WSGA Plan to Grow Conference

Gary Taylor MBE, FICHort 18th November 2015

Issues Covered

• Farming from yesteryear• Growers of the Lea Valley (a condensed history)• The NPPF and FEZs• The local plan• The challenges of a planning application• Collaboration is key• The work of the LVFTF• Summaries and conclusions

Too many hats but which one to wear

Horticulture and Farming of Yesteryear

The Lea Valley Growers aHundred Years of History

One of the most Important Horticultural,Glasshouse & Protected Crop area within the UK

The growers of the Lea Valley a condensed history

• First Glasshouse in 1877 in Cheshunt• A days horse and cart ride from London (12 miles to central London)• Good Soil and Water Supply• 1911 LVGA formed (Local branch of the NFU for horticulture) • 1913 Cheshunt Research station formed• 1930 Represented 25% of the nations produce• 1940 the glass covered an area of 1,000 acre• 1950 1,200 acres 6,000 workers representing 33% of the glass in the UK and the largest in the world

The growers of the Lea Valley a condensed history• Two crops dominated, tomatoes and cucumbers • Production of Food crops compulsory during World Wars in the

Lea Valley (Tomatoes & Cucumbers) • Today 300 acres producing more than 1,200 acres.

The arrival of the Sicilians in the Lea Valley

The changing CropsCrops/Years 1951 1962 2012

Cucumbers 200 300 273

Tomatoes 700 200 20

Roses 100 100 0

Carnations 60 100 2

Aubergines 0 0 5

Sweet Peppers 0 0 50

Today’s Lea Valley

• Protected Horticulture receives little or no Government funding

• £1bn farm gate, £3bn Retail value to the UK economy

• 2,000 jobs in the Epping Forest District (2.5% of total jobs)

• 75% of the UK’s Cucumbers (80 Million ) 2 million cucumbers from London Nurseries

• 50% of the UK’s Sweet Peppers (70 Million)

• 90% sold through the retailers 10% London’s Wholesale & Farmers Markets

The need to increase self sufficiency

Planning to GROW

…….or is it going to

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Planning to Grow…..

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…….. plan well

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Policy paper

National Planning Policy FrameworkFrom:

Department for Communities and Local GovernmentFirst published:

27 March 2012Part of:

Planning systemApplies to:

EnglandThe National Planning Policy Framework sets out government's planning policies for England and how these are expected to be applied

Document National Planning Policy FrameworkRef: ISBN 9781409834137 PDF, 870KB, 65 pages

News story

Food Enterprise Zones created to drive growthFrom:

Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and The Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss MP First published:

12 February 2015Last updated:

19 February 2015, see all updates Part of:

Food and farming industry

This news article was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Food Enterprise Zones

The Food Enterprise Zones already allocated •Somerset•South Downs•Cornwall•Cumbria•Lincolnshire (3 FEZs)•Worcestershire•Leicestershire •Cheshire•West Sussex

There has been a disconnect with the local plan

• Why does the local plan often top trump the national policy There is a clear steer that gives added weight to food production even in the green belt…. for once I didn’t mind being called a farmer. • FEZs (Food enterprise Zones) This should be the ultimate top trump • Raising the planning issues on various levels Local level joined up across all local councils (workshop) Government level in the house of commons Collaboration between NFU local, national

The Challenges of a planning application

• The Cost (Budget 100K actual 1 million +) Application (not significant but still a cost) Securing a good planning specialist (RPS) Archaeological considerations Ecological considerations (Greater Crested Newt) Flood mitigation Natural England• Where were the obvious grower focused ones Sustainability Green solutions energy, water, labour utilisation Landscaping (integrating a 8 meter high glasshouse on a 2 meter bank.) Levelling the land (moving 150.000 m3) Why buy a 15 acre lake, the rational

Collaboration is key• LVFTF (Lea Valley Food Task Force) 8 Local councils, growers, Epping College, local and county councillors, LVPRA trust, Essex University DWP, NFU local, regional, national, Produced in Kent, Capel Manor, University of East Anglia, GLA • LVRPA (Lee Valley Regional Park Authority) Mission statement….. Just say NO ??

• Valley Grown Nurseries Planning Application Two applications, two appeals eventually a successful application… then came the bombshell….. a judicial review Two representative government bodies using public money

The work of the LVFTF

• Visibility, positioning, delivery.• Planning policy consistent across local councils • Zonal coherent joined up approach• Skills, developing qualifications for careers progression• Employment bridge, reflecting local communities• Institute for food security new partnerships for innovation• Horticultural strategy, clear vision for horticulture

In conclusion

• The future is bright ….. The future is green ish • The nation needs it …… customers want it• Unlocking the potential for the coalition of the willing• Clear in what we need to do……. Make our contribution visible• Be clear what we can bring• Develop new opportunities for delivery

• Don’t forget the EU and the LEPS

Thank you for your attention