Agenda item

The Natural Environment Team Leader presented this report, which invited the Committee to recommend the proposed interim approach of guiding principles for siting biodiversity net gain for developments within the District to Cabinet. It was noted that all planning permissions agreed by local authorities would have to deliver 10% biodiversity net gain from November 2023. The interim guidance was expected to be used before this date. Further guidance on this was expected in November 2023 from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

Delivering Biodiversity Net Gain outside the planning area

Councillor Tumi Hawkins, Lead Cabinet Member for Planning, thanked the Natural Environment Team Leader and his team for their work on this. She hoped that the biodiversity offsetting would take place in the same area as the development but she warned that this could be difficult, especially with the smaller developments. The Natural Environment Team Leader explained that in cases where the bio-diversity enhancements were taking place outside the planning area, the aim would be to ensure that area enhanced was of a similar habitat to the area being developed. If this proved impossible then the bio-diversity net gain would have to be delivered locally and managed by a non-commercial organisation like a parish council or community group. A national credit system where the developer could purchase “credit” from the Government was the last and least attractive option. The Built and Natural Environment Manager added that given the size of the District and the number of developments taking place all the options were likely to be used at some point. The Natural Environment Team Leader assured the Committee that the establishment of strategic sites was preferable to identifying sites outside the development area or the developer purchasing credits.

Chalk streams

The Natural Environment Team Leader agreed that chalk streams were vital habitats that had to be managed carefully but they it was difficult to enhance their biodiversity.

DEFRA’s regulations and criteria

The Natural Environment Team Leader explained that the guidelines provided by DEFRA necessitated careful consideration and a holistic approach when considering the use of brownfield sites and land that had become contaminated for biodiversity net gain. He added that the Council had already responded to a consultation on biodiversity net gain regulations from DEFRA. It was noted that all sites would need to be assessed using the DEFRA criteria to establish the baseline data of the area before development. This was essential in calculating the percentage biodiversity net gain.

Locating sites

The Chair recommended that officers liaise with parish councils and community groups to inform them of the forthcoming legislation and invite them to identify areas that could benefit from biodiversity net gains. The Built and Natural Environment Manager explained that the Council would work with local groups to identify sites that could be enhanced but these would not always be in the same area as the development. It was agreed that site visits should be organised for members to areas that could be enhanced.

Doubling nature

It was noted that delivering on the Council’s biodiversity net gain target would assist the authority in achieving its doubling nature target. The Chair suggested that this issue could be discussed at the forthcoming forward plan workshop. The Natural Environment Team Leader explained that improving habitats would contribute to achieving the doubling nature target. It was noted that training would be offered to councillors and planning colleagues on biodiversity net gain.

The Natural Environment Team Leader explained that the planning process will ensure that green infrastructure will be built through conditions on planning applications and the biodiversity net gain approach will complement the process.

The Chair thanked officers for including the aspirational target of 20% biodiversity net gain. The Chair stated that the Council had to manage expectations and recognise how difficult it will be to meet the biodiversity net gain targets on many of the smaller sites. She recommended that areas of connectivity needed to be set up before development made such connections impossible. This would involve connecting biodiversity net gain projects on small pieces of land.

The Committee recommended that Cabinet agree the biodiversity net gain report.