Lewis | April 2, 2015 | 0 Comments
With the General Election around the corner, I bet it seems that politics is dominating the news landscape of the UK. Of course, it’s very important stuff, but we aren’t going to spark a political debate! We’ll leave that to the professionals on TV this week! However, what we will touch on, in the political arena, is anything that affects our industry, and in a recent article from the Landscape Institute, it has been revealed that two Governmental ministers have pledged a commitment, through written assurances, to green infrastructure.
Something else you may feel is seen on the news on a regular basis is the concern for the environment. Again of course, this is very important, too. For eco-friendly people it may also feel, sometimes, that you are fighting the effects of mankind alone. However, do not be down-heartened! For one, caring for your environment is fantastic, and the news that the Government will too through green infrastructure is another small victory in the face of adversity…
Earlier this year, the Landscape Institute wrote a joint letter to Government, with the help from other bodies such as Groundwork UK and The Land Trust, expressing concern about the potential disappearance of green infrastructure guidance within National Planning Practice Guidance (NPPG). It’s not as if these worries are founded upon nothing; there is definitely cause for concern, especially when environmental issues are always hotly contested. The letter was sent to the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), and The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), outlining a number of serious impacts if guidance on green infrastructure was lost.
However, two MPs have already pledged their commitment to the issue; Brandon Lewis MP, who is Minister of State of Housing and Planning at DCLG, and Elizabeth Truss MP, who is Secretary of State for Defra. They both issued statements, which you can read by clicking on the hyperlink in the first paragraph, which will take you to the original article. It is great news that the issue is not only in the mindset of Parliament, but also that is has backing within Government, too. This positive result is backed up by the news that after the Election, DCLG and Defra would like to meet with the Landscape Institute to work together and draft new planning guidance. Well done, them!
We hope you enjoyed this article; we always like to report on small victories in the environmental field, and green infrastructure definitely ticks that box! Don’t forget to find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest!
