MABRAKE – Milton Abbot, BRadstone And KElly Action group.

The Government have published a White Paper ‘Planning for the Future’ which proposes radical changes to the current planning system. If introduced these changes would be the most significant changes in the last 50 years!

The proposals build on amendments that have already recently passed into law:

1. A wide range of commercial buildings can change to residential without planning permission.
2. Homeowners can build two story extensions without planning permission on existing houses with two stories or more
3. Additional stories will be allowed on flats without planning permission
4. Builders will no longer need full planning permission to demolish an rebuild vacant buildings if they are rebuilt as homes
5. There are limitations – the above does not apply to listed buildings, AONB etc and they will have to abide by building regulations

The new proposals include: a National Target to build 300,000 homes per year with mandatory local targets, there is also a large increase in Permissive Developments which will severely restrict Borough and Parish Councils from being able to scrutinise new planning applications on behalf of local residents.

If you have concerns about these proposals then the White Paper can be accessed by searching online. The consultation period ends on the 15th October. Alternatively you can email the local MP Geoffrey Cox at geoffrey.cox.mp@parliament.uk

The Wind Farm at Laneast (Nr Launceston) has not been operation for some time and as you can see below some turbines have no blades and others no longer move!
This is an environmental eyesore and potential hazard. When Planning Applications were approved for wind turbines such as these we were told by councils that such installations would temporary and at end-of-life they would be removed and the land restored to its original state.
Mabrake has written to Cornwall County Council about this matter and we await their response.

Mabrake and others have successfully lobbied to stop the installation of new On-Shore Wind Turbines. However a new threat is growing. Powerful energy companies and investment  groups are pressing the government and opposition parties to allow many new Turbines to be installed in the UK countryside. They argue that this is necessary to meet the new government target of a UK net zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050. This is not true!

The UK has done remarkably well in building renewable energy capacity through Off-Shore Wind Turbine investment, something Mabrake supports. There are many other ways that our renewable energy resources can be expanded without destroying our countryside. For example why are not all major commercial buildings encouraged to install solar panels on their roofs, why are not all new residential buildings made to install solar tiles (more attractive than panels) as part of building regulations.

Mabrake recently contacted our local MP Geoffrey Cox on this matter,in the past he has supported our campaigns against specific applications to install large wind Turbines locally. He has promised to lobby on our behalf to resist any changes to government policy in this area.

If you want to add your voice and tell Geoffrey how you feel about the prospect of large new wind Turbines then he can be contacted on: tellgeoffrey@geoffreycox.co.uk

Some of you will have received a leaflet asking you to respond to a Tamar Valley AONB consultation document concerning possible changes to the current AONB boundaries.

We have been asked to make clear that this leaflet is from MABRAKE and not from TVAONB itself.

As you are aware MABRAKE are campaigning to have the boundary extended and you see details of that in previous posts.

We and TVAONB would still like you to respond to their consultation document which can be found at:

http://www.tamarvalley.org.uk/management-plan-review-and-public-consultation/

The closing date for responses is 16th November 2018

As we outlined in our post of April 2018 Mabrake have proposed an extension to the Tamar Valley AONB to give our area more protection against inappropriate development. This extension would apply to the area between Lifton, Lydford and Lamerton and would join TVAONB to the Dartmoor National Park.

Tamar Valley AONB have now published a consultation document asking for views on possible extensions to the existing boundaries.

This document is published at http://www.tamarvalley.org.uk/management-plan-review-and-public-consultation/

To provide your input please go the section Protected Landscapes review process and say you support the Mabrake proposal. More details on our proposal can be found in our post of April 2018. The consultation ends on the 16th November 2018. But please do not hesitate we need your support now.

Thank you

Gary Vanstone    Chairman