Report & Comment

2025 saw the hottest summer on record: drought conditions, reduced harvest yields to their lowest for 5 years, winter feed stock already being fed to supplement for hungry livestock short of pasture, and since then we have had record-breaking rainfall followed by widespread and devastating flooding of farmland. With the knock-on effect toward even greater food inflation and a UK Government policy apparently tilting against farming and business communities in both the Treasury and DEFRA. Furthermore, neither seem to be aware of how essential British Agriculture’s role is in National Food Security, landscape management, nature recovery, productivity and profitability: all necessary for delivering a thriving rural economy. So a difficult starting point to identifying what sustainable farming is – often

The Local Plan which was the over-arching policy planning framework from 2016 to 2030 is now (Spring 2026) considered ‘not in date’ since it does not provide for the required number of new housing in Cornwall. As such, Conservation measures fall more heavily on Internationally and Nationally recognised statutory bodies. Protection of Designated Sites: Planning policy provides a high level of protection to internationally and nationally important sites, including: Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty: AONBs in Cornwall have the same level of protection as National Parks and in fact they are now to be known as National Landscapes. Planning decisions within these areas must “conserve and enhance” their natural beauty and character, with a strong presumption against major development. Protected

The Government’s English Devolution Bill is currently at the Report stage in the House of Lords. Since the white paper was published in December 2024 there has been ongoing fiscal devolution including two new Mayoral Strategic Authorities and two new foundation strategic authorities including Devon and Torbay. Plymouth City Council has already unilaterally voted for a ‘Devonwall’ strategic authority to meet Government criteria of a population of 1.5 million to ensure additional powers and funding; and while the previous Conservative Cornwall Council rejected this, the new Liberal Democrat/Independent Council have written to Government asking for Cornwall to be recognised as the UK’s fifth nation. Government is keen on strategic authorities of two or more local authorities coming together, based on