Yesterday I called on the Government to cut red tape on new ponds.
Will and Tanya at Porsham Farm above Tamerton Foliot are great advocates for new ponds. As they explained to me, ponds protect from flooding, build up the water table and provide vital freshwater habitats for up to two thirds of all freshwater species.
However, many farmers chose not to build new ponds because of unneccessary planning restrictions. New clause 30 of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill would put an end to this, allowing for ponds up to 0.2 hectares (a third of a football pitch) to be built without the need for planning permission.
