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Day 1 Seminar_Environment Workshop presentation_FINAL_web.pptx
- 1. PAS at 20- Navigating the Future of Planning Services Nature and Planning, What’s Next? 27 February 2025
- 2. Interaction 1. Workshop session 2.Bringing members along: • Top 3 ways to engage • Top 3 ways to alienate PHOTO CREDIT: R Murtagh TVNP Conference 2019
- 3. • Lots ofchange ! • Policy evolution oDevolution oBNG has landed oFinal LNRS on way oLand Use Framework consultation • Lots of 'noise' on this change • Sitting alongside all the other change • ‘Local authorities in the middle’ Nature and Planning Context
- 4. Deep dive –planning reform • Development and Nature Recovery policy paper • New win-win for development and nature • Framework for more strategic approaches, rather than project-specific obligations • Moving responsibility to the state, rather than developers • Changes implemented in PIB • Modifications to Habs Regs and W&CA • Timing of first 'delivery plans' in line with Royal Assent
- 5. Delivery Bodies & NatureRestoration Fund • Suitable public delivery body appointed • Scope - NN, protected species, recreational disturbance, air quality for planning applications, including NSIPs • Approach modular – ‘turning’ on issue, delivery plan prepared • Issue based, rather than place based • Delivery plan is signed off by SoS and monitored • Approach to pool individual contributions centrally in ‘nature restoration fund’ • Delivery bodies powers for compulsory purchase and planning conditions
- 6. One part ofthe whole picture • Root causes addressed through Environment Improvement Plan review (separate to the delivery plans) • Not expected to change mandatory BNG • Expected to still need HRA at planning application stage, but if impacts covered by delivery plan, no further action • Not mandatory so bespoke approaches still possible • No duplication of Diffuse Water Pollution Plans, Protected Site Strategies, LNRS • Different spatial scales for delivery of each strategy and different lead organisations. • Future system supported by EOR
- 7. Discussion DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT LOCALPLAN • How will this help with the status quo for decision making? • Could this support delivery of your local plan? • Help deliver housing targets? • Help support evidence base? • Will this need less local resource? • Does this help strategic planning for the environment? • Will this support developers and housing delivery? • What will your communities and Councillors think? • Can you foresee any complications?
- 8. How do webest frame this to bring councillors along? Draft framework for webinar 1. Context - how does nature fit with: • Growth and jobs • Health • Communities • Climate emergency/net zero • Council business plan, corporate strategy, environment strategy 2. Into the detail, e.g. BNG • What are the challenges and opportunities? • What can members do? • “This is what I can do as portfolio holder…” 3. Write down an action to take away. • Would you like to join a network? • Series of events for an engaged set of members Addressing the nature emergency webinar for councillors, 2 April
- 9. Key takeaways 1. Bringingmembers along: • Top 3 ways to engage • Top 3 ways to alienate 2. What will you take away from this session? 3. What is the one key thing to implement when you get back?
- 10. • SPARE SLIDESFOLLOW
- 11. What will thismean for DM? • Avoiding assessing impacts at site level – more streamlined, like GC newts • No local payments – all into central pot • Less local expertise needed? Less resource needed? • Quicker decisions • Avoid legal challenges for individual planning decisions • But - ‘It may be necessary for a development to be subject to environmental assessment for other impacts not covered by a Delivery Plan’ • Will this be exceptional in your area? • Approach assumes some planning conditions apply eg water efficiency. • Will this help secure conditions? • What if developers don’t meet the conditions set? • What if they want to do bespoke mitigation?
- 12. What will thismean for Local Plans? • Should help address emerging issues – provide the solution (through the delivery plan) alongside identifying the problem. • The onus is not on the local authority to resolve the issue alone. Help drive timely action in partnership? • Will this make the collation of evidence base easier? Make HRA and sustainability appraisal more straightforward. Help assess cumulative and 'in-combination' impacts. • Provide the evidence to clarify where development is an absolute 'no' and where it is a 'yes' with conditions: help with assessing and identifying site allocations? • How will this connect with environmental outcome reports at project level? • Will this help deliver the housing needed in the right places? Can this help secure strategic mitigation at local plan stage? • Could be different delivery bodies for different issues – how will this work?
