Environment
06 Nov 2013
Biodiversity plan must be ‘made to work’
BUILDERS could offset the environmental impact of their developments by paying farmers to create rural wildlife habitats. Landowners said government plans to introduce so-called biodiversity offsetting must be made to...
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27 Oct 2013
Rural towns ‘are happiest’
PEOPLE living in market towns have the highest levels of life satisfaction, suggests new statistics. Large market towns possess all the factors leading to the highest levels of well-being and...
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17 Oct 2013
Split over rural building proposals
COUNTRYSIDE campaigners are divided over proposals that would make it easier to convert agricultural buildings into houses. The Department for Communities and Local Government is consulting on proposals that would...
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08 Oct 2013
Clampdown on scrap metal theft
NEW laws making it harder for thieves to dispose of stolen scrap metal have been welcomed by rural businesses. Rogue traders who buy and sell scrap metal for cash face...
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04 Oct 2013
Clash over rural housing measures
CHANGES aimed at making it easier to build housing in rural towns and villages have met a mixed reaction. The government says changes to stop the village green system being...
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16 Sep 2013
Experts explore landscape opportunities
RURAL experts will explore the economic, social and environmental opportunities provided by the South Pennines landscape. The Pennine Prospects conference will take place in Rochdale Town Hall on Friday, 11...
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02 Sep 2013
Planning guidance system launched
ONLINE guidance will simplify the planning system and encourage more community involvement, says the government. Planning Minister Nick Boles launched the government’s national planning practice guidance as an online resource...
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18 Aug 2013
Call for village green protection
Countryside campaigners have called for public paths, common land and village greens to be protected when land is sold. The Open Spaces Society, Britain’s oldest national conservation body, said it...
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14 Jul 2013
Protestors hit out at road building plans
A MAJOR road building progamme threatens to devastate the rural environment, say countryside campaigners. Government plans for a return to major road building would fail to solve congestion in the...
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09 Jun 2013
Locals to have say on wind farms
COMMUNITIES will have a greater say over the siting of onshore wind farms, the government has announced. Changes unveiled on Thursday (6 June) mean residents will also reap increased benefits...
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