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The Natural England-led project aims to restore Hoveton Great Broad and Hudson’s Bay to a clear water, wildlife-rich state by using natural restoration techniques.
The Environment Agency has launched a public consultation today (10 March) on a flood risk activity permit application from Natural England. This is required to allow the installation of the permeable fish barriers.
The project proposes to remove the majority of fish from the broad (a technique known as biomanipulation), which will allow water fleas to thrive. These water fleas would then feed on the algae, thereby cleaning the water.
The barriers would be in place for up to 10 years, preventing fish from entering the Broad while the ecology recovers. Once the barriers are removed, the fish will be able to access the restored broad once again.
An Environment Agency spokesperson said: “We are keen to hear from anyone who wants to have their say on this proposal before we make our decision.”
The application along with guidance and relevant documents can be viewed via the Environment Agency online consultation portal. To view and make your response please visit: https://consult.environment-agency.gov.uk/east-anglia-c-e/hoveton-great-broad-fra-permit
Comments can also be made via email: Enquiries_EastAnglia@environment-agency.gov.uk Or write to PSO Norfolk and Suffolk, Environment Agency, Iceni House, Cobham Road, Ipswich, IP3 9JD. Please quote the application number in any correspondence.
The application is also held on the public register. To request a copy of documents on the public register, which is free of charge, please phone the Environment Agency’s East Anglia Customer & Engagement team on 0203 0255472 or email Enquiries_EastAnglia@environment-agency.gov.uk
The consultation is open for 20 days from today (10th March). Responses must be received by the Environment Agency by midnight on 6th April 2021.
For Editors Background; This is a resubmitted application from Natural England. The original decision in July 2020 was withdrawn due to a procedural issue.
Business owners – many of whom have had to cease trading entirely during lockdown – are being given extra support after the government extended the ban on commercial evictions for a further 3 months, Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick announced today (10 March 2021).
The decision will help those worst affected by the pandemic, such as bars and restaurants, get back to business in May when doors fully reopen for hospitality no earlier than 17 May.
Residential tenants will also be supported as the ban on bailiff-enforced evictions in all but the most serious circumstances – such as incidents of fraud or domestic abuse – and the requirement for landlords to provide 6-month notice periods to tenants before they evict will also be extended until at least 31 May.
This will ensure residents in both the private and social sector can stay in their homes and have enough time to find alternative accommodation or support as we move through the roadmap.
With around 49% of hospitality workers and 36% of retail workers currently renting, the new measures will protect jobs as businesses reopen and many more renters can return to work.
Housing Secretary, Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP said:
It is right that as we move through the roadmap, we ensure that businesses and renters continue to be supported.
We have taken unprecedented action to support both commercial and residential tenants throughout the pandemic – with a £280 billion economic package to keep businesses running and people in jobs and able to meet their outgoings, such as rent.
These measures build on the government’s action to provide financial support as restrictions are lifted over the coming months – extending the furlough scheme, business rates holiday and the Universal Credit uplift.
Business Secretary, Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng MP said:
We’re doing everything we can to ensure businesses get the support they need to get through this pandemic and reopen when it is safe to do so.
I know business owners will welcome this latest package of support and the breathing space it will give them to prepare for a safe reopening, and, ultimately, to build back better.
Throughout the pandemic, the government has put in place an unprecedented £280 billion package to support businesses and keep people in work and able to meet their rent and other outgoings and the confirmed 6-month extension to the furlough scheme and Universal Credit uplift will continue to provide financial security for millions.
For those who require additional support, the government has made £180 million of funding for Discretionary Housing Payments available this year for councils to distribute to support renters with housing costs. The £1 billion increase in Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates – covering the lowest 30% of market rents – brings the total spend on supporting households to meet the cost of rent in the private and social rented sectors to almost £30 billion this financial year.
Ensuring that renters remain protected until the end of May, whilst national restrictions remain in place will align with the broader strategy for protecting public health and will continue to help reduce pressure on essential public services as we start to move out of lockdown. The government will consider the best approach to move away from emergency protections from the beginning of June, taking into account public health advice and the wider roadmap.
The government’s current position is to support commercial landlords and tenants to agree their own arrangements for paying or writing off rent debts by 30 June. This is supported by the code of conduct published by the government last year, setting out best practice for these negotiations. But, if these discussions do not happen and there remains a significant risk to jobs, the government is also prepared to take further steps.
We are therefore launching a call for evidence on commercial rents to help monitor the overall progress of negotiations between tenants and landlords. The call for evidence will also set out potential steps that government could take after 30 June, ranging from a phased withdrawal of current protections to legislative options targeted at those businesses most impacted by COVID-19. We would welcome a broad range of feedback to this call for evidence.
