English
regionalism and the environment
Background and summary
English regionalism is
one of the key drivers of current Government policy. Increased
devolution of powers means that regional institutions and strategies
have a significant role in the delivery of environmental policy and
therefore in the protection and enhancement of ancient woodland and the
expansion of native woodland. The Woodland Trust is actively involved in
each English region, managing land and working through relevant regional
fora to influence policy.
This statement highlights some key regional institutions and strategies
from the Woodland Trust’s standpoint and sets out our position on the
regional agenda. In essence we wish to see: protection for irreplaceable
ancient woodland enhanced through regional planning; the economic agenda
of the English regions and institutions balanced by a fundamental regard
for the environment expressed in new regional strategies; a strong
regional presence for the new ‘Integrated Agency’ for the countryside;
forestry widely accepted as an exemplar of sustainable development; and
accountable Regional Assemblies with environmental and sustainable
development purposes.
Government Offices for the
Regions
These were established in
1994 to bring together the regional functions of government departments.
There are nine Government Offices funded and staffed by ten sponsor
Government departments.
Regional Development Agencies
As part of the Government’s
commitment to increase competitiveness in the English regions and a shift
towards English regionalism to complement devolution for Scotland, Wales and
Northern Ireland, Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) have been
established. Their broad aim is to co-ordinate regional economic development
and regeneration including many aspects of rural development such as
training and marketing, and to this end they produce Regional Economic
Strategies. RDAs have five statutory purposes:
- To further economic
development and regeneration;
- To promote business
efficiency, investment and competitiveness;
- To promote employment;
- To enhance development
and application of skills relevant to employment
- To contribute to
sustainable development
Regional Chambers and Assemblies
Appointed Regional
Assemblies made up of local authority and stakeholder representatives exist
in each English region (apart from London which has a directly elected
Greater London Assembly). As well as contributing to and scrutinising the
RDA Regional Economic Strategies, Regional Assemblies act as designated
planning bodies reviewing Regional Spatial Strategies (see below) and the
work of other public bodies and strategies operating at a regional level.
However, there are concerns that they lack the necessary resources to carry
out this role and that the chief lines of accountability for RDAs remain
direct to central Government.
The Government’s Regional Governance White Paper, Your Region, Your Choice:
Revitalising the English Regions (2002) and the Regional Assemblies
(Preparation) Act (2003) paved the way for directly elected Regional
Assemblies where consent is established through a regional referendum.
However the vote against a Regional Assembly in the North East referendum on
4 November 2004 and the decision not to proceed with referendums in the
North West, and Yorkshire & the Humber have now cast doubt over the future
for effective regional scrutiny.
Regional Spatial Strategies
Regional Spatial Strategies
(RSSs) were introduced under the Planning & Compulsory Purchase Act (2004).
By the end of 2006 all English regions will have an RSS in place replacing
Regional Planning Guidance (RPG) and County Structure Plans. The RSSs should
provide the long term (15-20 years) spatial planning framework by
integrating all regional strategy documents and drawing together regional
plans for housing, planning, environmental protection, economic development,
agriculture, transport and waste. They are therefore of the utmost
importance to achieving sustainable development and unlike RPG, RSSs have a
statutory basis. In addition, Regional Sustainable Development Frameworks
have been produced in each region in line with Government guidance. Regional
Biodiversity Strategies are also underway though they have no statutory
basis.
Regional Forestry Frameworks
Regional Forestry
Frameworks grew from a recommendation of the England Forestry Forum that
each region including London should produce a regional forestry strategy to
translate the England Forestry Strategy (EFS) at the regional level. The
guidance for their preparation states that ‘they should be viewed as a means
of connecting the EFS with regional agendas in language and approaches that
have a resonance with the needs of each region’. Frameworks for each region
will be in place by spring 2005. The Forestry Commission will use them to
guide its work and to prioritise funding in each Conservancy and it is
generally accepted that the RDAs will also use the RFFs to guide their
funding of forestry activity. Yorkshire Forward and the NW RDA are already
keen to invest in forestry projects. The production of RFFs has been
facilitated by Forestry Commission’s regional Conservators along with
Government Offices and the Regional Chamber or Assembly through a steering
group. This process has secured a wider buy-in to the benefits of forestry
from different sectors than in the past.
The Woodland Trust view
Enhanced protection for
ancient woodland through planning
One of the biggest current threats to ancient woodland is development
pressure, much of this related to housing, employment and transport. We
believe that Regional Spatial Strategies must achieve integration between
the economic and social needs of the population and the protection of our
environment for future generations. That balance must be set so that ancient
woodland, our richest habitat for wildlife and an irreplaceable natural
resource, can be ensured survival. In addition, the development of Regional
Spatial Strategies offers for the first time the exciting possibility of
planning land use in an integrated way at a landscape scale in response to
climate change and to deliver wider socio-economic benefits through the
environment such as flood relief.
Economic regeneration balanced by environmental regard
Our particular concern has been that the emphasis placed on economic
regeneration by RDAs has resulted in environmental concerns being pushed off
the regional agenda and we regret that RDAs do not have an explicit
environmental or rural role given the importance of current CAP reform.. The
Trust believes that RDAs must pursue all four main strands of sustainable
development as defined by government (social well-being, economic
well-being, prudent use of natural resources and environmental protection)
in an integrated way. Their enhanced role in rural policy delivery following
Defra’s 2004 Rural Strategy for England makes this all the more important.
A strong regional voice for the new Integrated Agency
We therefore advocate the emergence of a strong regional dimension to the
new Integrated Agency to be set up in England by 2007 bringing together the
work of English Nature, the Countryside Agency and Rural Development
Service, which will also be key in providing an environmental voice to
balance the strong economic and social interests of the RDAs.
Forestry as an exemplar of sustainable development
The Trust believes that safeguarding and enhancement of key natural
resources such as ancient woodland is a key test of success in achieving
sustainable development in the regions. We welcome the introduction of
Regional Forestry Frameworks which recognises that ‘one size doesn’t fit
all’ .They provide an opportunity to show how forestry can deliver on a
diverse range of issues at a regional level from biodiversity to health and
quality of life. The Trust believes that multi purpose forestry has a unique
contribution in assisting RDAs to successfully pursue sustainable
development. An enhanced local environment is key to attracting inward
investment. Forestry has an important role to play in relation to economic
regeneration, both through improving landscapes scarred following the
decline of traditional industries, and through the enhancement of existing
green space. The National Forest in the Midlands is an excellent example of
a forestry initiative which is rapidly transforming the regional landscape
and on which the tourism industry is beginning to build.
Accountable Regional Assemblies with a sustainable development purpose
If more accountable Regional Assemblies are eventually established, then we
believe that it is essential that their statutory purpose should be to
further sustainable development in a manner which integrates economic,
social and environmental dimensions. Central to their work should be to
ensure that regional strategies are compatible with regional sustainable
development objectives and with central Government guidance on environment
and biodiversity policies.
March
2005
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