What this book is all about
This Easy Step by Step Guide provides a simple approach to understanding, and dealing with, many of the environmental issues that arise during the development of land. It also provides a 'jargon buster' to help you understand some of the terms used in environmental planning as well as a list of useful addresses.
Why bother with the environment?
Times are changing and the environment is now a much hotter subject than it was a few years ago. Developments will go ahead as long as there is a demand, but they should only do so on the basis that they do not destroy the countryside and do not adversely affect the environment for future generations. This means that your development will have to be sustainable.
Who is this guide for?
This Easy Step by Step Guide is designed primarily to help those in the business of developing land, especially for housing, commercial and industrial use including leisure and retail. Some other types of land development, such as for mineral extraction and landfill, have specific issues that are not dealt with here in any depth. However, most of what we refer to will also be relevant in those instances. This book is primarily aimed at development in England and Wales although much of what we have to say applies equally in Scotland and Northern Ireland. However, the Government Advice and Legislation discussed is primarily for England and Wales - differences will occur in Scotland and Northern Ireland and if you are developing in these two countries we recommend that you read the relevant governmental advice. This book will also be of value to others who require a broad overview of environmental issues in land development including consultants, lawyers, banks, governmental departments, non-governmental organisations and students. It will also help individuals developing their first house, perhaps in their own garden, and also those who may wish to object to a particular development on sound environmental grounds.
This book is a guide
We must stress that this book is a guide. It is not comprehensive as a text book might be, nor is it definitive, space is too restrictive for the former and the pace of change too great for the latter. We have however, provided an introduction to a wide variety of the many environmental issues that in our experience arise during the course of a great many planning applications. We have also provided an introduction to the jargon of environmental planning. Much of the jargon is by way of initials and we have provided a guide to these in the 'Jargon Buster' towards the end of the book. The conservation of wildlife is becoming increasingly important and sensitive and so we have devoted a whole chapter to this sensitive subject (see Chapter 6 Ecology).
How to use this guide
Start to read this book and understand those issues that might arise when you first consider developing a piece of land. When you have your thoughts together, read through the book again more carefully and decide which sections are most appropriate to your project and act on these.
What you will learn from this guide
If you read this book carefully, and where necessary follow the additional guidance of those books in the reference lists, you will learn how to submit a planning application in such a way that others involved in the process will feel that you have approached the environmental issues in a responsible and professional manner and that you have assisted them in making up their mind. You will learn that planning authorities require certain types of help when making decisions about environmentally sensitive land and, more specifically, how to provide them with that information.
In Summary
This Guide provides a simple approach to understanding, and dealing with, many of the environmental issues that arise during the development of land. There are many environmental issues that might arise during your planning application. Many of these will relate to sustainability and of these, the conservation of wildlife is becoming increasingly important and sensitive. Read this book carefully, decide which sections are appropriate to you and act on the guidance given. In this way you will learn how to submit a planning application in such a way that others involved in the process will feel that you have approached the environmental issues in a responsible and professional manner and that you have assisted them in making up their mind. |
