Community and the Environment Policy Guide
Community and the Environment
Transition, Wildlife Trusts, Nature Reserves,
Awareness Raising
Community and the environment looks at how the community interacts and takes stewardship of the environment. Four main themes of this are: Transition, wildlife trusts, nature reserves, awareness raising
LibDem Policy Papers:
PP2 Reclaiming the City, Quality of Life in Urban Areas (pub 1994)
5.2.4 Conservation, both of the built and the natural environment, is a crucial element of planning
policy. Local authorities should be given greater powers to designate and to offer proper protection to
sites, with effective enforcement powers.
PP45 Local Economies, Local Choice (pub 2001)
5.0.2 Liberal Democrats believe sustainability must be inextricably linked with all policy, especially
economic policy and above all local economic policy.
PP69 Affordable homes in Safer, Greener, communities (pub 2004)
4.2. looks at improving access to Open Spaces through minimum standards in planning
developments and the rights of communities to reclaim under used land. Policy would allow rights of
public access on private open space created and the rights to have the communities on management
committees of these open spaces.
4.3.2 makes the statement that "Liberal Democrats believe sustainable communities will only be
achieved when local people are empowered, through their councils, tenant associations and local
community groups."
5.4.6 Makes a priority to identify land for new Community :Land trusts (CLTs), issues and issue guidance for councils and private foundations on how they can provide land for the trusts and encourages councils to undertake an audit and publish a register.
5.4.3 introduces the concept of community land auctions to enable community to acquire land
PP73 Your community , your choice local government policy paper (pub 2006)
Although this is a local government structural paper it does give to major principles that link to the above;
Reaffirming decisions to the lowest level and citizens should be given incentives to reengage with their communities
PP77 Green and prosperous communities (pub 2007)
This paper looks at Social cohesion and regeneration as a them. Whilst not specifically talking environmental issues the paper looks at encouraging volunteering that could be for environmental projects.
PP93 Our Natural Environment (pub 2009)
2.3.2 Introduces environmental labelling, the impact
4.1.1 involves local communities in creating new community woodland and green areas.
4.1.2 Encourages the development of 'greenways'
4.2.1 introduces a special designation comparable to SSSI to allow the protection of allotments and other green spaces of particular value to the health and wellbeing of local people.
4.2.5 Local authorities will be given the responsibility for working together to agree Landscape Policies to protect and enhance natural geographical areas such as river basins, moors, woodland areas, flood plains or islands.
PP102 Quality of Life (pub 2011)
5.6.3 We will make the promotion of quality of life the central goal of the planning framework.
Challenge Magazines:
2008 Spring
p8 Towards Greener Living
2009 Spring
p9 Small is Still Beautiful
10 Spring
p9 Saving Our Seas
p15 Sustainable Tourism
2010 Spring
p23 The Path To Transition
2010 Summer
p15 People Power
2010 Autumn
p21 Localism and Climate Change in Eastleigh
2011 Spring
p6 Micro Hydropower in Rural Africa
2011 Autumn
p22 Making Planning Work Differently
2012 Summer
p19 A Sustainable Future for Fish
2012 Autumn
p18 Reserve Judgement
2013 Spring
p6 Farming, Floods and Forests
2013 Winter
p5 Negating NIMBYism
p22 Community Energy
2014 Summer
p10 Global Sanctuary
Resources:
- Transition Network
http://www.transitionnetwork.org/ Further resource on the transition movement. - Wildlife extra guide to the UK's wildlife and nature reserves.
http://www.wildlifeextra.com/ - Hub for the 47 wildlife trusts in the UK.
http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/ - Wildlife Trusts nature reserves
http://www.wildnet.org/ukwebsite/TWTReserves.aspx - Natural England
http://www.naturalengland.org.uk - RSPB - Royal Society for Protection of Birds
http://www.rspb.org.uk/ - National Trust
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk - Community Wind Power community owned wind energy consultancy
http://www.communitywindpower.co.uk/ - West Mill Community Wind Farm located in the South East
http://www.westmill.coop/westmill_home.asp - Going Greener from People and Planet - Transition Universities initiative
http://peopleandplanet.org/goinggreener - The UK Green Film Festival
http://www.ukgreenfilmfestival.org/
(from 2014 Policy paper PDF here)