The government has made clear that any businesses that can pay all or any of their rent should do so.
The review of commercial landlord and tenant legislation will be launched later this year and will consider a broad range of issues including the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 Part II, different models of rent payment, and the impact of Coronavirus on the market.
The Ministry of Justice will also lay a Statutory Instrument to extend the restriction on the use of the Commercial Rent Arrears Recovery (CRAR) process by landlords. This measure will increase the total number of days’ outstanding rent required for CRAR to be used to 457 days’ between 25 March and 23 June, and 554 days’ between the 24 and 30 June. This measure will continue to provide protection to tenants of commercial leases with rent arrears accumulated during the coronavirus period, while protections from forfeiture for business tenancies are in place under the Coronavirus Act 2020.
For the residential sector, court arrangements and rules introduced in September have been extended to the end of July 2021 to ensure that the most serious cases, such as anti-social behaviour or fraud, are prioritised and landlords will be required to provide the courts with information on how the pandemic has impacted their tenants. For claims issued before 3 August 2020 the service of a reactivation notice has been extended to 30 April 2021.
A new free mediation pilot is also under way to support landlords and tenants to resolve disputes without a formal court hearing. This will help tenants at an early stage of the possession process, mitigating the risk of tenants losing their homes and helping to sustain tenancies where possible.
49% of hospitality workers and 36% of retail workers live in rented accommodation (Labour Force Survey, April 2020).
45% of landlords have just one rental property (English Private Landlord Survey 2018).
Ambassador Vásquez Gómez, Mr Chair, the United Kingdom would like to underline again our thanks to you and the Director-General, for enabling the Executive Council to convene in a safe way during the on-going pandemic.
Mr Chair,
Next week will mark the tenth anniversary of the start of the conflict in Syria. The United Kingdom deplores the use of chemical weapons which have been a devastating feature of the Syrian conflict. The recent UN Commission of Inquiry report documented 38 separate instances of the use of chemical weapons, of which 32 met its standard of proof for attribution to the Syrian regime. The UK calls on all States Parties to condemn the appalling chemical weapons attacks which have taken place in Syria.
The Syrian regime has repeatedly used chemical weapons against the Syrian people. Such acts can have no justification. Almost a year has passed since Syria was found to have used chemical weapons in three separate attacks in Ltamenah in 2017. In response, last July, the Executive Council clearly set out the steps required for Syria to come into compliance with the Convention. The Syrian regime has failed either to take the necessary steps, or to cooperate with the Council.
Syria’s blatant disregard for its obligations under the terms of Convention is a matter of grave concern for all States Parties. The Conference of States Parties must now address Syria’s breaches of international law. The United Kingdom commends the draft Decision text on next steps, tabled by France, and calls on all States Parties to support it.
Mr Chair,
It is appalling that we saw chemical weapons used again in 2020 when Alexey Navalny was poisoned with a nerve agent from the Novichok group in Russia. We thank the Director-General for publishing the correspondence between the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation and the Technical Secretariat regarding the technical assistance visit requested by Russia in accordance with Article VIII, paragraph 38(e) of the Convention. The United Kingdom benefited from such technical assistance visits in 2018, having swiftly and fully complied with the standard requirements to enable such visits to take place. It is deeply regrettable that the Russian Federation has apparently cancelled its request for technical assistance and has still to provide a coherent explanation of events.
Russia must account to this organisation for the use of a chemical weapon on its territory. There can be no impunity and those responsible must be held to account.
Mr Chair,
COVID-19 continues to bring real challenges to delivering the wider work of the OPCW, including capacity building activities and industry inspections. We recognise the adaptations that the Technical Secretariat has had to make and are pleased to see successful innovations in terms of delivering more training and other activities remotely. It is imperative that we take as many positives as we can from this experience and that the Technical Secretariat continues to adapt and evolve. The United Kingdom stands ready to support.
Mr Chair,
It is very encouraging to see that the budget for the Chem Tech Centre, to which the United Kingdom has contributed over £1 million, is now nearly fully funded. As current Chair of the Global Partnership we are very pleased that the membership has made such a significant contribution towards the costs of the project and we are keen to encourage further support for the OPCW from the Global Partnership.
With the transition to biennial budgeting now underway, the Chem Tech Centre project accelerating and planned destruction efforts close to fruition it is important that we look ahead. The United Kingdom is ready to work with all OPCW members and the Director-General to lay out a clear strategic vision for the future of the OPCW; and ensure a world truly free from the horrors of chemical weapons.
Thank you, Mr Chair.