May 23 2007
Sustainable development must be at the heart of any new planning process, said Natural England on the day the Government’s Planning White Paper was published. The environmental organisation particularly wants the planning system to safeguard the natural environment and help manage the impacts of climate change nationally.
Dr Helen Phillips, Natural England’s Chief Executive, said: “We welcome the greater transparency and clarity envisaged in the proposed changes to the planning system, in particular the emphasis on sustainable development. The new processes must allow the planning system to contribute fully to combating the effects of climate change, including both adaptation and mitigation.”
Dr Phillips continued: “The national policy statements will need to stand up to rigorous environmental tests if the White Paper is truly to fulfil its potential. We support the principle of an independent Infrastructure Planning Commission, but only if it is fully empowered to secure the conservation and enhancement of the natural environment through a sustainable development duty.”
As a statutory consultee for many aspects of the planning system, Natural England will seek opportunities to help shape national policy statements, and where necessary challenge the quality of the evidence base considered by the Infrastructure Planning Commission to take account of the natural environment.