Being Norfolk born and bred, James is passionate about protecting our countryside, rivers, and coastal waters.
That means record investment and tougher penalties to protect chalk streams & coastal waters; working with the Environment Agency and others on improved flood defences and response; protecting wildlife and habitats; and backing our farmers.
Farmers and growers in North West Norfolk do a vital job in providing the nation with high-quality food while caring for our countryside. James takes great pride in supporting them, regularly speaking out against the family farm tax. James consistently opposes developments that threaten our best agricultural land, including large-scale solar, pylons and other inappropriate energy infrastructure.
Protecting Rivers
England is home to 85% of the world's chalk streams and North West Norfolk is blessed with a number that we have a special responsibility to protect and enhance including the Nar, Burn, Heacham, Ingol, Babingley, and Gaywood. James has campaigned to protect chalk streams and through the Environment Act 2021, he backed a record £56 billion investment by water companies into making improvements, tough fines and unlimited financial penalties. By working with the Environment Agency and others, James has supported action which has led to improved water quality at Heacham and Hunstanton
Food security
By boosting our food security, including having more resilient supply chains we can reduce our reliance on food from overseas, create jobs, grow the economy, and protect against future shocks. The first step in protecting domestic food security is ensuring farms and farmers can get on and be supported with their invaluable work. The Labour Government’s lack of understanding of rural life is evident in their approach to the Family Farm Tax, which James strongly opposes and has repeatedly campaigned against through his work in Parliament and the constituency.
While supporting renewable energy, some proposals threaten both our food security and rural landscape. Rather than covering 6,700 acres of productive farmland with solar panels, it is essential to prioritise other sites-such as lower-quality land or rooftops to ensure valuable agricultural land is protected
Pylons and grid projects
Under the proposals, 90 miles of a new, high-voltage electricity transmission line would be constructed along with new substations, including at Walpole, near to the existing substation. It would consist of a 50-metre-high pylon every 300 metres or so. As in other areas, the default for National Grid has been to rule out offshore or underground options without proper consideration, despite the fact that pursuing them would lessen the visual impact, the environmental effect and disruption to communities.
The National Grid's plan for the Eastern Green Link 3 and Eastern Green Link 4 will see a new substation and two new converter stations. These plans will cause significant of harm to local residents, farmland and the landscape. It is essential Walpole B substation and converter stations relocated to a more suitable site, at a greater distance from existing homes, in order to reduce the impact on the community and environment.
James has been opposing these projects and calling for mitigations to reduce the impact if the schemes are given consent.
