Regulation
To meet the NERC Act (2006) requirements, the main biodiversity aim of this strand is to ensure that the council considers biodiversity in exercising all of its statutory regulatory functions.
Context
The NERC Act in October 2006 cemented other commitments to biodiversity contained within a number of European and UK Government Law plus guidance documents. These include:
- The Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981)
- The Protection of Badgers Act (1992)
- The EC Habitats Directive
- The Countryside and Rights of Way Act (2000)
- Planning Policy Statement 9: Biodiversity and Geological Conservation (2005).
Examples
- Within the council’s Minerals, Waste and Development Control planning department, all applications must show how they will improve biodiversity.
- The Ecology Unit provides ecological advice for planning applications at district or borough level.
- The Ecology Unit provides ecological input into all key council strategies and Local Development Frameworks.
Best practice case study
Please contact the team for a copy of ‘Case Study 1: Planning and Biodiversity’