2004 – 2005. Programme for resurfacing of concrete roads up to 2010 - 2011 announced (subject to availability of funds).	October  2001		DfT-RP
		Existing non-concrete roads to be resurfaced with quieter surfacing when maintenance is justified.  Target to achieve 60% of trunk road network, including all concrete roads, having low-noise surfaces. The Highways Agency has resurfaced some 15 % of the network by May 2004.	March 2011
Introduce revised planning guidance to enable LAs to apply suitable low noise limits to new or extended quarries	9.4.3	MPG 11 revised core text on controlling & mitigating the environmental effects of mineral working and noise/ dust annexes published for consultation May 2000. Revised in light of consultation and to conform with the planning reform agenda for limited re-consultation - February 2003. Establish work programme for further annexes during 2003. Revise for publication summer 2004	Summer 2004		Office of the Deputy Prime Minister – PD 2D

Measuring Countryside Quality

• See details of the commitment in the Rural White Paper

RWP Commitment	RWP Ref	Achievements/next stages	Date	Status	Lead
Publish a measure of change in countryside quality	9.5.2	Interim indicator used in 2001 and 2002 State of the Countryside Reports.	Apr 01		Countryside Agency
		Contract for full development of State of the Countryside indicators programme let.	Mar 02
		Further interim report included in 2003 State of the Countryside Report.	May 03
		Final full output for State of the Countryside report.	Apr 04

Enhancing the Protection of Our Most Valuable Landscapes

• See details of the commitment in the Rural White Paper

RWP Commitment	RWP Ref	Achievements/next stages	Date	Status	Lead
Continue to increase grants to National Parks and ensure grant is distributed equitably among the Parks.	9.6.1	Funding increased to £35.56m for 2003/4, a rise of 8% over 2002/3 which, allowing for introduction of the Sustainable Development Fund for the Parks, was an increase of 18% over 2001/2	2002		Defra-CYD
Designation of  South Downs and New Forest as National Parks	9.6.1	Consultation on New Forest administrative arrangements completed.	Sept 01		Countryside Agency
		New Forest boundary agreed for Designation order.	Dec 01		Defra
		Designation order submitted to Secretary of State.	Jan 02		Defra
		New Forest Public Inquiry started	Oct 02
		New Forest Public Inquiry completed	Apr 03		PINS
		Inquiry report provided to Secretary of State	Autumn 03
		Decision by Secretary of State	Spring 04		Defra
		Public consultation on proposed South Downs boundary and administrative arrangements completed.	Spring 02		Countryside Agency
		Formal consultation with local authorities.	Summer 02		Countryside Agency
		Designation order signed.	Dec 02		Countryside Agency
		Designation order to Secretary of State	Feb 03		Countryside Agency
		Public inquiry announced	Apr 03		Defra
		Public inquiry began	Nov 03		PINS
		Public Inquiry currently programmed until July 2004 to hear principle and boundary objections.	July 04		PINS
		Inquiry will also hear objections to the AONB revocation orders and Arundel Variation Order and is now programmed until Oct 04 with a 4week break in August	Oct 04		Defra - CYD
Stronger management arrangements for  AONBs (including establishment of Conservation Boards where appropriate)	9.6.1	Countryside Agency published guidelines on production of management plans.	Nov 2001		Defra-CYD/CA
		Countryside Agency produced guidelines on production of AONB Annual Reviews	Feb 03		CYC/CA
		Conservation Board SoS appointments process to be trialled, tender prepared	Complete		Countryside Agency
		Contributed to draft Cotswolds and Chilterns Establishment Orders during an informal consultation phase led by Defra.	May 03
		By March 2004, over 85% of AONBs were working under the new 75% funding arrangements.	Mar 04
		Formal consultation completed in March.	Mar 04		Defra
		Majority of LAs on course to deliver statutorily required management plans for every AONB.	Mar 04
		Draft Establishment Orders to be placed before both Houses of Parliament	June 04
		Establishment day for first 2 Conservation Boards	Oct 04		Las
		Operational day for the first two Conservation Boards (Chilterns and Cotswolds AONB)	Dec 04		Defra - CYD
Further increase funding for AONBs	9.6.1	Funding increased by £1.1m in 2002-03			Defra-CYD
Improve the law on protection of commons	9.6.5	Common Land Policy Statement 2002 issued on 23 July 2002.  This contains outline proposals for future legislation.	July  2002		Defra-SLU
		Stakeholder Working Group established in November 2002 and made recommendations in report on 16 April 2003 on agricultural use and management of common land.  The Government is now consulting on a package of measures, detailing proposals for the agricultural management of common land, based on the recommendations of the working group.	Apr 2003 August 2003
		The Government will publish a summary of responses and conclusion to the consultation paper in 2004.	July  2004
		Legislation will be introduced as soon as the Parliamentary timetable allows.

Woodlands and Forestry

• See details of the commitment in the Rural White Paper

RWP Commitment	RWP Ref	Achievements/next stages	Date	Status	Lead
Reverse the decline in woodland cover in England	9.7.2	Woodland cover has continued to increase since the publication of the Rural White Paper. Between 1 January 2000 and 30 April 2004 under the ERDP Woodland Grant Scheme 23,480 hectares of new woodland has been approved for planting, of which 17,530 hectares has also been approved under the Farm Woodland Premium Scheme.	30 April 2004		FC/ Defra- FFU
		195,700 hectares have been brought into management.
		A series of evaluations and reviews have been undertaken of new woodland planting and woodland management under the WGS including:
		Sustaining England’s Woodland Review,	Oct 2002
		Woodland Creation in England Review,	Autumn 2003
		mid-term Evaluation of ERDP	Dec 2003
Encourage increased take up of grant via ERDP funding for Woodland Grant and Farm Woodland Premium Schemes	9.7.4	Please see 9.7.2. above. Woodland cover is expected to increase by 30,000 hectares over the current ERDP’s period of 2000-2006 See also entry under  Chapter 10 (10.1.3), below	2006		FC/ Defra-FFU