The BMC has published its first Landscape Charter which sets out our role and responsibility in campaigning to protect landscapes from developments that may damage their character and detract from their recreational and amenity value.
In a nutshell it expresses our broad interests in landscape issues, recognises that there are various threats to the landscapes our members’ value and sets out a framework for dealing with threats on a case by case basis through the local area structure but with greater support and information from the BMC national access team.
Examples of possible issues raised may be: large wind turbine developments in mountainous areas where the membership feels this will detract from the climbing and walking experience; the development of fracking and potash mines where the membership feels it will have a detrimental impact on the special quaities of the area; or recreational developments such as zip wires where members feel that these have a big impact on the quality of the landscape and other users.
The key thing is the charter does not prescribe whether the BMC is for or against a certain development or activity but more gives BMC members information about how to go about voicing their concerns through their local BMC area. The charter sets out a framework to ensure members and local groups will have all the tools and information necessary to make representations on developments in their area that pose the greatest impact on our wild areas.
The BMC will be producing a series of informative guidance notes on specific topics, starting with: energy and its infrastructure, minerals and quarrying, and recreational development.
How to raise an issue
Go along to your
local BMC area meeting and raise the issue there. If the majority of people at the meeting want to take it forward, the BMC will enable your local area to take action directly. We want to encourage more people to get involved in area meetings, raise issues and work effectively as a local group.
Alternatively you can leave details of planning applications and issues of concern on a dedicated area of the
BMC community website.
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