Latest news with #CPRE
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
'Environment fears taken seriously'
Environmental concerns over London Luton Airport's approved expansion plans are being taken "very seriously", the airport's boss has said. On Thursday, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander approved the plans that would see a new terminal, new taxiways and an increase in annual passengers up to 32 million by 2043. However, environmental campaigners said "70,000 more aircraft a year" was the "last thing" the environment needed. Alberto Martin, chief executive of the airport, said the plans had a "legally binding framework" that put limits on noise and carbon emissions. "Already we do have the highest proportion of any airport in Europe of the most modern aircraft," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "We're talking about the quietest aircraft up there in the skies, the most fuel efficient... sustainability remains at the centre of these plans and they come with the most far reaching and robust environmental commitments of any UK airport. "It comes with a very innovative scheme. It's called Green Control Growth, and it's actually a legally binding framework with limits... on noise, limits on carbon emissions, limits on air quality and surface access. "Those limits will need to be met in order for the airport to be allowed to grow." But countryside charity CPRE said the expansion made "a mockery" of the government's "commitment to reaching net zero by 2030". Local campaign group LADACAN said the "increasing cost of damage caused by climate change" outweighed any benefits. Mr Martin said the airport worked closely with the airlines to ensure they used the most modern and efficient aircraft. "It's important to know that aviation is twice as efficient as it was 30 years ago and technology continues evolving," he added. "Believe me when I tell you we are extremely conscious of those impacts." The plans were approved by the government despite the Planning Inspectorate recommending they be rejected over the environmental concerns. After the approval, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: "This decision will help us deliver growth as part of our plan for change." Luton was the UK's fifth busiest airport last year, with 16.9 million people travelling on 132,000 flights. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Luton airport expansion approved by government Jet2 opens new base and starts flights from Luton Airport expansion decision delayed for third time Plea to pause expansion plans for Luton Airport London Luton Airport Luton Rising CPRE LADACAN
BBC News
04-04-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Luton Airport boss says environment fears 'being taken seriously'
Environmental concerns over London Luton Airport's approved expansion plans are being taken "very seriously", the airport's boss has Thursday, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander approved the plans that would see a new terminal, new taxiways and an increase in annual passengers up to 32 million by environmental campaigners said "70,000 more aircraft a year" was the "last thing" the environment Martin, chief executive of the airport, said the plans had a "legally binding framework" that put limits on noise and carbon emissions. "Already we do have the highest proportion of any airport in Europe of the most modern aircraft," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme."We're talking about the quietest aircraft up there in the skies, the most fuel efficient... sustainability remains at the centre of these plans and they come with the most far reaching and robust environmental commitments of any UK airport."It comes with a very innovative scheme. It's called Green Control Growth, and it's actually a legally binding framework with limits... on noise, limits on carbon emissions, limits on air quality and surface access."Those limits will need to be met in order for the airport to be allowed to grow." But countryside charity CPRE said the expansion made "a mockery" of the government's "commitment to reaching net zero by 2030".Local campaign group LADACAN said the "increasing cost of damage caused by climate change" outweighed any Martin said the airport worked closely with the airlines to ensure they used the most modern and efficient aircraft."It's important to know that aviation is twice as efficient as it was 30 years ago and technology continues evolving," he added."Believe me when I tell you we are extremely conscious of those impacts." The plans were approved by the government despite the Planning Inspectorate recommending they be rejected over the environmental the approval, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: "This decision will help us deliver growth as part of our plan for change."Luton was the UK's fifth busiest airport last year, with 16.9 million people travelling on 132,000 flights. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
13-03-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Solar farm proposal for Selby green belt land rejected
Plans to erect a solar farm which would have covered an area equivalent to 80 football pitches on green belt land have been rejected by local 49.95MW scheme, proposed for an 156-acre (63-hectare) site at Hillam, near Selby, was recommended for approval by planning officers at North Yorkshire solar farm would have provided enough green energy to supply 17,000 homes and displace 107,500 tonnes of CO2 a year, according to the councillors voted to reject the plans due to the loss of "good quality" arable land and the fact the scheme fell within green belt. Setting out their reasons for refusing the plans, councillor Angus Thompson said: "Whilst I fully accept that climate change is a special circumstance, this is good quality agricultural land."I can assure you I'm a retired farmer - I know all about sheep, I know all about arable land - and grade two is good quality arable land and it's in a green belt." Councillor John McCartney said several other solar farms had already been approved for the Selby district, and further appropriation of land to generate solar power was "unacceptable". "The accumulation should say we shouldn't put any more in the Selby district," he stated."I get the point about the grid connections, but there's got to be fairness as well - and just raping the entire south Selby by putting solar panels on it is unacceptable."The meeting heard an application for a solar farm near Malton had recently been given the go-ahead by the secretary of state, after initially being refused by the council, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Councillors were warned that while the council would stand by the decision to refuse the application, the decision could still be overturned on residents, community leaders and the CPRE, formerly the Campaign for the Protection of England, had all objected to the proposal, with CPRE North and East Yorkshire claiming the development, on Austfield Lane, would not conform to local or national planning to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North
