This Council recognises that:
- we are facing an ecological emergency as well as a climate emergency;
- the challenge to balance economic growth with measures to protect and enhance nature has never been more urgent, given the unprecedented investment in infrastructure in the district alongside the increasing decline in biodiversity;
- opportunities are available through the planning system for improving nature by embedding the “environmental net gain” principle into development, including housing and infrastructure, in order to deliver environmental improvements;
- the conservation and enhancement of the natural environment play a pivotal role in our economy and wellbeing, providing wide-ranging benefits such as clean water and air, food, timber, carbon capture, flood protection and recreation.
Therefore, this Council aims to double the area of rich wildlife habitats, tree cover and accessible green space in order for nature and people to thrive, and businesses to prosper. In order to do so, the Council will:
- Ensure the delivery of biodiversity and environmental enhancements through our planning policy and development control functions by providing high-level guidance to support existing biodiversity policies as part of the Greater Cambridge Sustainable Design and Construction SPD and more detailed guidance for developers through the forthcoming Greater Cambridge Biodiversity SPD.
- Enable the development of a mandatory biodiversity net gain policy for South Cambridgeshire and Cambridge through the new Joint Greater Cambridge Local Plan, ensuring that this is a core principle for all future development across the Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service.
- Identifying areas for tree planting for carbon sequestration, flood management, air quality improvement and other environmental services.
- Adopt the Developing Nature Toolkit and direct developers to use the toolkit to assist them in demonstrating a net gain in biodiversity, to be used from the very outset of planning new developments, and ideally at the time of selecting sites to acquire for development.
- Collaborate with our communities, Parish Councils and schools to encourage the planting of trees and the management of wildflower verges alongside roads.
- Continue to support Natural Cambridgeshire, the Local Nature Partnership (LNP), to deliver the Doubling Nature Vision for ‘Cambridgeshire to be an exemplar for the landscape scale restoration of the natural environment’.
Decision:
Council AGREED the following motion:
This Council recognises that:
- we are facing an ecological emergency as well as a climate emergency;
- the challenge to balance economic growth with measures to protect and enhance nature has never been more urgent, given the unprecedented investment in infrastructure in the district alongside the increasing decline in biodiversity;
- opportunities are available through the planning system for improving nature by embedding the “environmental net gain” principle into development, including housing and infrastructure, in order to deliver environmental improvements;
- the conservation and enhancement of the natural environment play a pivotal role in our economy and wellbeing, providing wide-ranging benefits such as clean water and air, food, timber, carbon capture, flood protection and recreation.
Therefore, this Council aims to double the area of rich wildlife habitats, tree cover and accessible green space in order for nature and people to thrive, and businesses to prosper. In order to do so, the Council will:
- Ensure the delivery of biodiversity and environmental enhancements through our planning policy and development control functions by providing high-level guidance to support existing biodiversity policies as part of the Greater Cambridge Sustainable Design and Construction SPD and more detailed guidance for developers through the forthcoming Greater Cambridge Biodiversity SPD.
- Enable the development of a mandatory biodiversity net gain policy for South Cambridgeshire and Cambridge through the new Joint Greater Cambridge Local Plan, ensuring that this is a core principle for all future development across the Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service.
- Identifying areas for tree planting for carbon sequestration, flood management, air quality improvement and other environmental services.
- Adopt the Developing Nature Toolkit and direct developers to use the toolkit to assist them in demonstrating a net gain in biodiversity, to be used from the very outset of planning new developments, and ideally at the time of selecting sites to acquire for development.
- Collaborate with our communities, Parish Councils and schools to encourage the planting of trees and the management of wildflower verges alongside roads.
- Continue to support Natural Cambridgeshire, the Local Nature Partnership (LNP), to deliver the Doubling Nature Vision for ‘Cambridgeshire to be an exemplar for the landscape scale restoration of the natural environment’.
Minutes:
Councillor Pippa Heylings had submitted a motion, as set out in the agenda.
The Chairman moved that, in order to enable the full implications of the motion to be investigated, it be referred to the Cabinet in accordance with Standing Order 13 (d).
The motion was not seconded.
