Agency rural plan is grandiose – CLA
24 January 2001
Agency rural plan is ‘grandiose’ – CLA
By Alistair Driver
LANDOWNERS have accused the governments advisory body on the English countryside of acting above its station in publishing its proposals for the countryside.
The Countryside Agency launched its strategy for the countryside, called Towards Tomorrows Countryside, on Monday (22 January).
But Alan Buckwell, policy director for the Country Land and Business Association, said the agency had gone too far and denounced the document as “grandiose”
“In having a strategy document the agency is in danger of going too far. It is a small organisation that should stick to the things it is good at,” he told FARMERS WEEKLY.
Prof Buckwell said the document contained nothing he disagreed with, but said there was “little that has not already been said in the Rural White Paper.
However, rather than telling consumers what to buy and farmers how to farm, the agency should focus more on individual initiatives, he said.
The document recommends a whole new approach to farming and further moves from food-production subsidies towards environmental payments and rural development.
Andrew Clark, environment adviser for the National Farmers Union, said: “We agree that this is the road to travel. But it has to be done across the whole of Europe.”
The Council for the Protection of Rural England said that the agencys report provided a good framework to bring about positive change.
But Gregor Hutcheon, CPRE senior rural partner, said: “The real test will be whether they have the confidence to run with it.
“The agency was given more power in the Rural White Paper and it has to be confident enough to give advice the government does not want to hear.”
Pilot studies contained in the strategy need to come up with useful information for people across the length and breadth of the country, said Mr Hutcheon
“We were disappointed there was no mention of tranquillity, which we think is a good indicator of change,” he said.