Election countdown - the countryside
04/05/05

RICS is focusing on key issues for land, property and construction in the run-up to the UK General Election on 5 May 2005. Today, they're concentrating on the countryside.

A thriving countryside
The countryside is more than just landscape; it is people, rural industries and wildlife all bound together and inter-dependent. The rural economy is now under pressure from global forces that it cannot control and rural life is threatened by legislative encroachment and suburbanisation. The nature of the rural economy and society is changing. Tourism is now the most important industry in some areas and new technologies are allowing many other businesses to locate in rural areas. Despite the growing population of many rural areas the maintenance of many rural services remains difficult.  

In recent years agriculture has been buffeted by many crises including foot and mouth and BSE. It is also adjusting to a revamped Common Agricultural Policy in which the balance has rightly shifted away from production subsidies to payments which take into account the role of farmers in conserving the environment. All of these changes have created a sense of unease within rural communities.  

Bring forestry into rural strategy  
Within England progress has been made towards more comprehensive and integrated formulation and delivery of policies affecting the countryside by bringing together English Nature, parts of the Countryside Agency and the Rural Development Service into a single 'Integrated Agency'. The process now needs to be completed by incorporating the Forestry Commission for England and certain elements of the Environment Agency.  

Integrate rural development funding
Much of the funding now available for rural development and conservation falls within the England Rural Development programme. The various elements - both land-based agri-environment schemes and project-based rural economic development schemes - need to be more effectively integrated.   

Simplify end user funding mechanisms  
Simplification of rural funding mechanisms for end users is badly needed. RICS would like to see single agreements which can bring together disparate European, national and local funding into a single package for landowners and farmers.

Target special funding for public benefit
Under European state aid rules special funding can be made available in a number of rural areas. RICS would like to see more determined and innovative use of state aid funding for rural initiatives based upon the delivery of broadly-interpreted public benefits.    

Develop GM map
Consumers and growers must have a genuine choice on the decisions they make about genetically modified (GM) products. A map based land register showing where GM crops have been grown would ensure that there is a robust system in place which would allow full traceability as well as providing real choice.

Maintain local distinctiveness 
Given that tourism is one of the biggest earners in the countryside and visitors want a green and pleasant land we must do more to maintain the local distinctiveness of our countryside. Greater care should be taken to ensure that development is appropriate to the character of the area and follows sound environmental practice.