Item 5
Date:12th April 2017
Project Presentation: Discussion on the implications of Brexit
Presentation by:Bert Broom, NFU, Sondes Place Farm
Purpose of Report
To consider the issues and opportunities arising from Brexit and its impact on the Surrey Hills landscape
Summary
UK legislation provides the legal bases for AONBs and National Parks and it is thought unlikely to change. Equally EU regulations and policy affecting AONBs is thought unlikely to change in the short term.
One of the greatest impacts of Brexit is likely to be on the agricultural sector. As background the NFU has produced a Vision for the Future of Farming, as attached. Farming in the Surrey Hills with its relatively poor soils, small mixed farms and high land and labour costs is already very marginal. One scenario would be to consider the implications on the landscape with a reduced agricultural landscape, particularly for maintaining landscape features such fields, hedgerows, grazing grassland etc. However as there is a call that public funding post Brexit should be clearly linked to delivering public goods. In this case, the Surrey Hills as a highly valued and protected landscape in London’s Metropolitan Green Belt could be a priority for public funding.
It is recommended that the AONB Management Plan, being a local expression of national priorities, is a sound basis to provide a helpful framework for future arrangements for agri-environment and rural development where it affects the Protected Landscape. Such an approach would provide the Surrey Hills AONB Board with greater local influence in determining the priorities for future investments.
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Attached:NFU’s Vision for the Future of Farming, March 2017
Contact details:
Author:Rob Fairbanks
Job titleSurrey Hills AONB Director
Contact no:01372 220650
E-mail:
Background
UK legislation provides the legal basis for designation of AONBs and National Parks. It provides the statutory framework within which we operate and integrates with other domestic legislation including planning law. Legislation also specifies the statutory requirements placed on public bodies, in relation to the AONBs. The statutory basis for the AONB designation is thoughtunlikely to be affected by exit from the EU.
European policy and regulation has had a significant impact on landscape, largely as a result of the Rural Development Plan (RDP) and the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in changing land use, and enhanced habitat protection due to the Habitats Regulations. The future of policies and regulation is probably settled in the short to medium term as it is expected that it will be transposed into British law and amended only over an extended period of time. It is advised to us that the Government is thought broadly content with the balance of regulations; in support of this view the OECD concluded that: ‘overall, regulation in the UK is already fairly favorable to business, relative to other countries.’
Future of funding arrangements for rural areas is thought likely to change more quickly and the debate as to how these changes should be implemented is underway.
The role of the AONB Management Plan
Brexit clearly offers many opportunities to review rural development and agri-environment funding; it is very early days but it is thought to be important to have a clear, high level view of where the Protected Landscapes should be as issues like agri-environment funding are reassessed.
The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 created several new statutory duties placed on the Local Authorities, other public bodies and statutory undertakers with regards to AONBs.The statutory requirement to prepare, adopt and subsequently review a management plan for the AONB, provides a strong,evidence based locally generated framework for the management of these landscapes.
The AONB Management Plans are subject to extensive engagement, evidence, assessment and consultation; they also fully involve the individual Local Authorities providing a local democratic input. The Management Plans are subject to extensive assessments, such as Equality Impact Assessment, Strategic Environmental Assessment, Sustainability Appraisal and Habitats Regulations Assessment.
National Park and AONB Management Plans are already influential in helping to determine priorities for agri-environment and other rural development grants. As UK government looks to replacing these funds it could be argued that the Management Plans could form a helpful strategic framework for replacement schemes. This approach would provide a level of local, democratic involvement that has not been seen before.
This sort of approach has been proposed by the Landscape Institute and the chairman of the UK Natural Capital Committee, Prof Dieter Helm.‘Conservation 21’ Natural England’s conservation strategy for the 21st Century also seems to provide support stating ‘ high quality designated areas will be central to resilient landscape and ecosystems….Our finest landscapes and the National Nature Reserve series already offer test beds for large scale integrated delivery, and provide diverse opportunities for public enjoyment and engagement with the natural environment.’
There are also other initiatives that will seek to target future funding including Defra’s 25 Year Vision; Food and Farming Strategy; catchment management planning and natural capital initiatives.