For maps covering all UK see here
Latest News here
Landmark Agriculture Bill becomes law Read here what the Gov says it does
CoE Culture and Heritage Valletta Convention Convention for the Protection of the Archaeological Heritage of Europe (revised) (Valletta, 1992) Visit
WHC unesco convention The World Heritage Convention Visit
Agriculture Act 2020 The Act
Ask Your Council Here
the good councillors guide part three Here
Bailii For free court reports Visit
local.gov.uk s106 obligations overview Here
https://simonicity.com/Article 4 directions Visit
Highway Verges Fact sheet by the Open Spaces Society. Visit
Gov UK guidance create and maintain grass strips Visit
Gov UK legislation UK, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland Visit
GOV UK Guidance Local Plans Visit
GOV UK Guidance Plan Making Visit
Gov UK Government Publications Changes to the habitats regulations The main points and processes of the 2019 Regulations, which amend the Habitats Regulations 2017 that transpose the Habitats and Wild Birds Directives, to make them operable from 1 January 2021. 2017 Visit
Natural England blog gov uk 2022 03 30 counting down preparing for mandatory biodiversity net gain Visit
Gov UK Government Publications green claims code making environmental claims Visit
Gov uk Government collections local authority housing data Visit
HSE Gov UK Land use planning also covers Wales and some case law Visit
Gov UK Guidance Doorstep and Millennium Greens making changes Visit
Gov UK How to setting up a charity Visit
Gov UK the essential trustee what you need to-know Visit
Wellbeing and Future Generations Act wales Visit
Future Generations Commissioner Site Wales Visit
The Minister for Environment Statement
The move comes as agricultural pollution incidents- which are widely accepted as being detrimental to human health, wildlife and tourism opportunities- remain very high, averaging over three per week in the last three years. Some of these have led to the contamination of drinking water sources and the destruction of plant and aquatic life in parts of Wales’ waterways.
The new Regulations will ensure all farmers understand what actions they need to take to join those who are already protecting Wales’ rich environment and managing animal manures responsibly. The Regulations are proportionate to the risks of pollution, with farmers who already operate to recommended standards seeing a minimal impact to their practices.
Welsh Government has dedicated £1.5 million to help farmers improve water quality and £11.5m of capital funding will be used to directly support farm businesses to improve nutrient management infrastructure. This follows the Sustainable Production Grant scheme which supported over 500 farms with £22m of farm infrastructure investments up to September 2020.
While some areas in Wales have higher incidences than others, the connectivity of Wales’ waterways and emissions to the atmosphere means agricultural pollution is a problem that impacts the entire country. Rivers and lakes failing to meet legal water quality standards is widespread, risking public health and biodiversity, and negatively impacting previously internationally reclaimed rivers used for sports fishing and other recreation purposes.
On 31 December Natural Resources Wales declared a significant incident following the actions of a farmer in West Wales who spread harmful waste from his farm animals, despite the wet weather and saturated ground. This ended up one kilometre into the main river, a Special Area of Conservation.
The Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths, said:
Agricultural pollution has affected water bodies across Wales for far too long and I am determined to act to protect the Welsh countryside, while supporting our farmers that want to do the right thing.
We continue to face a rate of more than three agricultural pollution incidents per week, and against such a backdrop, we are bound to do all we can protect the public and the environment.
I have given the industry every opportunity over the past four years to address the issue and bring those who are polluting our rivers in line with the many farmers who care for the environment.
Wales was the first country in the world to declare a climate emergency and the only country who has enshrined in law a framework that requires us to think of our future generations. The Wales we leave today must be fit for our children and grandchildren, and it is all of our responsibility to uphold these standards.
Part of this is upholding exceptional water quality to protect our beautiful countryside and wildlife, and our drinking and bathing water for which we all depend on for our health, too.
This also provides an opportunity for farmers to uphold exceptional standards that in turn will bolster the image of Wales’ agricultural industry.
RelatedFirst published27 January 2021Last updated27 January 2021
Report anything wrong with this page
Back to top
The move comes as agricultural pollution incidents- which are widely accepted as being detrimental to human health, wildlife and tourism opportunities- remain very high, averaging over three per week in the last three years. Some of these have led to the contamination of drinking water sources and the destruction of plant and aquatic life in parts of Wales’ waterways.
The new Regulations will ensure all farmers understand what actions they need to take to join those who are already protecting Wales’ rich environment and managing animal manures responsibly. The Regulations are proportionate to the risks of pollution, with farmers who already operate to recommended standards seeing a minimal impact to their practices.
