PPS 9 AND THE NEED FOR UP TO DATE PPS 9 AND THE NEED FOR UP TO DATE BIODIVERSITY INFORMATIONBIODIVERSITY INFORMATION

Swedish Environmental Protection Agency

OUTLINE FOR TODAY

• What Biodiversity Information Is Required For:

• The evidence base in LDFs

• Planning applications

• Well-informed planning decisions

• Annual monitoring reports and biodiversity indicators

• Ecological Networks and Opportunities for Enhancement in LDFs

• Development Control – Good Practice for Biodiversity

KEY DOCUMENTS TODAY

PPS 9 Information

Circular 06/05 ‘Legal Circular’

PPS 9 Good Practice Guide

Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981

Habitat Regulations 1994

Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000

Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006

PAS 2010 Planning to halt the loss of biodiversity

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

….. A BRIEF REMINDER

KEY PRINCIPLES FROM PPS 9

Information - A Good Evidence Base

Maintain and Enhance

Strategic Approach to Wider Environment

Permit Biodiversity Enhancing Development

Explore Reasonable Alternatives And Avoid Impacts

Mitigate and Compensate

Promote Benefits And Gains

KEY TOPICS FROM PPS 9

International sites

National sites

Regional and local sites

Ancient woodland

Networks of habitat

Previously developed land

Biodiversity within developments

Protected species

STATUTORY OBLIGATIONS

Legal Circular

PPS 9 Good Practice Guide

Cornwall Case !

NERC ACT 2006

NERC DUTY S. 40

“Every pubic body must in exercising its functions, have regard, so far as is consistent with the proper exercise of those functions, to the purpose of conserving biodiversity”

“Conserving biodiversity includes restoration or enhancing species and habitats”

What information is required for:

THE EVIDENCE BASE IN LDFS

KEY PRINCIPLES FROM PPS 9

Information- A Good Evidence Base

Maintain and Enhance

Strategic Approach to Wider Environment

Permit Biodiversity Enhancing Development

Explore Reasonable Alternatives And Avoid Impacts

Mitigate and Compensate

Promote Benefits And Gains

Biodiversity and Geological Conservation:

A Guide To Good Practice

ODPM/DCLG2006

A Guide To Good Practice

Key Elements of an Evidence Base

Page 4

• The broad bio-geographical, geological and geomorphological character of the area;

Key natural systems and processes within the area, including fluvial and coastal;

The location and extent of internationally, nationally and locally designated sites;

The distribution of UKBAP priority habitats and species as well as areas of irreplaceable natural habitat, such as ancient woodland or limestone pavement;

Habitats where specific land management practices are required for their conservation;

Main landscape features which, due to their linear or continuous nature, are important for the migration, dispersal and genetic exchanges of plants and animals, including any potential for new habitat corridors to link any isolated sites that hold nature conservation value, and therefore improve species dispersal;

Areas with potential for habitat enhancement or restoration, including those necessary to help biodiversity adapt to climate change or which could assist with the habitats shifts and species migrations arising from climate change;

An audit of green space within built areas and where new development is proposed;

Information on the presence of protected and priority species and areas where these are likely to occur;

Information on the biodiversity and geodiversity value of previously developed sites and the opportunities for incorporating this in developments; and

Areas of geological value which would benefit from enhancement and management.

Barn owl in old barn

Bat roost in old building used in winter

Floodplain grazing marsh

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Badger sett in old railwayembankment

Farm pond silted – with low numbers of great crested newts

Hedgerows removed in 1970s Canalised watercourse

Neglected unimproved neutral grassland meadow

Lesser Horseshoe Maternity Roost in mine

Neglected species rich edgerows

Small colony of Marsh Fritillary butterflies

Ancient woodland with neglected coppice (no public access

Neglected unimproved wet grassland meadow

Species rich medieval hedges

Biodiversity Evidence Base for Hobbiton

Old Apple Orchard

Low numbers of dormice in hedges

Cleared conifer plantation

Biogegraphical Character ?

