Marmalade hoverfly © Nick Upton/2020VISION
In this series of three blogs, my colleagues and I have been exploring the key threats facing Cornwall’s already-vulnerable wildlife as a result of recent Government decisions.
In the first blog, I focused on the Retained EU Law Bill; in the second, I reflected on the Environmental Land Management schemes (ELMs); in this third piece, I am exploring the Government’s proposed Investment Zones plans.
The Government’s Investment Zones plans – part of the ‘levelling up’ policy – involve the possibility of relaxing planning rules to encourage development. In the mini-budget of 23 September, the-then chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng laid out plans to relax planning rules in at least 38 local authorities. The Treasury’s news story stated that each ‘Investment Zone will offer generous, targeted and time limited tax cuts for businesses and liberalised planning rules to release more land for housing and commercial development.’
According to government plans, Investment Zones aim to ‘accelerate the housing and infrastructure the UK needs to drive economic growth. They will cut back unnecessary bureaucratic requirements and processes and red tape that slow down development’. Cornwall Country Council is one of many that have submitted applications for Investment Zones right across Cornwall from Torpoint to Falmouth Docks.
A message from our new Chief Executive, Matt Walpole (https://youtu.be/54YpLlggYzo)
A message from our new Chief Executive, Matt Walpole
Along with a number of other environmental organisations, we have serious concerns that such plans would impact negatively on nature – and on the Government’s own commitment to protect 30% of land for nature by 2030.
Existing planning regulations include important provisions for nature, including protected species such as bats, badgers, newts and dormice and their habitats. How will it be possible to cut this so-called ‘red tape’ without damaging Cornwall’s wildlife and wild places?
It is not clear yet exactly how (or even if) Investment Zones will be implemented. But one thing is sure: avoiding development that affects sites of high value for wildlife and those which support protected species is essential. Where there are no alternatives, current rules stipulate that any impacts must be minimised and mitigated. If Investment Zones erode those principles by relaxing planning regulations then nature will suffer. There is no need for this, and there are, of course, many examples of developers and ecologists working successfully together.
Cornwall County Council has issued a statement in response to questions on this matter underlining its commitment to responding to the climate and ecological emergencies. However, it has also acknowledged that, like everyone, it does not yet know what the Government’s Investment Zones proposals will entail.
We welcome the recent announcement by Levelling Up Secretary, Michael Gove, that he is reviewing Investment Zones. He has said that anything which might undermine the environment is “out”. There are encouraging signs that the Government will step back from Investments Zones in its Autumn Statement, at least in part as a result of the public concern over environmental risks. However, we are still awaiting further details and there are no guarantees that other parts of the levelling up agenda won’t take a similarly liberalised approach to planning.
Along with the Wildlife Trusts, we are calling on the Government to re-assess its approach to planning in Investment Zones and ensure protections for nature are not undermined. Please visit our Defend Nature page to join in and take action!