Accordingly, Councillor Pippa Heylings moved the following motion as set out in the agenda:
“This Council recognises that:
- we are facing an ecological emergency as well as a climate emergency;
- the challenge to balance economic growth with measures to protect and enhance nature has never been more urgent, given the unprecedented investment in infrastructure in the district alongside the increasing decline in biodiversity;
- opportunities are available through the planning system for improving nature by embedding the “environmental net gain” principle into development, including housing and infrastructure, in order to deliver environmental improvements;
- the conservation and enhancement of the natural environment play a pivotal role in our economy and wellbeing, providing wide-ranging benefits such as clean water and air, food, timber, carbon capture, flood protection and recreation.
Therefore, this Council aims to double the area of rich wildlife habitats, tree cover and accessible green space in order for nature and people to thrive, and businesses to prosper. In order to do so, the Council will:
- Ensure the delivery of biodiversity and environmental enhancements through our planning policy and development control functions by providing high-level guidance to support existing biodiversity policies as part of the Greater Cambridge Sustainable Design and Construction SPD and more detailed guidance for developers through the forthcoming Greater Cambridge Biodiversity SPD.
- Enable the development of a mandatory biodiversity net gain policy for South Cambridgeshire and Cambridge through the new Joint Greater Cambridge Local Plan, ensuring that this is a core principle for all future development across the Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service.
- Identify areas for tree planting for carbon sequestration, flood management, air quality improvement and other environmental services.
- Adopt the Developing Nature Toolkit and direct developers to use the toolkit to assist them in demonstrating a net gain in biodiversity, to be used from the very outset of planning new developments, and ideally at the time of selecting sites to acquire for development.
- Collaborate with our communities, Parish Councils and schools to encourage the planting of trees and the management of wildflower verges alongside roads.
- Continue to support Natural Cambridgeshire, the Local Nature Partnership (LNP), to deliver the Doubling Nature Vision for ‘Cambridgeshire to be an exemplar for the landscape scale restoration of the natural environment.”
In moving her motion, Councillor Heylings commented that the planet was facing both a climate and an ecological emergency. She referred to a study that had indicated an unprecedented decline in species and to a recently published habitat mapping exercise which had had indicated that Cambridge and Peterborough was one of the poorest areas in the UK for biodiversity, tree cover and habitat and that South Cambridgeshire had the lowest amount of area under management for nature. Councillor Heylings contended that it had never been more important to balance economic growth with the enhancement and protection of nature. She reported that the Histon and Impington Youth Eco Council had attended the Climate Change and Environment Advisory Committee and had shared their concerns regarding climate change and environmental protection. Councillor Heylings proposed that the Council should use the planning system to protect and enhance nature by embedding bio diversity net gain into the next Joint Local Plan. In terms of the implications in the motion, Councillor Heylings noted that she had spoken with officers who had confirmed that all the proposed policies were feasible and were already under consideration.
Councillor Bridget Smith, the Leader of the Council, seconded the motion, expressing the view that the Council was leading the way on environmental initiatives and that her appointment as political lead for environment on the Ox-Cam project was a reflection of the Council’s environmental ambition and leadership. She referred to the threats presented by climate change and to the need for the Council to continue to show leadership as promoted through the motion now presented.
During discussion upon the motion:-
· Councillor Deborah Roberts argued that the environmental protection aspirations as promoted by the motion were incompatible with the extent of development facing South Cambridgeshire and Cambridge. She also believed that the motion was not consistent with the earlier decision on the motion on transport construction projects and felt that the Council should be challenging further development in the District if it was serious about environmental protection.
· Councillor Nick Wright, spoke in support of the motion but noted that a lot of the countryside in South Cambridgeshire was given over to agriculture which might explain the earlier reference to poor tree cover in the District. Whilst there was a need for tree planting as part of new developments, there was also a need for food production and the importance of agriculture in the District should be acknowledged.
· Councillor Dr. Tumi Hawkins reported that officers were already working on the “Developing Nature Toolkit” as part of the Sustainable Design and Construction SPD. She noted the earlier comments about the conflict in balancing the extent of new development with the environmental aspirations but felt that there was scope to manage growth in a positive way. Cllr Dr. Hawkins also referred to a workshop held with developers who had engaged positively on discussions around environmental and biodiversity aspirations and potential future requirements.
· Councillor Dr. Aidan Van de Weyer noted that the aspirations in the motion were consistent with similar proposals already adopted by Cambridge City Council, with which the Council was preparing the Joint Greater Cambridge Local Plan.
· Councillor Peter Topping commented that the motion would be helpful to any parishes developing neighbourhood plans if they wished to include aspirations around sustainability.
