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- Policy Advice - Development of land use and soil policy for the
integration of wider DEFRA sustainability agenda. Technical inputs into land
evaluation and development of ALC.
- Strategic Map - Providing technical inputs and guidance to GO's and
planners in connection with strategic plans involving agricultural land.
- Adhoc Advice - Providing advice and information to planners,
consultants and public on agricultural land issues.
- Agricultural
Land Classification (PDF, 261 kB/ 2 pages)
- Policy Advice - Development of policy for the implementation and
running of new EIA regulations.
- Scheme Work - Appraisal of applications, liaison with partners,
giving decisions, enforcement and inputs into appeals for EIA regulation.
- See more information on Environmental Impact Assessment
(EIA).
- Introduction
- The Grazing Management section is responsible for the implementation of
Cross-Compliance Overgrazing and Unsuitable Supplementary Feeding regulations
for the Single Payment Scheme (SPS). These two conditions along with
Undergrazing are also requirements under Good Farming Practice legislation
attached to the England Rural Development Programme (ERDP).
- These measures ensure the adoption of appropriate grazing and supplementary
feeding regimes that do not degrade land of environmental value. This covers
land containing either natural or semi-natural vegetation. Improved
agricultural land is not affected.
- Definitions and Details - Definitions and details of this
legislation can be found via the following links:
- Investigations
- Overgrazing and Undergrazing - On any site where a complaint is
received, the vegetation will be examined based on a simple vegetation survey
using nationally agreed methods. If this assessment indicates that the site is
being threatened by unsustainable levels of grazing we will discuss the steps
necessary to implement stocking rates to halt environmental damage. Stocking
prescriptions will then be put in place based on the productivity of the
vegetation and the RPA will undertake regular stock counts to ensure these are
adhered to.
- Unsuitable Supplementary Feeding - Where a complaint is received,
the feeding methods affecting the vegetation will be assessed and we will
discuss any changes in management which would be required to prevent further
damage. Checks will then be made to ensure that the vegetation has recovered by
the following summer and that undesirable species have not replaced the
original vegetation.
- Where a management prescription has been issued by the Secretary of State,
it must not be breached. Failure to adhere to the resulting prescription may
jeopardise future SPS or ERDP payments.
- Further information can be found at:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/rural/uplands/grazing.htm
- Practical Advice - Practical advice on how to identify potential
problems and achieve the relevant Cross Compliance standards is given in:
- Net annual Income assessment for the purposes of succession to tenancies.
Professional reports on drainage cases brought to the Tribunals. For both
tribunals attendance at hearings as expert witness.
- Policy Advice - Minerals and waste issues including good practice
and impact of emerging strategies on rural areas.
- Adhoc Responses - Defra's aim is sustainable development, which
includes the sustainable use of natural resources, economic prosperity and a
countryside for all to enjoy. These are all issues that may be affected by
quarrying.
- Government land use policy includes the protection of Best and Most
Versatile ("BMV") agricultural land (Agricultural Land Classification
Grades 1, 2 and subgrade 3a) and is one aspect of Defra's interests that is
secured through the land use planning system. Related to this is our work
concerning the restoration of minerals sites to an appropriate standard, and
the sustainable use or conservation of soils.
- The NLGMT works on behalf of Defra with minerals and waste planning
authorities in framing effective restoration and aftercare conditions for
individual planning permissions. We also attend aftercare meetings on restored
sites to ensure that the land is farmed in a way that will promote its return
to a condition where it can be managed in the same way as undisturbed land.
- Our involvement with mineral sites brings together a number of separate
issues under the broad umbrella of "sustainable development". We have
an effective means of helping to maintain the amount of BMV land available to
the farming industry with benefits in terms of sustainable agriculture, since
BMV land typically requires less inputs than poorer quality land. The process
of working a site to agreed conditions helps deliver soil conservation
strategies. And the considerable biodiversity contained within soils is
conserved by careful handling and storage techniques.
- Training - Delivering training programmes to planners and partner
organisations.
- Evaluation of
mineral sites restored to agriculture
- Good practice
guide for handling soils
- Defra
guidance for successful reclamation of mineral and waste sites
- A Farmer's Guide to
the Planning System (Defra/ODPM July 2002)
- Effectiveness
of subsoiling treatments on soil structure development on mineral sites during
the five year aftercare period
(PDF)
- Breaking
restored ground - ripping really works! (PDF)
- Policy Advice - Rural planning advice and development of policy for
agricultural and rural diversification, and land use.
- Work For GO's- Strategic studies and assisting with rural inputs
into developing strategies and adhoc developments.
- Adhoc questions - Inputs into RPG and National projects for policy
units. Planning and land use questions from wide range of enquiries on future
and past policy.
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