The government’s Natural Environment Bill will establish a new body to act as a rural advocate, expert adviser and independent watchdog.
The new body, the Commission for Rural Communities, has been designed to ensure the government’s policies make a real and tangible difference to people in rural areas, especially in tackling social and economic exclusion and disadvantage.
The Bill will also establish a new integrated agency, Natural England, encompassing the landscape, access and recreation division of the Countryside Agency with English Nature and the Rural Development Service (RDS).
Natural England will promote nature conservation and biodiversity and improve access to the countryside and open spaces through encouraging open-air recreation.
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Stakeholder responses

Countryside Agency and English Nature
Joint response from the Countryside Agency, English Nature and the Rural Development Service

The Woodland Trust
The Woodland Trust has some concerns regarding the Natural Environment & Rural Communities Bill:
Conflict resolution
The Woodland Trust has called for a new clause dealing with the resolution of conflicting priorities. Should a conflict arise in the delivery of Natural England’s objectives, greater weight should be given to ensure the conservation of the environment.
Sustainable Development
Whilst contributing to sustainable development, Natural England should not be diverted from its primary purpose of focussing on the protection and enhancement of the natural environment.
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Campaign to Protect Rural England
The Campaign to Protect Rural England welcomes the Bill.
“The Bill is sensible joined up thinking because the landscape is inextricably linked to wildlife habitat and access by footpath and bridleway.”
However, CPRE has concerns that the following provisions will weaken the new organisation;
CPRE is calling for
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a “conflict resolution” clause, which will make it clear that when there is a serious or an irreconcilable conflict between open-air recreation and conserving the natural environment, Natural England will give greater weight to the conserving of the natural environment.
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Central Council for Physical Recreation
CCPR welcomes and supports the main principles of the Bill.
More on these views
Click on the links below for more information on these views
Woodland Trust
Campaign to Protect Rural England
Central Council for Physical Recreation
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