Welsh Government has dedicated £1.5 million to help farmers improve water quality and £11.5m of capital funding will be used to directly support farm businesses to improve nutrient management infrastructure. This follows the Sustainable Production Grant scheme which supported over 500 farms with £22m of farm infrastructure investments up to September 2020.
While some areas in Wales have higher incidences than others, the connectivity of Wales’ waterways and emissions to the atmosphere means agricultural pollution is a problem that impacts the entire country. Rivers and lakes failing to meet legal water quality standards is widespread, risking public health and biodiversity, and negatively impacting previously internationally reclaimed rivers used for sports fishing and other recreation purposes.
On 31 December Natural Resources Wales declared a significant incident following the actions of a farmer in West Wales who spread harmful waste from his farm animals, despite the wet weather and saturated ground. This ended up one kilometre into the main river, a Special Area of Conservation.
The Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths, said:
Agricultural pollution has affected water bodies across Wales for far too long and I am determined to act to protect the Welsh countryside, while supporting our farmers that want to do the right thing.
We continue to face a rate of more than three agricultural pollution incidents per week, and against such a backdrop, we are bound to do all we can protect the public and the environment.
I have given the industry every opportunity over the past four years to address the issue and bring those who are polluting our rivers in line with the many farmers who care for the environment.
Wales was the first country in the world to declare a climate emergency and the only country who has enshrined in law a framework that requires us to think of our future generations. The Wales we leave today must be fit for our children and grandchildren, and it is all of our responsibility to uphold these standards.
Part of this is upholding exceptional water quality to protect our beautiful countryside and wildlife, and our drinking and bathing water for which we all depend on for our health, too.
This also provides an opportunity for farmers to uphold exceptional standards that in turn will bolster the image of Wales’ agricultural industry.
RelatedFirst published27 January 2021Last updated27 January 2021
Report anything wrong with this page
Back to top
W E L S H S T A T U T O R Y I N S T R U M E N T S 2021 No. 77 (W. 20) AGRICULTURE, WALES WATER, WALES The Water Resources (Control of Agricultural Pollution) (Wales) Regulations 2021 EXPLANATORY NOTE (This note is not part of the Regulations) These Regulations revoke and replace— (a)the Nitrate Pollution Prevention (Wales) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/2506 (W. 245)) which control the application of nitrogen fertiliser in nitrate sensitive areas, and (b)the Water Resources (Control of Pollution) (Silage and Slurry) (Wales) Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/1493 (W. 136)) which regulate the custody and control of silage and slurry and provided the design and construction standards applicable for its storage. These Regulations make provision concerning the protection of waters against pollution by nitrates from agricultural sources. Principal Changes Whereas the requirements under the Nitrate Pollution Prevention (Wales) Regulations 2013 applied only to holdings situated in designated Nitrate Vulnerable Zones, these requirements will now applyto all holdings in Wales. The majority of the measures in the Water Resources (Control of Pollution) (Silage and Slurry) (Wales) Regulations 2010 will continue to apply under these Regulations but the capacity requirements for the storage of organic manure and silage in those Regulations are superseded and mirror those in the Nitrate Pollution Prevention (Wales) Regulations 2013. Furthermore, persons proposing to build or improve their storage facility for slurry or silage will beCertified copy from legislation.gov.uk Publishing
2required to notify the Natural Resources Body for Wales (“NRBW”) 14 days before construction work is begun, replacing the previous requirement for notification prior to the storage facility’s actual use. Occupiers of organic holdings wishing to benefit from the exemption to the closed periods for spreading organic manure with high readily available nitrogen(regulation 20) must now submit an undertaking to the control system referred to in Article 27 of CouncilRegulation (EC) 834/2007 rather than register with the Advisory Committee on Organic Standards which has now been dissolved. The Regulations Part 1 of these Regulations contains introductory provisions including transitional provision for allholdings not previously within a Nitrate VulnerableZone which are now required to comply with the relevant provisions and requirements under these Regulations. Part 2 of these Regulations imposes annual limits on the amount of nitrogen from organic manure that maybe applied or spread. Part 3 establishes requirements relating to the amount of nitrogen to be spread on a crop, and requires an occupier to plan in advance how much nitrogen fertilizer will be spread. Part 4 requires an occupier to provide a risk map of the holding, and imposes conditions on how, where and when to spread nitrogen fertilizer. Part 5 establishes closed periods during which it is prohibited to spread nitrogen fertilizer. Part 6 makes provision for the storage of organic manure and prescribes the capacity and constructionrequirements