Lesley Griffiths AS/MS
Gweinidog yr Amgylchedd, Ynni a Materion Gwledig Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs Bae Caerdydd • Cardiff Bay Caerdydd • Cardiff CF99 1SN Canolfan Cyswllt Cyntaf / First Point of Contact Centre: 0300 0604400 Gohebiaeth
.Lesley.Griffiths@llyw.cymru
Correspondence.
Lesley.Griffiths@gov.wales
Rydym yn croesawu derbyn gohebiaeth yn Gymraeg. Byddwn yn ateb gohebiaeth a dderbynnir yn Gymraeg yn Gymraeg ac ni fydd gohebu yn Gymraeg yn arwain at oedi. We welcome receiving correspondence in Welsh. Any correspondence received in Welsh will be answered in Welsh and corresponding in Welsh will not lead to a delay in responding. Ein
cyf/Our ref LG/01462/20 Mark Isherwood MS
Mark.isherwood@assembly.wales 29 June 2020
Dear Mark Thank you for your letter of 8 June, regarding potential pollution issues to our rivers. The Welsh Government’s commitment to address pollution from agricultural practices and the decline in biodiversity requires decisive action before it is too late. I published draft regulations on 8 April with measures to tackle the unacceptable level of pollution from agriculture in Wales. Clean water and a healthy environment are essential for life in Wales and tackling pollution from agriculture is a priority. Insufficient slurry storage is one of the largest causes of agricultural pollution which continues to have a detrimental impact on waterbodies across Wales. Measures to protect the environment are clearly necessary. The proposed regulations represent a significant increase in the management of agricultural practices across Wales which reflect the seriousness of the present situation. The draft regulations are for information only at this time and any decision on the implementation of regulatory measures to address agricultural pollution will be delayed until after the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The draft regulations and an explanatory note have been published on the Welsh Government’s website here. The Welsh Government recognises a strong rural economy is essential to support sustainable and vibrant rural communities. The establishment of new enterprises and the expansion of existing business is crucial to the growth and stability of rural areas. Planning Policy Wales recognises, however, care should be exercised when considering intensive livestock developments when these are proposed in close proximity to sensitive land uses. In particular, the cumulative impacts (including noise and air pollution) resulting from similar developments in the same area should be taken into account. The establishment of the Town and Country Planning Intensive Agriculture Working Group is intended to look at how the challenge can be met. The Group has been looking at what evidence is needed to plan for intensive agriculture development. The work will help develop a draft Technical Advice Note (TAN) for public consultation as soon as possible, which will address the level of information applicants will need to provide to support planning applications. The TAN will help to inform planning decisions benefiting both the industry and local communities. Meanwhile, you may be interested in a consultation being undertaken by NRW which is specifically examining their guidance for carrying out Ammonia and Nitrogen assessments for farm developments require an Environmental Permit or Planning Permission (NRW Guidance Note GN 020). The consultation documents can be found at https://naturalresources.wales/guidance-and-advice/environmental-topics/consultations/ourown-consultations/changes-to-guidance-for-assessing-the-impact-of-ammonia-andnitrogen-from-agricultural-developments/?lang=en The consultation closes on 31st August 2020 and I would encourage you and your constituents to make your views known. Regards Lesley Griffiths AS/MS Gweinidog yr Amgylchedd, Ynni a Materion Gwledig Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs