Agenda item

This report sets out the opportunity available to BCP Council following the recent introduction of Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) planning policy, set out under the Environment Act 2021 and implemented through BCP Council’s forthcoming Local Plan.

BNG policy requires development sites to deliver a biodiversity net gain of at least 10%. This presents an opportunity to enhance BCP Council owned green spaces for people and wildlife, funded by a sustainable revenue stream and business model, established through the property developer market. Establishing a mechanism for selling offsite BNG units will also ensure the Council can meet its own BNG obligations that might arise to develop its own land.

Access to nature for people and local communities is essential to their health and wellbeing. Increasing investment in BCP’s natural environment will support peoples’ access to high-quality green space and help to mitigate against the local effects of global climate breakdown.

Creating a mechanism for financing nature could help deliver BCP Council’s environmental objectives, aligned with the Corporate Strategy, and enable equitable access to nature for our communities.

RESOLVED that Cabinet: -

(a)           approves the principle of creating a mechanism to enable BCP Council to sell BNG units from Council owned land (preferred option of the 3 options detailed in the cabinet report);

(b)           approves the use of up to £400,000, with a flexible drawdown arrangement, of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) to the Environment service to make biodiversity enhancements to Council-owned sites in advance of the sale of units; and

(c)           approves that this project ‘Financing Nature’ be brought back to Cabinet as soon as practical but within 9 months, with a detailed implementation plan.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Climate Response, Environment and Energy

Reason

The Financing Nature working group are exploring options for developing a mechanism to attract funding to enhance BCP Council’s green infrastructure for the benefit of people and nature. This exciting and innovative project, which is supported by several national organisations such as Natural England and the National Trust, would put BCP Council at the forefront of nature restoration in England. It would also support an efficient and impactful BNG policy in line with national requirements and the forthcoming BCP Local Plan.

The purpose is to ensure that development mitigation be directed to strategic sites for greatest benefit and, as the mitigation will be delivered in advance of impact, provide a cost-effective offer to developers to meet BNG obligations with maximum benefit for BCP Council. It also:

·       Provides an opportunity for BCP Council to direct the development of the emerging BNG market across the planning policy area.

·       Supports the delivery of BCP Council’s corporate strategy, the growth of the local green economy, and improved access to high-quality natural assets.

·       Supports the aims and principles of the adopted Green Infrastructure and Urban Forest strategies.

·       Serves as a proof of concept for a new mechanism that can sustainably fund the long-term creation, restoration, and management of habitats.

Doing nothing presents significant risk to BCP’s natural environment, ecosystems and communities and missed income for green space improvements. It also presents a significant risk for housing delivery in the region, especially affordable housing. This would mean that BCP’s green net would not deliver the benefits it has the potential to deliver for the people of BCP. Along with this, the condition of BCP’s green spaces would likely continue to erode and cause a greater maintenance and financial burden on already stretched services and revenue budgets. Additionally, it might also impact on the ability and cost associated with the Council seeking to develop its own sites, where it’s not possible to deliver onsite BNG.

The Portfolio Holder for Climate Response, Environment and Energy presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'E' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Cabinet was advised that the report sets out the opportunity available to BCP Council following the recent introduction of Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) planning policy, set out under the Environment Act 2021 and implemented through BCP Council’s forthcoming Local Plan.

Cabinet was informed that the BNG policy requires development sites to deliver a biodiversity net gain of at least 10%, and that this presents an opportunity to enhance BCP Council owned green spaces for people and wildlife, funded by a sustainable revenue stream and business model, established through the property developer market, and that establishing a mechanism for selling offsite BNG units will also ensure the Council can meet its own BNG obligations that might arise to develop its own land.

Further to this Cabinet was advised that access to nature for people and local communities is essential to their health and wellbeing, and that increasing investment in BCP’s natural environment will support peoples’ access to high-quality green space and help to mitigate against the local effects of global climate breakdown.

In relation to this Cabinet was informed that creating a mechanism for financing nature could help deliver BCP Council’s environmental objectives, aligned with the Corporate Strategy, and enable equitable access to nature for our communities.

RESOLVED that Cabinet: -

(a)           approves the principle of creating a mechanism to enable BCP Council to sell BNG units from Council owned land (preferred option of the 3 options detailed in the cabinet report);

(b)           approves the use of up to £400,000, with a flexible drawdown arrangement, of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) to the Environment service to make biodiversity enhancements to Council-owned sites in advance of the sale of units; and

(c)           approves that this project ‘Financing Nature’ be brought back to Cabinet as soon as practical but within 9 months, with a detailed implementation plan.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Climate Response, Environment and Energy

Reason

The Financing Nature working group are exploring options for developing a mechanism to attract funding to enhance BCP Council’s green infrastructure for the benefit of people and nature. This exciting and innovative project, which is supported by several national organisations such as Natural England and the National Trust, would put BCP Council at the forefront of nature restoration in England. It would also support an efficient and impactful BNG policy in line with national requirements and the forthcoming BCP Local Plan.

The purpose is to ensure that development mitigation be directed to strategic sites for greatest benefit and, as the mitigation will be delivered in advance of impact, provide a cost-effective offer to developers to meet BNG obligations with maximum benefit for BCP Council. It also:

·       Provides an opportunity for BCP Council to direct the development of the emerging BNG market across the planning policy area.

·       Supports the delivery of BCP Council’s corporate strategy, the growth of the local green economy, and improved access to high-quality natural assets.

·       Supports the aims and principles of the adopted Green Infrastructure and Urban Forest strategies.

·       Serves as a proof of concept for a new mechanism that can sustainably fund the long-term creation, restoration, and management of habitats.

Doing nothing presents significant risk to BCP’s natural environment, ecosystems and communities and missed income for green space improvements. It also presents a significant risk for housing delivery in the region, especially affordable housing. This would mean that BCP’s green net would not deliver the benefits it has the potential to deliver for the people of BCP. Along with this, the condition of BCP’s green spaces would likely continue to erode and cause a greater maintenance and financial burden on already stretched services and revenue budgets. Additionally, it might also impact on the ability and cost associated with the Council seeking to develop its own sites, where it’s not possible to deliver onsite BNG.