for such storage systems. It provides for exemptions from the requirements for certain storage systems; for NRBW to serve notices requiring the carrying out of works or precautions for reducing the risk of pollution to controlled waters and provides an appeal process against such notices. It also requires NRBW to be notified of certain works to be carried out to such storage systems. Part 7 specifies what records must be kept. Part 8 requires the Welsh Ministers to review theseRegulations within set time scales, including a review after two years to consider any submissions on an alternative suite of measures to those in these Regulations for preventing or reducing pollution caused by agriculture. Certified copy from legislation.gov.uk Publishing3Part 9 of these Regulations provides for enforcement and for contravention of certain regulations to be a criminal offence. These Regulations are enforced byNRBW. Part 10 contains miscellaneous provisions includingrevocations. These Regulations repeal and re-enact (without modification) technical regulations in the Water Resources (Control of Pollution) (Silage and Slurry) (Wales) Regulations 2010. British Standard publications referred to in these Regulations can be obtained from the British Standard Institute either online at https://shop.bsigroup.com/Contact-Us/ or by writing to BSI Customer Services, 389 Chiswick High Road, London, W4 4AL, UK. The Welsh Ministers’ Code of Practice on the carrying out of Regulatory Impact Assessments was considered in relation to these Regulations. As a result, a regulatory impact assessment has been prepared as to the likely costs and benefits of complying with these Regulations. A copy can be obtained from the Welsh Government, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NQ
2required to notify the Natural Resources Body for Wales (“NRBW”) 14 days before construction work is begun, replacing the previous requirement for notification prior to the storage facility’s actual use. Occupiers of organic holdings wishing to benefit from the exemption to the closed periods for spreading organic manure with high readily available nitrogen(regulation 20) must now submit an undertaking to the control system referred to in Article 27 of CouncilRegulation (EC) 834/2007 rather than register with the Advisory Committee on Organic Standards which has now been dissolved. The Regulations Part 1 of these Regulations contains introductory provisions including transitional provision for allholdings not previously within a Nitrate VulnerableZone which are now required to comply with the relevant provisions and requirements under these Regulations. Part 2 of these Regulations imposes annual limits on the amount of nitrogen from organic manure that maybe applied or spread. Part 3 establishes requirements relating to the amount of nitrogen to be spread on a crop, and requires an occupier to plan in advance how much nitrogen fertilizer will be spread. Part 4 requires an occupier to provide a risk map of the holding, and imposes conditions on how, where and when to spread nitrogen fertilizer. Part 5 establishes closed periods during which it is prohibited to spread nitrogen fertilizer. Part 6 makes provision for the storage of organic manure and prescribes the capacity and constructionrequirements for such storage systems. It provides for exemptions from the requirements for certain storage systems; for NRBW to serve notices requiring the carrying out of works or precautions for reducing the risk of pollution to controlled waters and provides an appeal process against such notices. It also requires NRBW to be notified of certain works to be carried out to such storage systems. Part 7 specifies what records must be kept. Part 8 requires the Welsh Ministers to review theseRegulations within set time scales, including a review after two years to consider any submissions on an alternative suite of measures to those in these Regulations for preventing or reducing pollution caused by agriculture. Certified copy from legislation.gov.uk Publishing3Part 9 of these Regulations provides for enforcement and for contravention of certain regulations to be a criminal offence. These Regulations are enforced byNRBW. Part 10 contains miscellaneous provisions includingrevocations. These Regulations repeal and re-enact (without modification) technical regulations in the Water Resources (Control of Pollution) (Silage and Slurry) (Wales) Regulations 2010. British Standard publications referred to in these Regulations can be obtained from the British Standard Institute either online at https://shop.bsigroup.com/Contact-Us/ or by writing to BSI Customer Services, 389 Chiswick High Road, London, W4 4AL, UK. The Welsh Ministers’ Code of Practice on the carrying out of Regulatory Impact Assessments was considered in relation to these Regulations. As a result, a regulatory impact assessment has been prepared as to the likely costs and benefits of complying with these Regulations. A copy can be obtained from the Welsh Government, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NQ
business.senedd.wales documents The Water Resources Control Agricultural Pollution 20Wales Regulations Read full Regulations here
The Town and Country Planning (Hearings and Inquiries Procedure) (England) (Amendment and Revocation) Rules 2015
International Legislation
World Heritage convention for the full document
World Heritage convention for the full document
Council of Europe Valletta Convention Full Document
EU Habitats Directive Information can be found here
The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Amendment) (England) Order 2015