Land use and development control

There are several ideas / comments concerning added layers of bureaucracy, with this generally being portrayed as a negative. However, land management and development across the country is demonstrably having negative effects on biodiversity and the wider environment, with consequences for all of us. More needs to be done to encourage sustainable management of our countryside to deliver benefits to the wider public, including local communities. Landowners/managers will need to be encouraged, supported, educated and, where necessary, incentivised (public money for public good) to make changes which improve sustainability. However, the idea that change is bad must be ignored - we need urgent change and designation as a National Park may be the catalyst to drive that, whichever location is selected.

In terms of development control, again, this must not necessarily be seen as a negative. Designation as a National Park will require robust infrastructure to be delivered which can accommodate an increase in visitors. However, this should also benefit local people living in this area. Development can be driven by designation but must be sustainable and not results in adverse effects on the environmental characters of whichever area is chosen for designation. This can only be successfully achieved through well-organised and funded governance.

Why the contribution is important

Governance of the National Park can drive improvements to sustainable land management and deliver sustainable development and infrastructure which supports the aims of the National Park, National Planning Framework, and the local communities living within the Park. The relatively small number of voices with vested interests arguing against 'bureaucracy' cannot distract from the much wider public benefits which can be delivered by National Park designation.

by tmarshall on June 06, 2022 at 07:28AM

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