Latest from CPRE Notts

25 January 2011
-extract from report to CPRE East Midlands regional group

County Waste Strategy ... and the Nottinghamshire Draft Local Transport Plan : CPRE has submitted responses to both of these important consultation documents. In relation to the latter, we support the intentions of the plan to restrict new road construction and to promote public transport, but have doubts about the ability of the Local Authorities to implement the policies in the current financial climate.

In the Greater Nottingham area work has been commissioned by Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Derby Councils to review the housing figures that were approved in the Regional Spatial Strategy - which the new government is committed to abolishing. The results of this work will be presented to a seminar for local stakeholders, including CPRE, to be held on 7 Feb 2011 in the morning at Nottingham University.

Energy

Wind farms : There has been a marked increase in the number of proposals for wind turbines in the county. A single turbine has been approved on a prominent ridgeline in Newark and Sherwood District in an area once designated as of local landscape importance. It was approved on a close vote, despite objections from local people and CPRE and there are now fears that this could set a precedent for further turbines along the ridge.

A larger scheme has been proposed south of Newark, in an area of less landscape value, which CPRE may decide not to object to.

A further scheme is being developed by the University of Nottingham in the Trent Valley between Lenton and Clifton but we do not have sufficient detail yet to judge the potential impact this could have on the surrounding area.
Coal : UK Coal are resurrecting proposals for open cast mining in the Cossall area to the west of Nottingham which has been refused in the past. We have consistently opposed mining in this area.

County Council Budget Consultation

On 20th January we agreed to submit representations to the County Council as a whole and to various individual members expressing concern about the scale of proposed cuts to the Countryside service. These include Country Park management and maintenance, country park rangers, rights of way officers and signing and maintenance of countryside rights of way. In our view, the scale of the cuts, around 50% of the current budget, would have a disproportionately severe impact on the service but save a relatively small amount in the context of the total County budget.

Nottinghamshire has a reputation for excellence in protecting and promoting the countryside under both Conservative and Labour Councils and this is now at risk.

Local Enterprise Partnership

We also agreed a letter, drafted by our Regional Policy Officer Lisa Hopkinson, to the LEP which has been approved for Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. This sets out the case for the close involvement of the voluntary environmental sector in the LEP, and the need to maintain the principles of sustainable development when promoting economic growth.

Forestry

CPRE Nottinghamshire is considering whether to get involved in the Save Sherwood Forest campaign, as part of the government's plan to sell off Forestry Commission land. There may be an advantage in objecting as individuals rather than as CPRE, partly because the campaign is coorganised by a group about which we know nothing.

Some at CPRE feel strongly that we have to object to the Forests being sold. Public access is invariably removed. Private forestation is no substitute for this.

Best Kept Village Competition

Following concerns voiced at the last AGM, it has been agreed to recommend that only communities with a population of less than 10,000 should be eligible to enter the competition.

Peter Winstanley
CPRE Nottinghamshire

Adapted by Fiona Cowan
28 January 2011