Part 9: Miscellaneous
Section 99: Natural beauty in the countryside
230.This section makes clear that the mere fact that land is used for agriculture, woodlands, as a park or its flora, fauna or physiographical features have been derived, in part, from human intervention in the landscape, does not prevent it from being regarded as land within an area of “natural beauty”. References to places of “natural beauty” are to be found in a range of enactments (not just the core enactments dealing with the establishment and maintenance of National Parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty). This clarification allows a broader view to be taken of the meaning of “natural beauty” than was taken in the Meyrick case mentioned above.
Section 100: Byelaws relating to land drainage
231.The existing byelaw making powers in Schedule 25 to the Water Resources Act 1991 and section 66 of the Land Drainage Act 1991 do not integrate environmental issues into the byelaw decision-making process. This section amends the two enactments to do so.
Section 101: Abolition of certain agricultural etc. committees
232.Paragraphs (a) to (c) of this section abolish three redundant hill farming advisory committees that have operated under section 32 of the Hill Farming Act 1946 in the various parts of the United Kingdom. Paragraphs (d) and (e) abolish various consumer and investigation committees that were originally set up under section 19 of the Agricultural Marketing Act 1958 and a related Northern Ireland Order and have not been in operation for several years.