Monmouthshire GreenWeb

Welsh Government is consulting on a proposal that, to reduce flood and pollution risk, local authorities should become responsible for ensuring that all new developments have a sustainable surface water drainage system (SuDS) that meets mandatory standards.  Details at https://consultations.gov.wales/consultations/implementation-sustainable-drainage-systems-new-developments. Consultation closes 11 August.

Welsh Government also intends to revise its planning policy so that within designated areas new developments will have to ensure solutions that address and mitigate the noise from nearby music venues.

Natural Resources Wales, the Welsh Government’s own advisers on the environment, has told the M4 Relief Road inquiry that the Welsh Government has not demonstrated that the project would comply with its statutory duty to promote sustainable development.  While accepting that new reens to replace those lost are satisfactorily designed, the NRW witness said that replicating the complex ecology of the SSSIs would be challenging.  NRW has also questioned the proposals to manage tidal flood risk over the lifetime of the road, a time of climate change.

Hustings arranged by Friends of the Earth for Friday, 2 June (7.30pm) at Bridges Community Centre may have a more environmental focus.  Questions beforehand to haydn@hotmail.com.

The Independent Review of Designated Landscapes in Wales, commissioned by the Welsh Government, reported in the summer of 2015. This report made many recommendations covering proposals and observations on purposes, principles, vision, governance models, planning and funding. Following this report, a Future Landscapes Wales Working Group, chaired by Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas AM, was established. Their purpose was to explore the Marsden recommendations and the case for change and to report their findings. The Working Group involved representatives of the national parks, AONBs, interest groups and businesses. Their ‘Future Landscapes: Delivering for Wales’ report has now been published – http://gov.wales/topics/environmentcountryside/consmanagement/review-designated-landscapes-wales/?lang=en.

Conservation groups are already criticising the report for its lack of clarity and for neglecting the primary conservation purpose of these designations. While there is reference to controversial topics such as tourism and renewable energy, the report is more concerned with matters such as governance, collaboration, monitoring change, sustainable land management and drawing on good practice.

A message from Monmouthshire Meadows Group: if you haven’t yet signed the letter to your council to support PlantLife’s Verges Campaign (relaunched this year) then please do. There was good national publicity around this issue recently and it feels like some progress is being made, but it’s an uphill struggle and it is desperately important for the survival of wildflower species – http://plantlife.love-wildflowers.org.uk/roadvergecampaign2016#letter-to-your-council.