Natural England

Sustainable development must be at the heart of any new planning process, said Natural England on the day the Government’s Planning White Paper was published. The environmental organisation particularly wants the planning system to safeguard the natural environment and help manage the impacts of climate change nationally.

Dr Helen Phillips, Natural England’s Chief Executive, said: “We welcome the greater transparency and clarity envisaged in the proposed changes to the planning system, in particular the emphasis on sustainable development. The new processes must allow the planning system to contribute fully to combating the effects of climate change, including both adaptation and mitigation.”

Dr Phillips continued: “The national policy statements will need to stand up to rigorous environmental tests if the White Paper is truly to fulfil its potential. We support the principle of an independent Infrastructure Planning Commission, but only if it is fully empowered to secure the conservation and enhancement of the natural environment through a sustainable development duty.”

As a statutory consultee for many aspects of the planning system, Natural England will seek opportunities to help shape national policy statements, and where necessary challenge the quality of the evidence base considered by the Infrastructure Planning Commission to take account of the natural environment.

-ENDS-

Notes for editors:

1. Natural England works for people, places and nature to conserve and enhance biodiversity, landscapes and wildlife in rural, urban, coastal and marine areas. We conserve and enhance the natural environment for its intrinsic value, the wellbeing and enjoyment of people, and the economic prosperity it brings. We increase opportunities to make the natural environment an enriching part of people’s everyday lives, and improve its long term security by contributing to the sustainable management of our natural resources.

2. The Government published the Barker Review in December 2006. Kate Barker had been asked by the Treasury and DCLG to examine the relationship between economic growth and the planning system. She made a series of recommendations that have become the basis of the Planning White Paper. The White Paper proposes:

• a new way of determining proposals for major infrastructure. A series of national policy statements will provide a strategic basis for the decisions of an independent Infrastructure Planning Commission.
• streamlining some aspects of the planning system. Many of these proposals will be subject to separate consultation.

3. Natural England is a statutory consultee for many aspects of the current planning system. This role continues in the new processes proposed by the Planning White Paper and we will use this to help shape the national policy statements – and where necessary challenge the quality of the evidence base considered by the Infrastructure Planning Commission - to take account of the natural environment.

4. Natural England has recognised the need to work with planners in order to respond to the demands of climate change and work with the natural environment. Through BRANCH (Biodiversity Requires Adaption in Northwest Europe under a Changing Climate – a European funded spatial planning project bringing together spatial planners policy makers and scientists across Europe) we are leading two regional workshops in association with Town and Country Planners Association to empower planners to interpret research findings about what practically can be done to help wildlife adapt to climate change as part of planning developments.

For further information contact the Natural England national press team on 0845 603 9953 or email press@naturalengland.org.uk.