Archive Current Consultations

CURRENT CONSULTATIONS

• Hydropower Permitting Review
  Environment Agency Consultation. Small-scale hydropower is growing rapidly in the UK, posing some unique and crosscutting challenges to the Environment Agency.  The Agency is reviewing how hydropower customers get the necessary environmental permissions.
• Biodiversity and Geological Conservation: statutory obligations and their impact within the planning system
  This Defra consultation seeks comments on a proposed revision to the above Government circular. It will complement the Consultation on a new Planning Policy Statement - see below.
• New Planning Policy Statement: Planning for a Natural and Healthy Environment
  This consultation by the Department for Communities and Local Government seeks views on the proposed Planning Policy Statement, which sets out streamlined and consolidated planning policy relating to biodiversity and geological conservation, landscape protection, soil and agricultural land quality, forestry, coastal access, heritage coast and the undeveloped coast, and open space, sport, recreation and play
• BS 8580 Water quality – Risk assessments for Legionella control – Code of practice
  BSi Standards Draft Review
• Orders Establishing Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Districts and their Associated Authorities (IFCA)
  This Defra consultation seeks views on the core provisions that each order setting up and IFC district must specify. Defra is also consulting on the rules of procedure that IFCA committees will be required to operate.

HYDROPOWER PERMITTING REVIEW
Environment Agency Consultation
(Posted 14 May 2010)

Small-scale hydropower is growing rapidly in the UK, posing some unique and crosscutting challenges to the Environment Agency. As a regulator, they must support the deployment of sustainable schemes whilst protecting the environment and helping to ensure the UK meets its environmental commitments. The Agency is reviewing how hydropower customers get the necessary environmental permissions. The consultation helps to explore the issues around improving the permitting systems and on proposals for policy. The consultation runs from 19 March to 11 June 2010.

To view and comment on the consultation visit the Agency website:
(https://consult.environment-agency.gov.uk/portal/ho/br/hydro/power)

BIODIVERSITY AND GEOLOGICAL CONSERVATION: STATUTORY OBLIGATIONS AND THEIR IMPACT WITHIN THE PLANNING SYSTEM
Defra Consultation
(Posted 14 May 2010)

This consultation seeks comments on a proposed revision to the above Government circular. This circular was first issued jointly by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in 2005. The revised circular will complement the ‘Consultation on a new Planning Policy Statement: Planning for a natural and healthy environment’ which is being issued for public consultation at the same time by the Department for Communities and Local Government. The consultation runs from 9 March to 1 June 2010.

Consultation documents and information on how to respond are available on the Defra website:
(http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/biodiversity-geological/index.htm)

NEW PLANNING POLICY STATEMENT: PLANNING FOR A NATURAL AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT
Consultation by the Department for Communities and Local Government
(Posted 14 May 2010)

This consultation seeks views on the proposed Planning Policy Statement, which sets out streamlined and consolidated planning policy relating to:

• Biodiversity and geological conservation (currently set out in Planning Policy Statement 9: Biodiversity and Geological Conservation (PPS9))
• Landscape protection, soil and agricultural land quality, and forestry (currently set out in paragraphs 21-23, 28-29 and 33 of Planning Policy Statement 7: Sustainable Development in Rural Areas (PPS7))
• Coastal access, heritage coast and the undeveloped coast (currently set out in paragraphs 2.9, 2.10 and 3.9 of Planning Policy Guidance 20: Coastal Planning (PPG20))
• Open space, sport, recreation and play (currently set out in Planning Policy Guidance 17: Planning for Open Space, Sport and Recreation (PPG17))

The consultation runs from 9 March to 1 June 2010.

Consultation documents and information on how to respond are available on the Department’s website:
(http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/naturalenvironmentconsultation)

BS 8580 WATER QUALITY – RISK ASSESSMENTS FOR LEGIONELLA CONTROL – CODE OF PRACTICE
BSi Standards Draft Review
(Posted 14 May 2010)

BS8580 covers industrial cooling waters, health care and leisure centres, water distribution and use within buildings, as well as commercial and industrial uses of water. The Review end date is 31 May 2010.

The draft can be viewed and commented on once you have registered with the BSi  website:
(http://drafts.bsigroup.com/Home/Details/485)

ORDERS ESTABLISHING INSHORE FISHERIES AND CONSERVATION DISTRICTS AND THEIR ASSOCIATED AUTHORITIES (IFCA)
Defra Consultation
(Posted 14 May 2010)

This consultation seeks views on the core provisions that each order setting up and IFC district must specify, e.g. the seaward and landward boundaries of the districts, the numbers of MMO (Marine Management Office) appointees and local authority members and the rationale for deciding where a district should end, which local authorities will fall within the new districts and the proportion of levy they must pay towards their IFCA’s expenses. Defra is also consulting on the rules of procedure that IFCA committees will be required to operate. This consultation will be of interest to a wide range of stakeholders: local authorities, environmental groups, fishermen (commercial and recreational), fishing industry and government departments.

The consultation started on 22 March 2010 and closes on 14 June 2010.

To view the consultation documents and related information visit the Defra website:
(http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/inshore-fisheries2010/index.htm)