Q-B8.1: Do you agree that the plan should include a policy avoiding development on the best and most versatile agricultural land, unless it can be demonstrated that the harm to agricultural land is clearly outweighed by the benefit of development?
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In the above question (Q-B8.1), the entire clause after the word 'unless' should be deleted. In a period of national food insecurity and a time when as a nation we are realising that we need to be more self-sufficient it should be self-evident that high quality agricultural land should be protected and maintained. Government policy is clear that food production and farming contributes to sustainable development. In terms of agricultural land quality, areas B12 and B13 (Leamington North East and North West) are predominantly Grade 2 and Grade 3a agricultural land. The land making up these sites is, therefore, considered to be a scarce resource with a degree of quality. The government seeks to protect against the loss of this land from development. The NPPF is clear that ‘Where significant development of agricultural land is demonstrated to be necessary, local planning authorities should seek to use areas of poorer quality land in preference to that of a higher quality’. With the need to improve national food security the Local Plan should include a policy that keeps land grades 1, 2 and 3a under cultivation and not used for other purposes. This would in turn help to maximise the contribution of Green Belt designated land.
Q-B8.1 - Policies should simply cross reference with national policy. There is no need for additional guidance.
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All wooded, scrub, hedgerow, upland, flood plain land should have a no build protection.
Best quality agricultural land should be protected wherever possible
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rivers, flood plains, hedgerows, meadows, native mixed woodlands, should be given priority.
high quality agricultural land should be kept as such greenspace for humans and wildlife are separate things, do not often co-exist happily
If these new houses required more land, this land should be on brown field sites and NOT on good quality agricultural land. This country needs to be self sufficient in producing our own food and therefore all current green belt land should be protected.
Agricultural land: the government has publically stated that Brexit and conflict in Europe requires the UK to produce more food-too much is being taken up for development, so reducing our food security.
Q B8.1 Do you agree that the plan should include a policy avoiding development on the best and most versatile agricultural land, unless it can be demonstrated that the harm to agricultural land is clearly outweighed by the benefit of development? No – The harm to agricultural land once lost, can never be outweighed by the benefit of development. Development can be carried out at brownfield sites but these can never be reinstated for agriculture. The utilisation of the land for agriculture is permanently lost once contaminated. Even lower quality farming land can always be improved, the cost of recovering contaminated land is prohibitive. Q- B8.2 When considering climate change, biodiversity and economic wellbeing, are there any rural land uses or locations that should be prioritised over others? Yes, we need additional protection for river areas, wildlife areas, woodland and nature reserves which should be preserved. Brownfield sites with poor biodiversity should be prioritised for development.
Q B8.1 Do you agree that the plan should include a policy avoiding development on the best and most versatile agricultural land, unless it can be demonstrated that the harm to agricultural land is clearly outweighed by the benefit of development? Yes. The country needs to have capacity to feed the nation so such land should be held forthis but each area needs to be assessed on all aspects and a recognition that lower quality farming land should not automatically be pushed into development. Q- B8.2 When considering climate change, biodiversity and economic wellbeing, are there any rural land uses or locations that should be prioritised over others? Yes, we need additional protection and buffers on the river Avon, Leam and their tributaries, Local Wildlife Sites and PLWS’s, Local Nature Reserves, SSSIs, Ancient woodland, Local Green Spaces, Ecosites etc. Councils need to reassess their Potential Local Wildlife Sites as a matter of urgency, as particularly in the south there are huge gaps in this very important evidence base and this information should be used in the plans as well as information on protected species. Brownfield sites and areas with poor biodiversity should be prioritised for development
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Research (e.g. by Cambridge University (Institute for Sustainable Leadership) has shown that the UK faces a major shortfall of at least 2 million hectares of farmland for food production, and potentially a shortfall of up to 7 million hectares, by 2030, because farmland is being rapidly lost to, inter alia, development. The need for food security has become even more critical post-Brexit and because of the war in Ukraine. The land put forward for potential development to the north of the River Leam between Weston under Wetherley and Hunningham, comprises two farms owned by Warwickshire County Council. I expect Local Authorities above all to act responsibly in helping to reduce, not increase, the growing threat to food security. Also, I feel that all agricultural land should be deemed as the best and most versatile when it is tenant farmland, as this provides a much-needed route for young farmers or other new entrants to start work in such a nationally and locally important industry, remembering that buying locally produced food is also an important contributor to counteracting the climate emergency.
Q. 28 It is important to ensure that the development of agricultural and horticultural land is avoided wherever possible. The Russian- Ukraine war has shown how vulnerable our food supplies are to political instability in other parts of the world. They are also vulnerable to bad weather, hence the current shortage of tomatoes. Agricultural land should not be sacrificed to solar parks. There are alternative venues for the latter. Solar panels can be erected on buildings and car parks.
As indicated in response to question Q-B6, the Cotswolds National Landscape Board considers that the Cotswolds National Landscape should be a priority area for delivering nature recovery.
Research (e.g. by Cambridge University (Institute for Sustainable Leadership) has shown that the UK faces a major shortfall of at least 2 million hectares of farmland for food production, and potentially a shortfall of up to 7 million hectares, by 2030, because farmland is being rapidly lost to, inter alia, development. The need for food security has become even more critical post-Brexit and because of the war in Ukraine. The land put forward for potential development to the north of the River Leam between Weston under Wetherley and Hunningham, comprises two farms owned by Warwickshire County Council. I expect Local Authorities above all to act responsibly in helping to reduce, not increase, the growing threat to food security. Also, I feel that all agricultural land should be deemed as the best and most versatile when it is tenant farmland, as this provides a much-needed route for young farmers or other new entrants to start work in such a nationally and locally important industry, remembering that buying locally produced food is also an important contributor to counteracting the climate emergency.
Yes, we need additional protection and buffers on the river Avon, Leam and their tributaries, Local Wildlife Sites and PLWS’s, Local Nature Reserves, SSSIs, Ancient woodland, Local Green Spaces, Ecosites etc. Councils need to reassess their Potential Local Wildlife Sites as a matter of urgency, as particularly in the south there are huge gaps in this very important evidence base and this information should be used in the plans as well as information on protected species. Brownfield sites and areas with poor biodiversity should be prioritised for development
Yes, we need additional protection and buffers on the river Avon, Leam and their tributaries, Local Wildlife Sites and PLWS’s, Local Nature Reserves, SSSIs, Ancient woodland, Local Green Spaces, Ecosites etc. Councils need to reassess their Potential Local Wildlife Sites as a matter of urgency, as particularly in the south there are huge gaps in this very important evidence base and this information should be used in the plans as well as information on protected species. Brownfield sites and areas with poor biodiversity should be prioritised for development
Agricultural land: I feel all agricultural land should be deemed as the best and most versatile when it is tenant farm land as this provides a much needed route for young farmers or other new entrants to start work in this nationally important industry creating food security for the nation and County. This need for food security has been shown to be even more important in the post-Brexit era and the current Ukraine/Russia conflict.
: Agricultural land: I feel all agricultural land should be deemed as the best and most versatile when it is tenant farm land as this provides a much needed route for young farmers or other new entrants to start work in this nationally important industry creating food security for the nation and County. This need for food security has been shown to be even more important in the post-Brexit era and the current Ukraine/Russia conflict.