Cost of burying power lines over-estimated

The difference in cost between underground and overground electricity lines is much narrower than previous National Grid estimates

Permit breaches cost waste firm £22k

An illegal scrapyard above an aquifer in Pembrokeshire risked contaminating water supplies

Permit breaches cost aggregates firm £46k

Hastings magistrates have fined a Kent company for multiple landfill permit breaches

Gamekeeper loses appeal against conviction for wildlife offences

Derby crown court dismisses defence case and upholds integrity of RSPB officers

Skip firm fined for waste offences

Breaches of waste regulations and the Environmental Protection Act have cost a company over £24,000

Plans to trim land-use data 'almost unbelievable'

The communities department wants to stop publishing regional statistics and scale back data on land-use change

Landowner and contractor fined for illegal water works

Perth sheriff court has levied fines totalling £9,900 for illegal works on the river Tay

Trio sentenced for pesticide offences

A former gamekeeper has been handed 100 hours of community service for poisoning four buzzards

Scotland publishes land-use action plan

The Scottish government has explained how it will meet the aims of its land-use strategy.

Another offshore wind turbine manufacturing site set for Humberside

A planning application for a new port and 11 wind turbine manufacturing plants has been submitted. Areas of the Humber estuary would need to be reclaimed

Aquifer diverts high-speed rail

The proposed HS2 rail link route has been changed to reduce environmental damage. The changes have also lowered the expected costs.

HS2 rail rolls on despite growing opposition

The government has announced plans to steam ahead with a new high-speed rail line, which will have major environmental consequences

MPs say draft NPPF needs serious revision

The government’s controversial draft National Planning Policy Framework has been strongly criticised by another select committee.

Comment: Seeing off the behemoths

Not one, but two, gargantuan transport projects lurched forward in January. These may address issues of UK competitiveness and capacity constraint, but does human progress, prosperity and happiness demand that everyone travels ever faster and further?

Consultation on extending nitrate rules across England and Wales

Nitrate vulnerable zones that currently limit fertiliser and manure spreading on farms in parts of England and Wales could be extended to the entire country.

Quick links to key documents and reports

• 3 February 2012

  Government response to House of Lords subcommittee report on Innovation in EU Agriculture

• 1 February 2012

  Welsh government report on better farming regulation

• 1 February 2012

  Scottish government: Analysis of responses to the consultation on non-domestic elements of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Scotland) Order 1992

• 1 February 2012

  DEFRA Natural Environment White Paper implementation update