Agenda item

BCP Council has a statutory duty to conserve and enhance biodiversity and has committed, in its Shared Vision 2024 – 2028, to create ‘vibrant places where people and nature flourish’.

Three council-owned sites have been identified where different land management approaches would increase the diversity of wildlife, create nature corridors and improve residents’ health and wellbeing by making natural areas more accessible to explore and enjoy. These are Erlin Farm, Millhams Mead and Solent Meads.

To avoid creating new pressure on the budget at a time of financial challenge across the council, this paper sets out a sustainable funding proposal and options for a mechanism to deliver this.

A previous Cabinet paper approved the principle of creating a mechanism to enable BCP Council to sell Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) units from council-owned land, either in-house or via an arms-length organisation. This paper focuses on the funding mechanism and outlines options with a recommended approach.

Since BNG became law in February 2024, approximately £187k worth of funding for nature (in the form of BNG unit purchases) has gone to other areas of England from development activity which has taken place in BCP Council’s Local Planning Authority (LPA) area. This means areas outside BCP are benefiting from improved biodiversity and the associated improved health and wellbeing impacts. The recommendations in this paper would establish a mechanism to ensure the benefits of the BNG planning policy would remain within Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

Where the current use of a site is proposed to change, a period of public and stakeholder engagement will be undertaken to ensure the best approach for nature and residents. This will come forward in a future report for a further decision.

None of the changes will involve building on these sites, this would fundamentally contradict the objective of creating more habitat and increasing biodiversity.

[PLEASE NOTE: Should Cabinet wish to discuss the detail of the confidential appendix at Appendix 7 the meeting will be required to move into Confidential (Exempt) Session].