BBC News
11-03-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Plan to make it easier for councils to seize land for housing
Councils are to be given greater powers to seize land, under government plans to boost housebuilding. The measure is part of the flagship Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which is being introduced in Parliament later and aims to speed up building. Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook said he wanted greater use of compulsory purchase orders (CPOs), which allow public authorities to acquire land without the consent of the owner. Currently, councils buying sites through CPOs must factor in the "hope value" - the potential value if planning permission for development is secured - and this is set to be axed to allow land to be bought at a lower price. However, rural campaign groups raised concerns farmers could be forced to sell at knock-down prices and that green spaces could be lost. Paul Miner, head of planning and policy at CPRE, the countryside charity, said the group supported the use of CPOs to build genuinely affordable homes on previously developed he added: "Compulsory purchase shouldn't be used to enable the development of valued countryside and local green spaces." Responding to such fears, Pennycook told BBC Radio 4's Today programme he was "somewhat mystified" by this interpretation, saying CPOs would be used "far more often" for regenerating brownfield - or previously developed - land."We think it's right these powers are more widely used and it will be for local authorities to make the decisions about what land is appropriate for those powers to be used on," he added. A requirement for the secretary of state to sign off on CPOs will be removed "in certain instances", he said, adding that the legislation would be "transformative" in unlocking construction for new homes, roads, rail and renewable energy projects. The bill also aims streamline the planning process, with more decisions made directly by officers rather than councils have raised concerns this could mean they will be shut out of the democratic planning process. Richard Clewer, housing and planning spokesperson at the Country Councils Network, said he welcomed changes to CPOs as a "useful tool".However, he said changes to the planning process could "dilute and bypass the role of councillors", particularly with rural developments where a few new homes could make a significant impact. Defending the plans, Pennycook said "expert planning officers" would support elected councillors with technical detail and allow councillors to focus on larger, more controversial government has promised to build 1.5 million new homes in England over the next five years, with the pledge key to boosting economic growth. However, the number of new homes continued to fall during the first six months that Labour was in power, with the construction industry warning the country does not have enough workers to deliver on the target. Pennycook said the inheritance from the previous Conservative government was "dire" but there were "very positive signs" and "green shoots coming forward" in the number of planning applications being submitted. Other measures in the bill include:Up to £2,500 off energy bills for people living within 500m of new pylonsStreamlining the process for approving key projects like wind farms, roads or railways and banning multiple "meritless" legal "ready-to-go" energy projects to jump to the front of the queue for grid connections, replacing the current "first come, first served process" which the government says has clogged up the systemDeputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner said the plans would be "backing the builders" and "taking on the blockers" to create "the biggest building boom in a generation". Sign up for our Politics Essential newsletter to read top political analysis, gain insight from across the UK and stay up to speed with the big moments. It'll be delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Solar farm on green belt land set for approval
Plans for a solar farm in North Yorkshire which would be the size of at least 80 football pitches are expected to be approved despite concerns it would be built on protected green belt land. Councillors at North Yorkshire Council are due to vote on the scheme, based at Hillam, near Selby, at a meeting on Tuesday after planning officers recommended it was given the go-ahead. The 156 acre (63 hectare) site would provide enough energy to supply 17,000 homes and displace 107,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year, the proposals stated. However, critics said the planned solar farm would cause "significant harm" to the green belt. According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, nearby residents, community leaders and the CPRE, formerly the Campaign for the Protection of England, had all objected to the proposals. CPRE North and East Yorkshire said the development, on Austfield Lane, would not conform to local or national planning policies. It claimed the applicant sought to justify the proposal's location within the green belt as being essential to respond to the climate crisis. But the charity said research it had commissioned from University College London had found that large-scale solar farms "are not actually required" to meet net zero targets. "The very special circumstances put forward by the applicant in their planning statement do not trump the significant harm caused to the green belt," the organisation said in its objection. Meanwhile, Hillam Parish Council also rejected the plans for the facility. In its objection, the council said: "Over the past couple of years, the parish council has spent considerable public funds in planning-related disputes to preserve the green belt. "If a development such as this were to go ahead, it would make a mockery of all the good work undertaken by parish councillors, local government councillors and Selby District Council." The council received 36 objections to the proposals from local residents. Among the issues cited were the impact on the character of the village and the surrounding landscape, the loss of good agricultural land and the scheme being proposed for the green belt. But planning officers said any issues caused by the solar farm would be outweighed by the benefits. If the application is approved at the meeting later, it would need to be signed off by the secretary of state due to it being on green belt land. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North. North Yorkshire Council Local Democracy Reporting Service