- 13. What will thismean for current approaches? Some local authorities have strategic mitigation approaches in place. • Delivering projects, setting fees and charges • Directing type and location of projects • New approach will turn to another delivery body • Lose local control and direction of projects? • Possibly less join up with local initiatives? • What if your local authority has invested in projects – possible financial risk?
Editor's Notes
- #2 Introduction to session, the role of PAS and what we are asking for from delegates from session.
- #3 Introduction to session, the role of PAS and what we are asking for from delegates from session.
- #4 Overview of PAS programmes and how we help LPA officers. Remind them that we want to know how we can help?
- #5 The focus of this workshop is the recent planning reform working paper on development and nature recovery. I’m going to start with an overview of the policy change that’s coming forward in this wider environmental space. Because none of this change in sits in isolation for officers working in planning. And, there is lots going on! As well as policy evolution, we’ve got Devolution with the formation of strategic authorities -nature and climate role – linked to net zero and energy and LNRS. Biodiversity Net Gain has landed and many LPA planning departments are still grappling with this. Local Nature Recovery Strategies are nearing completion – you will have either been involved as a responsible authority or supporting authorities. Now, planning guidance released to inform decision making. We also have a Land Use Framework consultation running currently. ‘Noise' - Developers are feeling the pressure of additional costs, consultants are sensing change to processes, a new nature market has been emerging but this may be subject to change. Many of these groups have competing drivers that play into the narrative. Sitting alongside wider planning reform. There is the new NPPF and focus on meeting decision times, changing / often increasing housing targets, new legislation with the Planning & Infrastructure Bill, and local government reorganisation... Local authorities in the middle – decision making timescales, growth, nature recovery, resource constraints, financial risks
- #6 Today we are taking a deep dive into the Development and Nature Recovery policy paper Published 15 December 2024, consultation until last week New approach to how housing and infrastructure development can meet its environmental obligations and contribute to nature recovery. Rather than it being one or the other, development or nature. This is a new approach deliver a better outcome for both. Similar to GCN More strategic approaches rather than project specific obligations. By tacking the approach more strategically, this will lead to better outcomes, better value for money and more efficiencies to help with housing delivery. The delivery plan is assessing the impact at a strategic scale, ideally with the state rather than developers doing the evidence and mitigation project identification upfront, rather than developers doing site specific calculations. The changes will be coming forward in the Planning Infrastructure Bill and will in turn need separate changes to other legislation, and may need other regulations.
- #7 It will allow a suitable public delivery body to be appointed for a particular issue. Scope - NN, protected species, recreational disturbance, air quality for planning applications, including NSIPs Natural England muted as organisation for nutrient neutrality The approach is modular – turning on for a particular environmental issue and delivery plan prepared. Developers will pay to have their development impact charged by a central pot and strategic delivery of mitigation Issue based, rather than place based Delivery plan is signed off by SoS and monitored Approach to pool individual contributions centrally in ‘nature restoration fund’ Fee set in public schedule and paid directly – prevent time and resource at planning application stage. Fund delivery bodies to deliver the strategic interventions Delivery bodies have powers to secure outcomes through compulsory purchase and planning conditions
- #8 How does it fit together with wider pressures facing protected sites? Root causes of issue addressed through Environmental Improvement Plan review (separate to the delivery plans) Not expected to change mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain – assessed at planning application stage by local authorities Not to duplicate work set out in Diffuse Water Pollution Plans, Protected Sites Strategies, Local Nature Recovery Strategies, but should sit alongside them and support them Future system supported by Environmental Outcomes Reports Worth noting there will be different spatial scales for the delivery plans and the wider strategies that already exist (DWPP, WRMP, LNRS) and new ones (PSS). Also different stat agencies and local gov as lead. Devolution will also add another dimension for responsibilities. Any questions of clarification on paper?