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Biodiversity survey and report

Where a proposed development may have possible impacts on wildlife and biodiversity, information should be provided on existing biodiversity interests and possible impacts on them to allow full consideration of those impacts. Where proposals are being made for mitigation and/or compensation measures information to support those proposals will be needed. Where appropriate, accompanying plans should indicate any significant wildlife habitats or features and the location of habitats of any species protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, the Conservation (Natural Habitats etc) Regulations 1994 or the Protection of Badgers Act 1992.

Applications for development in the countryside that will affect areas designated for their biodiversity interests are likely to need to include assessments of impacts and proposals for long term maintenance and management. This information might form part of an Environmental Statement, where one is necessary.

Certain proposals which include work such as the demolition of older buildings or roof spaces, removal of trees, scrub, hedgerows or alterations to water courses may affect protected species and will need to provide information on them, any potential impacts for them and any mitigation proposals for such impacts.

Government planning policies for biodiversity are set out in Planning Policy Statement 9: Biodiversity and Geological Conservation (PPS9) (August 2005)

PPS9 is accompanied by a Government Circular: Biodiversity and Geological Conservation – Statutory obligations and their impact within the planning system (ODPM Circular 06/2005, Defra Circular 01/2005 and Planning for Biodiversity and Geological Conservation: A Guide to Good Practice.

Material produced by other organisations may also provide a useful reference resource for local planning authorities when developing local lists.

The British Standards Institute has produced a Publicly Available Standard, PAS 2010:2006 ‘Planning to halt the loss of Biodiversity’ which takes the form of recommendations on standard procedures for taking account of biodiversity in the planning process, and the Association of Local Government Ecologists has developed a good practice template (available at http://www.alge.org.uk ) which gives detailed validation requirements for biodiversity and geological conservation. Local authorities may draw on this material when preparing their own local validation requirements.