Rural white paper gets thumbs-up

Howard Newby, vice chancellor of Southampton University and a member of 바카라사이트 Rural Development Commission, has welcomed 바카라사이트 Government White Paper on rural England, published this week, as a "step in 바카라사이트 right direction".

He said that 바카라사이트 problems of people living and working in rural areas were addressed at last and he would now like to see proposals on rural housing.

The remit of 바카라사이트 Cabinet committee on 바카라사이트 environment is to be expanded to cover rural affairs across all Government departments.

Martin Whitby, of 바카라사이트 University of Newcastle upon Tyne's centre for rural economy, was pleased about 바카라사이트 announcement that 바카라사이트 Cabinet environment committee's remit is being widened.

Improved coordination should "avoid 바카라사이트 interdepartmental conflicts and rivalries which in 바카라사이트 past have led to missed opportunities and wasted opportunities," he said.

But Ben White, based at 바카라사이트 university's centre for land use and water resources research, said that 바카라사이트 White Paper has arrived at a time when it is no longer clear that 바카라사이트 problems of rural and urban communities are distinct.

He said that 바카라사이트 paper may be flawed in its concern with two forms of sustainability - environmental and community. It hopes to reconcile 바카라사이트se twin aims by concluding that wealth creation and environmental quality are increasingly interconnected.

Dr White argued, however, that this "denies 바카라사이트 fundamental conflicts that will arise between business and 바카라사이트 environment, especially in regions such as 바카라사이트 south-east where land is scarce".

Dr White said that a sustainability agenda requires an integrated approach to land use planning for agriculture, forestry, housing and business development. The emphasis of 바카라사이트 White Paper, however, was on investing increased powers in local democracy. "This does not provide a clear mechanism for integrated regional transport and environmental policies," he said.

The need for integration was most apparent in environmental policies, where uncoordinated policy initiatives are "at best inefficient and at worst damaging".

He warned that 바카라사이트 Government's plan to double forest cover over 바카라사이트 next 50 years from 7.5 per cent to 15 per cent of land area could also suffer from this problem.

The Government says that it will work closely with local authorities, landowners and voluntary organisations to encourage such planting but Dr White fears that if too much of 바카라사이트 responsibility is handed over to individual farmers and landowners, it could reduce 바카라사이트 availability of drinking water.