· Councillor Tom Bygott spoke in support of the motion noting that everyone had a vested interest in protecting the environment.
· Councillor Philippa Hart disagreed with the views expressed by Councillor Deborah Roberts and made a comment with regard to her apparent role in opposing an application in the Foxton ward. Councillor Hart argued that there was a need to balance competing interests and welcomed the opportunity to drive forward biodiversity and environmental enhancements as proposed in the motion. She also felt that it was important that the farming industry was challenged to review its biodiversity practices.
· Councillor Heather Williams commented that she would have liked to have seen consistency in terms of the treatment of this motion and the previous motion on the agenda. She felt that it was important that everyone recognised their role as custodians of the planet.
· Councillor Steve Hunt did not agree that there was a conflict with the decision taken on the earlier motion and explained his reasoning.
· Councillor Brian Milnes challenged the notion that economic growth and biodiversity gains were incompatible and cited the Huawei development in his ward as a positive example of where land not needed for the business would be used to include biodiversity gain.
· Councillor Deborah Roberts responded to comments made with reference to her earlier in the discussion and strongly disputed the nature of those comments.
Exercising her right to reply at the end of the debate, Councillor Pippa Heylings welcomed the cross party support for her motion and argued that adopting the aspiration to double the area of wildlife habitats, tree cover and accessible green space would be a tangible way of moving biodiversity up the planning agenda.
Upon being put to the vote, votes on the motion were cast as follows:
In favour (37):
Councillors Henry Batchelor, John Batchelor, Dr. Shrobona Bhattacharya, Anna Bradnam, Tom Bygott, Grenville Chamberlain, Sarah Cheung Johnson, Gavin Clayton, Graham Cone, Dr. Claire Daunton, Dr. Douglas de Lacey, Clare Delderfield, Sue Ellington, Peter Fane, Neil Gough, Bill Handley, Philippa Hart, Geoff Harvey, Dr. Tumi Hawkins, Pippa Heylings, Mark Howell, Steve Hunt, Alex Malyon, Tony Mason, Brian Milnes, Judith Rippeth, Nick Sample, Bridget Smith, Hazel Smith, Dr. Ian Sollom, Peter Topping, Dr. Aidan Van de Weyer, Bunty Waters, Heather Williams, John Williams, Eileen Wilson and Nick Wright.
Against (0)
Abstain (1)
Councillor Deborah Roberts.
The Chairman declared the motion to be carried.
RESOLVED:
This Council recognises that:
- we are facing an ecological emergency as well as a climate emergency;
- the challenge to balance economic growth with measures to protect and enhance nature has never been more urgent, given the unprecedented investment in infrastructure in the district alongside the increasing decline in biodiversity;
- opportunities are available through the planning system for improving nature by embedding the “environmental net gain” principle into development, including housing and infrastructure, in order to deliver environmental improvements;
- the conservation and enhancement of the natural environment play a pivotal role in our economy and wellbeing, providing wide-ranging benefits such as clean water and air, food, timber, carbon capture, flood protection and recreation.
Therefore, this Council aims to double the area of rich wildlife habitats, tree cover and accessible green space in order for nature and people to thrive, and businesses to prosper. In order to do so, the Council will:
- Ensure the delivery of biodiversity and environmental enhancements through our planning policy and development control functions by providing high-level guidance to support existing biodiversity policies as part of the Greater Cambridge Sustainable Design and Construction SPD and more detailed guidance for developers through the forthcoming Greater Cambridge Biodiversity SPD.
- Enable the development of a mandatory biodiversity net gain policy for South Cambridgeshire and Cambridge through the new Joint Greater Cambridge Local Plan, ensuring that this is a core principle for all future development across the Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service.
- Identifying areas for tree planting for carbon sequestration, flood management, air quality improvement and other environmental services.
- Adopt the Developing Nature Toolkit and direct developers to use the toolkit to assist them in demonstrating a net gain in biodiversity, to be used from the very outset of planning new developments, and ideally at the time of selecting sites to acquire for development.
- Collaborate with our communities, Parish Councils and schools to encourage the planting of trees and the management of wildflower verges alongside roads.
- Continue to support Natural Cambridgeshire, the Local Nature Partnership (LNP), to deliver the Doubling Nature Vision for ‘Cambridgeshire to be an exemplar for the landscape scale restoration of the natural environment.