Policies

Energy

It is felt by many that National Parks in the 21st century should be exemplars of sustainable development and living and should support innovative solutions to public transport, low carbon lifestyles and the generation of renewable energy.

In some respects Dartmoor would seem ideally suited to renewable energy. Although not noted for its abundant sunshine, high rainfall, an abundance of small rivers, an elevated landscape and westerly winds are all promising resources. Hydro schemes are widespread and have been in use since the early part of the last century. Indeed, the largest hydro generation plant in the South West is located near Mary Tavy.

But some methods of harnessing renewable enerygy have a significant and detrimental effect on the landscape. Modern wind turbines and their associated infrastructure are built to a scale that dwarfs all other aspects of the landscape and these structures have no place on the open moor and in the surrounding countryside that forms the setting of Dartmoor. In recent years the DPA has been involved in opposing proposals to establish commercial wind farms on the periphery of the National Park.

There is a pressing need to replace fossil fuels with alternative energy sources. But this needs to be done without damaging our environment or trashing our beautiful countryside. Onshore wind generation, together with its associated infrastructure, carries a substantial tariff in damaging the rural environment without the ability to provide consistent baseload power to the grid.

Although we will continue to oppose commercial wind farm proposals, we do not object to micro generation facilities provided by small turbines that can be sensitively sited within the landscape.

For an excellent and dispassionate assessment of the UK energy requirements and ways in which they may be met in future read Professor David McKay's views on the Without the Hot Air website. (opens in new window)

 

Minerals & Quarrying

 

Dartmoor has a rich mineral heritage. Evidence of tin working on the moor dates from earliest times and the extraction of clay has been an important activity since the mediaeval period. Around the edges of Dartmoor, the metamorphic auroele has provided the resources for a variety of historic mining enterprises. But these days, Dartmoor is primarily valued for its wonderful landscape qualities to which mineral exploitation is an unhappy bedfellow. Fortunately, the deposits within the area of the National Park are not commercially viable but occasionally the large scale expansion of minerals workings in the twentieth century has threatened to encroach on its fringes.

 

The DPA is opposed to large scale minerals exploitation within the National Park. It's incompatible with National Park designation.  In the last 50 years this has led us to oppose moves by minerals companies to extend workings within, or on the periphery of, the National Park.  Through our efforts, and others like us, minerals companies have changed their minds about the extent to which they should exploit their permissions and this led to a notable achievement when Imerys and Watts Bearne Blake decided to give up their china clay permissions that lay within the National Park boundary.

The DPA has also opposed certain types of quarrying operations in the past. Notably, we opposed the re-opening of Ryecroft quarry in the Teign Valley because we felt that the industrial activity would be damaging to the rural environment and there were no strong mitigating economic factors in play. We would oppose similar proposals in future unless it can be shown that they are needed to meet a very local need for a distinctive type of building stone and the impact on the landscape is minimal.

Planning & Land Use

Major developments within the National Park are inconsistent with the principle of preservation or indeed the purpose of having landscape designation.  Even some relatively modest development proposals can be damaging to, for example, open moorland or the heart of an historic settlement.  We therefore support the strict control of development through the National Park Authority's development management processes and will object to development proposals that we consider to be detrimental to the landscape or heritage of Dartmoor.    

We accept that the residents of the National Park have legitimate needs and aspirations which can only be met through development.  Therefore we will not oppose proposals which will meet genuine local needs or satisfy reasonable aspirations without prejudicing the purposes of National Park designation.  Examples of such developments might be : a small number of homes provided in a village and controlled specifically to meet an identified local need; the conversion or provision of a building to provide a village shop; an extension to a dwelling to enable a growing family to continue living in their home village.

We believe that it is important to participate in the statutory planning system at all levels and not simply when a controversial development is proposed.  Therefore we get involved in all consultations by the National Park Authority in respect of the formulation, examination and approval of statutory polices and related documents and, through liaison with the Campaign for National Parks, we contribute to consultations by the Government in respect of proposed national planning policies which have an impact on the management of the National Parks.

 

Policies of the Association

We are often asked what the DPA stands for. In response to this we collated a list of policies dealing with some of the main issues on Dartmoor. Our policies are subject to frequent review and amendment where appropriate. We encourage members to comment on policies.

Policies are discussed and formulated at regular meetings of the Executive Committee. We are an active organisation in respect of relevant consultations. In particular we contribute to the formulation of the Management Plan for Dartmoor National Park and to the various planning consultation processes.

1. The DPA supports the right of public access to all Common Land on Dartmoor, to all Rights of Way and to all land that has a traditional de facto usage of openness.

2. The DPA supports the listing of non in-bye land under the CROW Act, including newtakes and rough grazing, whilst remaining sensitive to areas of Dartmoor where habitat conditions would require a regime of limited or no access.

3. The DPA is opposed to fencing on Dartmoor where none exists before hand, unless there is an overriding need, which cannot be met by alternative means. In the case of dry stone walls the DPA supports traditional rebuilding with stone where necessary, and is opposed the use of post and rail or post and wire fencing.

4. The DPA supports the protection of all ancient monuments, listed or otherwise, and seeks the preservation of all such artefacts and buildings found on Dartmoor

5. The DPA is strong in its support of the varied habitats found on Dartmoor and seeks, wherever they are threatened, to find the means to provide the necessary protection.

6. The DPA recognises the invasive nature of bracken to natural heather moorland, rough grassland and historic monuments and is intent on pursuing ways and means of assisting users of the moor to bring bracken under control

7. The DPA is opposed to the extension of china clay quarrying on Dartmoor, whether it be for mining or the disposal of waste products.

8. The DPA is opposed to military live firing on Dartmoor.

9. The DPA holds the view that military training on Dartmoor is inconsistent with its status as a national park

10. The DPA supports traditional extensive hill farming on Dartmoor and small scale local traditional industries.

11. The DPA is opposed to the reopening of lapsed quarrying activities, unless they are supported by the local community and serve a genuine local need.

12. The DPA is opposed to the disfiguration of the moorland landscape by television masts, mobile telephone masts and wind farms. Small scale wind generators serving a single farm or hamlet will be judged on the merit of the planning application.

13. The DPA will examine planning applications for developments within the NP and oppose those it considers detrimental to Dartmoor.

14. The DPA is opposed to housing developments in moorland villages that are not specifically aimed at satisfying local needs.

15. The DPA supports the return to natural broad-leafed woodlands or to open moorland of those forests created as soft wood cash crops and is opposed to further development of soft wood forests.

16. The DPA recognises the importance of the Dartmoor Pony to the landscape and supports those schemes which are in keeping with good husbandry and will ensure the survival of a healthy pony stock

17. The DPA accepts that swaling is good Dartmoor practice and encourages its use within the guidelines laid down by the Commoners Council and the DNPA.

18. The DPA will practice good management on all of its own properties, demonstrating that traditional farming, habitat protection and biodiversity can co-exist with public access.

19. The DPA is opposed to any recreational activity that causes damage to the fabric, flora or fauna of the moor.

20. The DPA will purchase land, subject to the availability of liquid assets, if there are good and justifiable reasons for so doing.

21. The DPA will produce a budget for the coming year by the October meeting of the current year.

22. The DPA opposes all applications for commercial wind farms, situated on Dartmoor or in the surrounding area. The DPA will work with all like-minded organisations towards this end. The DPA will consider supporting applications for small scale wind power schemes, provided that they are sensitively sited and meet the needs of individual buildings or small communities.