Last chance to respond to AONB consultation warns NFU Cymru President
Farmers have just over a week to respond to the CCW consultation on a draft Designation Order for its proposals to extend the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) southwards, to include Ruabon and Llantysilio Mountains and the Vale of Llangollen from Chirk upstream to Corwen.
The consultation period on the proposed boundary, robustly opposed by NFU Cymru, closed at the end of January. Just 14-days later the CCW Board met and agreed to press ahead, to the next stage - a consultation on a draft Designation Order.
During a meeting on one of the farms affected by the proposals NFU Cymru’s President Ed Bailey urged local farmers and others to make their views known and respond to the next stage of the consultation which closes on the Tuesday, 22 March 2011.
Ed Bailey, said, "I am very concerned that the process of designation is being rushed and that the genuine concerns and questions that have been raised have not been answered. I think CCW is wrong not to have done an impact assessment of the proposal. Nothing seems to have been done to weigh up the potential benefits against the possible disadvantages and no assessment has been done as to whether the proposed designation is the most appropriate route to take or whether alternative options exist.
"There is also no commitment from the public bodies concerned in respect to the funding of the proposed extended AONB. No figures are provided as to the cost of its administration; no figures provided as to committed funds for specific projects and given current pressures on public finances it is only right that this information is provided to tax payers."
Eifion Davies NFU Cymru Glyn Ceiriog Branch Chairman whose farmland is affected by the proposals added, "There will certainly be stricter planning controls which are likely to lead to planning rejections and increased costs in terms of putting together more detailed applications. Additional conditions to planning permissions will add more cost in terms of screening, materials, location, size and height of developments. Stricter planning policies will mean that businesses will find it difficult to expand.
"I think it is disingenuous of CCW to ignore these quite genuine and understandable concerns as if they don’t exist or to portray them as something else. They need to address some of these questions that local people have posed before pushing ahead with their proposal.
"My message to farmers, businesses and the public is that we need more time to consider what is at stake. Our views shouldn’t be simply ignored. Do not leave it to your neighbor or think someone else will be responding. It really does matter that you make your views known."
Responses can be sent by post to Head of Environment Policy Group, Pathfinder, Countryside Council for Wales, Maes y Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, LL57 2DW.
