Kozmik_Ken
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Infeastructure Bill 2014
Aug 19, 2014, 06:45
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The Infrastructure Bill 2014, currently before the House of Lords, could well threaten our National Parks and access to some of our best loved landscapes. It seeks to transfer public land to the Housing and Communities Agency, in the process extinguishing any existing rights of way and protection from development, which could well include scheduled ancient monuments.
More here: http://bit.ly/VzoZvv.
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tjj
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Edited Aug 19, 2014, 14:10
Re: Infeastructure Bill 2014
Aug 19, 2014, 14:05
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Kozmik_Ken wrote: The Infrastructure Bill 2014, currently before the House of Lords, could well threaten our National Parks and access to some of our best loved landscapes. It seeks to transfer public land to the Housing and Communities Agency, in the process extinguishing any existing rights of way and protection from development, which could well include scheduled ancient monuments.
More here: http://bit.ly/VzoZvv.
Thank you for this post and the link to Andy Hemingway's blog. This is so very depressing it would be easy to look the other way and just get on with your own little corner of the universe. Once again, it comes back to energy production and over population.
On the energy production side: no one wants to give up driving their car or travelling by plane at least to holiday destinations ("my one flight a year won't make a difference"). Where is the fuel coming from, especially now things are so precarious in the Middle East. No one, with a few exceptions, wants wind turbines or solar parks spoiling the landscape, especially near ancient monuments. In fact there was outrage recently when an anti-fracking group made a protest at Avebury.
Housing is driven by different issues which are in some ways easier to get a handle on - but protest as much as you like; gather thousands to support your cause - the Secretary of State i.e. Government will throw objections out at the end of the day and give developers the go ahead.
So what to do ... If we are honest I think the majority of us bury our heads in the metaphorical sand and walk away. I will contact my MP and put my objections to this bill on the record. Will it make any difference ?? We can but try.
Edit: Have just noticed you are Andy Hemingway - great blog!
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Sanctuary
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Re: Infeastructure Bill 2014
Aug 19, 2014, 19:55
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Kozmik_Ken wrote: The Infrastructure Bill 2014, currently before the House of Lords, could well threaten our National Parks and access to some of our best loved landscapes. It seeks to transfer public land to the Housing and Communities Agency, in the process extinguishing any existing rights of way and protection from development, which could well include scheduled ancient monuments.
More here: http://bit.ly/VzoZvv.
http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2014-15/infrastructure.html
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Kozmik_Ken
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Re: Infeastructure Bill 2014
Aug 20, 2014, 06:24
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Hi tjj, thanks for the kind words about my blog.
Yes, there is little doubt that the bill will pass through parliament unhindered. I'm trying to suggest to my MP that Labour table an amendment to protect national parks and honour existing protections such as scheduled ancient monuments and SSSIs (even consecrated ground isn't sacred under this bill, if you'll excuse the pun). I don't hold out much hope, as it was he that told me that Labour wouldn't be opposing the bill.
I share your pessimism but do feel that we have a duty of sorts to oppose such bills (now that Labour seem to have lost the will to oppose). Once the Transatlantic Trade Investment Partnership (TTIP) comes into force, the combined effect of that and the Infrastructure Bill will mean the death of our public amenities. If in 1932 those men and women hadn't turned off the path and climbed the steep slopes of Kinder Scout, to face the gamekeepers, we may not have had any access rights as we know them to protect.
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tjj
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Re: Infeastructure Bill 2014
Aug 20, 2014, 14:11
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Kozmik_Ken wrote:
I share your pessimism but do feel that we have a duty of sorts to oppose such bills (now that Labour seem to have lost the will to oppose). Once the Transatlantic Trade Investment Partnership (TTIP) comes into force, the combined effect of that and the Infrastructure Bill will mean the death of our public amenities. If in 1932 those men and women hadn't turned off the path and climbed the steep slopes of Kinder Scout, to face the gamekeepers, we may not have had any access rights as we know them to protect.
I hadn't been aware of the TTIP until I read your post - have also just received an email from SumOfUs about the their campaign, it included this link -
https://democracy-international.org/eci-against-ttip-and-ceta-start-soon
Thanks mentioning Kinder Scout - a reminder that we are not powerless after all, this land is our land to protect and appreciate.
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Kozmik_Ken
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Re: Infeastructure Bill 2014
Aug 21, 2014, 06:50
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TTIP is an entirely new can of worms which could have a hugely negative impact on a whole range of issues here such as food regulations, employment law, our health service and other public services to name just a few. John Hilary has put together an excellent info pack on TTIP, which can be downloaded from War on Want's website http://www.waronwant.org/campaigns/trade-justice/more/inform/18078-what-is-ttip.
The dual effects of TTIP (especially the provision for 'Investor-State Dispute Settlement’ which would allow corporations to legally challenge any legislation that has an adverse impact on profits) and the Infrastructure Bill could be catastrophic for our green spaces and protected environments. I believe that we may be about to see the biggest land-grab by private interests since the Enclosure Acts.
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