Key Natural Systems ?

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Biodiversity of Previously ValueDeveloped Land ?

Audit of Urban Green Space ?

Location and Extent of Designated Sites

Habitats of Principal Importance

Protected Species

Species of Principal Importance

Areas of Irreplaceable Habitat ?

Areas With Potential For Enhancement ?

Ecological Networks ?

Breaking News !!!!

PINS rejects Core Strategies because of their

poor evidence base

What information is required for:

PLANNING APPLICATIONS

Hobbiton Housing Association: new housing development

Gold ring fabrication plant

New Dwarf recreational facilities

New Public Orc Space

New light commuter rail link to Mordor

Development Proposals Promoted by Orc Holdings PLC

New Elf clinic

Parking and stabling for the nine riders

New Black Arts College

Sufficient Information To Make A Decision

STANDARDISED APPLICATION FORMS

1App Standard Application Forms

Question for ‘Biodiversity and Geodiversity’ + Brief guidance

Update of GDPO 2007 - In force from April 2007- Roll out Autumn 2006 ?

Validation Checklists - National Requirements

- Local Requirements

ALGE/DEFRA/English Nature (DCLG) Validation Template

What information is required for:

WELL-INFORMED PLANNING DECISIONS

PAS 2010

A Code of Practice ?

Figure 1 Responsibilities

Table 2 Responsibilities and Tasks

A Critical Element For DC !

PRE-DECISION ASSESSMENT

e.g. the bit done by officers

What information is required for:

ANNUAL MONITORING REPORTS

Annual Monitoring Report

“In terms of policy implementation, authorities will need to develop robust monitoring systems. This will include:

 • Assessing progress in terms of spatial objectives, policies,

targets and milestones, and pace of progress;

• Indicators to monitor actual progress. These should be objectives led.

• Using trajectories (trends) to demonstrate past and likely future performance.

Annual Monitoring Report

“LPAs should seek to integrate their approach to monitoring and survey with other local initiatives”.

i.e. BARS – Biodiversity Action Reporting System

CRITIAL LINK !

The link between:

• Validation Checklist

• Required Information on Applications

• Annual Monitoring Reports

Ecological NetworksAnd

Opportunities ForEnhancements In LDFs

Biodiversity Expressed Spatially

Mapable Areas For

Protection, Enhancement And Restoration

Of Biodiversity

Networks of Natural Habitats

PPS 9 Paragraph 12 states:

“Local authorities should aim to maintain networks by avoiding or repairing the fragmentation and isolation of natural habitats through policies in plans.

Such networks should be protected from development, and, where possible, strengthened by or integrated within it.

This may be done as a wider strategy for the protection and extension of open space and access routes …”

Green Infrastructure

Discussion Paper: Green Infrastructure in the South West. South West Regional Assembly and English Nature (2005)

Definition:

Green Infrastructure (GI) is a strategic network of accessible multifunctional sites (including parks, woodland, informal open spaces, nature reserves and historic sites) as well as linkages (such as river corridors and floodplains, wildlife corridors and greenways). These contribute to people’s well-being, and together comprise a coherent managed resource responsive to evolving conditions.

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Developer contributions ?

• Habitat and species surveys

• Land acquisition/provision

• Capital works- Habitat creation- Habitat restoration- Mitigation and Compensation

• Conservation management

• Provision of public access & enjoyment

• Biodiversity monitoring

Regulation 37Habitat Regulations

Management of landscape features of major importance for wildlife

Stepping Stones and Linear Features

Use Conditions and Obligations

Areas For Enhancement At The Regional Scale

Habitat Opportunity Maps

Development Control and the

Guide To Good Practice

GPG and Development Control;

Applying the principles of PPS9

Pre-application information gathering

Development control checklists

Ecological surveys

Surveys and EIA

Species surveys

Consultation

Conditions and obligations

Monitoring and enforcement

Avoiding, mitigating and compensating for harm

Building in biodiversity

Further design guidance for biodiversity