Regional & local planning policy

Regional Spatial Strategies, Local Development Frameworks and local planning documents include policies relating to biodiversity and nature conservation. These generally reflect and build on the planning policy guidance provided by central government. Typical policies make reference to:

protecting designated sites and other areas of importance for biodiversity conservation;
safeguarding protected species and UK priority species and local biodiversity action plans;
promoting mitigation to reduce harm to sites, habitats and species of importance to biodiversity conservation and providing compensation for those unavoidably lost as a result of development; and
retaining, creating and enhancing of features of importance for biodiversity conservation where appropriate.

Specific policies should be available for all areas of the UK and these should be consulted for local guidance.

Regional Spatial Plans are expected to be quashed once the Localism Bill becomes full legislation in November 2011. However, until that time, it is understood that they are still a material consideration in the planning process.