OVER-POPULATION AND FOOD SECURITY ARE THE REAL ISSUES.

May I make some serious comments on the Local Plan and on recent planning applications. I belong to no political party, nor could I be classed as a "nimby". I am a father who cares deeply for his country and its future.
POPULATION. In recent decades, governments ( and politicians) have failed the British people and the country. Crucial to any housing strategy
is a population strategy. This is, and has been, sadly lacking. The security, and the economic and social well-being of our country is now under threat
from over-population. Our imports of food, fuel, raw materials and other goods far exceed our exports. Our water and energy supplies are barely
able to meet present demand. We cannot meet our targets on carbon emissions, land-fill sites are at a premium and at peak times there is traffic
chaos on our roads. More and more houses is not the answer to these problems. At local level, I would recognise that there is some demand for
housing, and in particular, both social and affordable housing. However, the demand for so many houses in the area has been exaggerated.
FOOD SECURITY. Food security is important to us all and because of population growth it will become increasingly a problem for everyone. The
National Planning Policy Framework ( NPPF ), prepared by a panel of members mainly from the property, building and construction industries and at
the request of the main party of Government which has received millions of pounds in donations from such industries, conveniently fails to highlight
or mention the need for food security. Yet one of the main functions of Government is to provide security.
Land on this planet is finite. Large areas are experiencing water stress. Other areas are experiencing climate changes where floods, storms, heatwaves
and draughts are becoming more common and disasterous. The North American grain harvest was badly hit last year. With global grain reserves so low,
another poor harvest would have serious consequences for the worlds food markets. In previously under-developed countries, diets and eating habits
are changing. No longer are these peoples satisfied with with their old, traditional diets. They will demand meat and other food products which will create other problems along the food supply chain. Closer to home, because of the horse meat scandal we have seen an increase in the demand for British
beef. Also. because of the unseasonal weather this year, our crop yields could well be below average.
It is against this briefly painted back-drop that the NPPF fails to recognise the importance of food security. At the heart of the Framework is a presumption in favour of sustainable development. The Framework sets out 3 dimensions to sustainable development ;-1) an economic role.
2) a social role. 3) an environmental role. BUT, included in these dimensions, and with priority, should be 4) a security role.
Our farmland provides us with food security. On such an issue, there is no place for self-interest ( job protection ), nor bullying ( aggressive
Government tactics ), nor bribery ( developers' sweeteners ). Politicians, planners, inspectors, developers and everyone else have a duty and a
responsibility to protect our farmland for present and future generations. It is our children's and grandchildren's heritage.
EUROPEAN UNION. The present Government has promised the country a referendum on EU membership. The latest opinion polls show a slight
majority in favour of leaving the EU. Should this be the case, then the Common Agricultural Policy would become non-applicable to the UK. A consequence of this could be an urgent need to grow and develop our farming, market-gardening and horticultural industries. At this uncertain time
we need to protect and maintain all our available farmland.
LOCAL OBSERVATIONS. In recent years, here in Warwickshire, we have lost much farmland to infra-structure, e.g. M40 and M42. We will lose more good farmland with the construction of the new HS2 rail line. The cumulative affect of this land loss has to be recognised, as does the District's good past record in house building.
In our own Council area we have two significant agricultural institutions. At Stoneleigh we have the National Agricultural Centre. At Warwickshire
College with its Centre at Moreton Morrell we have one of the finest agricultural teaching establishments in the country. What message would be sending out to these institutions if their very own local Council, or Planning Inspector, approved plans to concrete over large areas of prime agricultural land ?
CONCLUSION. In planning applications recently submitted it states;- " The need for this development proposal and the benefits of it outweighs the loss
of the agricultural land." To me, nothing could be further from the truth. I reject the statement, just as I reject the Local Plan, for all those reasons outlined above. Our farmland provides us with food security and never, never, must that be compromised.