Opinion and Editorial

Views from the SOW team and guest writers.

If you have ideas and articles to share, get in touch, we’d love to know your opinion too.

Forestry, the Poor Relation of Farming

17.05.2012

Raymond Henderson, Head of Bidwells Forestry Team, has highlighted some facts from Scotland which expose a severe disparity in funding, procedure and lobbying power, which are very useful as case study to further forestry in England at a time when it is ‘up for discussion.’

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The SuDS Consultation – further delay in sustainable development.

03.01.2012

Gov’t is consulting on proposed changes to SuDS (sustainable drainage systems) legislation.

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The Arrogance that is Biodiversity Offsetting

05.12.2011

Who has misled George over the true value of the British Rural Landscape?

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One Size Does Not Fit All

21.11.2011

Pip Howard explores what is fundamentally wrong with ALL centralised policy, proposals and guidelines with regards land management (including planning, forestry, landscape issues, biodiversity etc.,) in the UK?

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Fighting for our woodland heritage

15.11.2011

Writer and access hero, Jon Bainbridge writes on access rights to woods and warns that the fight to save our woods has barely begun….

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Why you should worry about the changes to planning policy…

16.10.2011

The opportunity to create a policy that would ensure positive, truly sustainable development of our landscape has been wasted by the desire to give a quick boost to the economy in uncertain times.

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The National Planning Policy Framework – what future for wildlife?

22.09.2011

Stephen Trotter, Chief Executive of Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, writes in a personal capacity about his concerns about the NPPF and its potential to implement aspirations of the Natural Environment White Paper

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The National Trust – Planning for People

21.09.2011

The National Trusts, Ben Cowell, explains exactly why the Trust is fighting so hard to inform the public of potential issues with the NPPF and have the draft changed..

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Will the NPPF if introduced really help the construction industry or just those on the periphery?

20.09.2011

Retired civil engineer Dr J Flattery explores the reality of the draft NPPF to builders, contractors and landscapers…

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Draft NPPF – Time to look at case studies from abroad & allow public participation

08.09.2011

We now need to read and investigate; other case studies, Agenda 21 ? & other legally binding international documentation including European convention text, published academic research, etc.

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Why is the Government drawing battle lines over the NPPF?

05.09.2011

Greg Clark, the minister responsible for the draft NPPF, has drafted in George Osbourne & Eric Pickles to try & quash the campaign that exists to clarify points within the proposed new framework.

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Campaigning for Everybody’s Landscape

01.09.2011

The United Kingdom ratified the European Landscape Convention: It appears that whilst DEFRA are fully aware of the convention, are the DCLG?

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Sustainability and the draft NPPF. Greg Clarks attack on the National Trust.

28.08.2011

Mr Clark, the politician responsible for the Draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), last week attacked the National Trust for highlighting the potential negative impacts it may have on the natural spaces closest to our towns and cities.

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The Forest Sell Off & the NPPF: We Need a Dictionary of Definitions

27.08.2011

Without tools to aid the general populace to reach a rational decision, or an illustration that government, NGOs and other experts are talking the same language, we will forever be stuck in a mire of ‘green washed’ terminology…

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What Does Sustainability Mean to Me?

15.08.2011

Si Jakeman, a fire fighter from London, shares with us his vision of Deep Sustainability and interconnectedness…

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The NPPF > A Response to: ‘Advice produced by the Planning Inspectorate for use by its Inspectors’

06.08.2011

The National Trust are gearing up to campaign against the draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). We must join them and raise a voice against what could be the most damaging proposals for ALL UK landscapes since the 1930′s.

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What does the NPPF mean for small woodland owners?

05.08.2011

Draft National Planning Policy Framework. What does it mean for small woodland owners and how you can respond to the consultation

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Hen of Save Our Wood’s response to the Forestry Panel’s ‘Call for Views’

03.08.2011

Sunday the 31st of July 2011 saw the deadline for the Forestry Panel’s ‘Call for Views’. Read Hen from SoW’s response & challenge to the Forestry Panel…

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The Woodland Trust response to the Forestry Panels ‘Call for Views’

27.07.2011

The Woodland Trusts response to the Forestry Panels Call for Views. Published exclusively on SoW.

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National Planning Policy Framework – What about OUR WOODS?!

26.07.2011

The government has published it’s draft National Planning Policy Framework. Pip Howard explains what the reality will be for our woodlands and what the word ‘sustainable’ really means…

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