Biodiversity & Countryside Management Interest Group
15-Jul-10
 |
'Achieving realistic and reportable targets for biodiversity in development' |
This Group is open to members of either the Environmental Planning and Protection Network or the Rural Planning Network.
Latest Update: 15 July 2010 click here
Current Events
Click here for current events of interest to Group members
Group Database
For a copy of the Group member database for July 2010 please contact the Network Manager
Discussion Forum
Access the Network's Discussion Forum here
Hints on how to use the Discussion Forum
Our Task Groups
- Green Infrastructure: To develop a research synthesis to bring together case studies and research work on green infrastructure
- Landscape Scale Approach: To organise a workshop on ‘Landscape scale approach’
Contact epp@rtpi.org.uk to find out more information or how to get involved.
Group Action Plan 2010
View the Biodiversity & Countryside Management Group's Action Plan (reviewed July 2010). If you have any ideas for activities, events or projects please contact the Network Manager.
Think Pieces
Planning to live with Climate Change
The Group's Climate Change Champion is Stephen Isaac. Read the Group's webpage on climate change
Research and Reports
New State of the Countryside 2010: Commission for Rural Communities
New Protected Landscapes The North West CPD event on Protected Landscapes, held at The Midland in Morecambe on 9th June, was a great success. Group Leader David Alexander, and Paul Tiplady, have provided a summary of issues discussed within the four workshops.
New Hedgelink visit to Normandy. A report from Hedgelink (The UK Hedgerow Habitat Action Plan Group), to learn lessons and exchange information about hedges and orchards, their management, opportunities and threats.
Group Projects
Standard method for collating information about changes to biodiversity as a result of development
The Biodiversity and Countryside Management Interest Group is currently leading on a joint project of the Network and the Green Building Council to develop a proposed standard method for collating information about changes to biodiversity as a result of development.
Developers currently submit data on biodiversity change as the result of development at the point of applying for planning permission for a project. The group have identified that this data is often presented in a very detailed but inconsistent format to the Local Planning Authority.
The overall aims of the project are:
- To produce a biodiversity summary document (and guidance) as suitable for use Local Planning Authorities and developers.
- Agree and organise dissemination of these documents to appropriate recipients and via appropriate organisations.
- Produce a short report that covers associated issues such as data; national, regional and local plans and policies; guidance.
In addition to these key aims there are two secondary/inspirational aims:
- Modify the biodiversity summary document to enable it to go directly Local Record Centres.
- A pilot of the proposed system using the summary document.
Biodiversity in the planning system
The Network has helped Natural England look into how biodiversity is being covered in the planning system. They asked member the following:
Within the last 5 years are you aware of any of the following at a district/county/unitary authority level (please give specific details if you can):
- Losses as a result of development, particularly of Local Wildlife Sites, habitats of principal importance, protected species and UKBAP priority species?
- Biodiversity gains – these can range from habitat restoration or enhancement through to small features incorporated within developments such as bat boxes.
- Does the Local Development Framework for your district/unitary authority (or Minerals & Waste LDF for counties) include any policies that promote biodiversity gain?
- Are you aware of planning obligations being used to secure gains for biodiversity?
- Do you have any comments on what might be blocking biodiversity gain through the planning process?
Improving Biodiversity Communication Between Developers And Planners - RTPI and Green Building Council Consultation
The Group has been working to take forward the recommendations of the UK GBC Biodiversity Task Group report published in March of this year with regard to making changes that will improve the communication of needs between developers and Local Planning Authorities when considering biodiversity. These changes should additionally help authorities to report change to biodiversity as a result of their activities (i.e. planning consents).
The Group has produced a ‘Biodiversity and Development summary of change form’ on which we are currently inviting comments. It is important to set this document and its proposed use in context.
The summary form is designed to facilitate Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) in fulfilling their duty to report annually on biodiversity change as a result of their function in issuing planning consents.
The summary form is completed by the consultant ecologist during the process of compiling the ecological report and is then submitted along with the report and the planning application. It is not intended that the amount of survey effort required is increased or that any other changes are made to the normal practices of the ecologist in carrying out their desk studies, field work or report writing. The summary form should act purely as a repository for a summary of information that is contained in the report as it relates to Biodiversity Action Plan habitats and species.
An A4 explanatory sheet will accompany the summary form to clear any ambiguities and supply definitions. The information contained will include:
- The intended use of the form and its limitations.
- Definitions for some terms used.
- Clarification that no additional work required.
- The intended use of the proposed, actual and implemented columns.
- The use of the information contained in the summary form and permissions from the client.
Although this form was designed primarily for use by planning officers or their colleagues in reporting annually on biodiversity change as a result of planning consents, a secondary desired outcome is to assist in the facilitation of the release of biodiversity data to Local Record Centres (LRCs) and thence on the National Biodiversity Network (NBN). To that end, modifications have been made to the form to streamline this process. However, it is recognised that to maximise the benefits to the LRCs it will be necessary to include key information for each habitat or species record. Whilst this is not within the remit of the summary document it is anticipated that a spreadsheet that lists these key parameters can be appended to the summary form. The design and detail of this spreadsheet is beyond the scope of this exercise. However, it is anticipated that the design of this will be developed by partners as part of a pilot project.
The summary document and pilot project associated with it are based on the planning system in England. However, once sufficient progress has been made, it will be reviewed by the RTPI policy sections for Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales with a view to adapting it to make it applicable for all countries of the UK.
Comments were invited on:
1. Clarity and accessibility for all using.
2. Likelihood of use.
3. Usefulness for the required purpose.
And any other suggestions or recommendations for further amendments. View the draft form here
The deadline for comments is now closed. More information on this project will be updated on this page soon.
Joining the Group
All new members joining the Environmental Planning and Protection Network now join one or more of the Network's Interest Groups. But if you are a longstanding member of the EPP Network and haven't yet joined any of the Groups, or if you are a member of the Rural Planning Network and would like to join this Group, then please email the Network Manager to register your interest.
Back to Rural Planning Network homepage
- Author:
- Trish Cookson
- Publisher:
- The Royal Town Planning Institute
- Date:
- 15-Jul-10
This article has been read 1977 times.
