CLA

This is a draft new Historic England advice, aimed at owners, consultants, local authorities, and others.  This CLA response makes a number of comments on the detail.

The CLA has responded to Defra's Call for Evidence on key flood and coastal issues to help develop a flood and coastal erosion and national infrastructure strategy.  Our evidence outlined the importance of resilience to flood and coastal erosion for farmers and landowners, as in farming the speed of recovery is often slow due to the production cycle, and costs can be very high.  Farmers and landowners have long dealt with changeable weather events and are able to cope well, however, their resilience is dependent on good drainage, well-maintained flood defences and a strong strategic vision from Defra and the Environment Agency.

The CLA responded to the consultations undertaken by DEFRA and the Welsh Government on agricultural tenancy legislation reform.  Both Governments produced very similar consultations suggesting changes which could remove barriers to productivity improvements and facilitate structural change in the tenant farming sector.  Some suggestions were welcomed but others opposed.  In particular, the CLA made it clear that no steps should be taken to prolong the lifetime of the Agricultural Holdings Act 1986.

The CLA has responded to the Environment Agency consultation on the new Draft National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy for England, urging the Government to consider the strategic importance of land when it comes to the introduction of new measures to protect areas at risk of flooding in England.

The need for this advice was suggested by the CLA and others, and the CLA response welcomes this consultation in principle, but suggests that it could have only limited impact as drafted.  The response suggests a number of crucial changes which would greatly increase its impact and effectiveness:  it could then be of real help to owners/applicants and local authorities, and considerably improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the whole heritage protection system. 

The CLA's response to Defra's call for evidence about the recent withdrawal of the three general licences (GL04, GL05 and GL06) for the management of wild birds.