| Join
any forums that deal with the environment, ecology, or open spaces. These will
probably be in some way facilitated by your council and, importantly, may feed
into their decision making process. Get
on your council's list for receiving a register of new planning applications.
Become
familiar with the Government's Planning Circulars,
Planning Policy Guidance (PPG) - being gradually replaced
with Planning Policy Statements (PPS), Mineral Planning
Guidance (MPG) - being gradually replaced by Minerals
Policy Statements (MPS), and Regional Planning Guidance
(RPG) - to be replaced by Regional Spatial Strategy
(RSS). The most important of these for nature conservation
are Circular 06/05 and Planning Policy Statement 9
(PPS9), both titled "Biodiversity & Geological Conservation".
These circulars, guidance notes and statements are
available for purchase from The
Stationery Office (formerly HMSO) and may also
be read and downloaded electronically without charge
on the "Planning"
section of the website of the Department for
Communities & Local Government.
Many
local councils are now in the process of reviewing their development plans in
light of changing Government guidance and new legislation. If, when looking over
your Council's development plan, you see 'gaps', and/or opportunities for improving
policies or site designations, you should ask the Council's Forward Planning Office
to be included in the development plan review process - this process will differ
from one Council to another. Seek
general training in planning issues from Planning Aid, the Campaign
to Protect Rural England, and others (see "Useful contacts and references"
below). Want
to know more? Then
click on: | 
