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Planning and the ecological and Nature Recovery Networks
Planning and the ecological network
The National Planning and Policy Framework (NPFF) places requirements on local planning authorities to plan for nature through the NPFF; mandates local planning authorities to plan strategically for nature, identifying and mapping ecological networks in order to deliver the protection, enhancement and maintenance of biodiversity.
Ecological networks are the basic, joined up infrastructure of existing and future habitat needed to allow populations of species and habitats to survive in fluctuating conditions. As a short-term benefit, a landscape that species can move through easily allows re-colonisation of areas after disturbance events, preventing local extinctions. Ecological networks are fragments of what was once a much larger network, and every effort should be made to maintain what remains in line with national and locally adopted policy.
Planning and the Nature Recovery Network
In 2018 the government published ‘A Green Future: Our 25 Year Plan to Improve the Environment’ which committed to developing a national and local Nature Recovery Networks, and Local Nature Recovery Strategies.
The Environment Bill is currently passing through Parliament, but when passed in legislation will make it a statutory obligation for all Local Planning Authorities to have a Local Nature Recovery Plan based on the mapped Nature Recovery Network. Currently the bill only states that statutory authorities should ‘have regard’ to local nature recovery strategies so through Greener UK the Wildlife Trusts are pushing for strengthening of this duty to ‘acting in accordance’.
Well developed Nature Recovery strategies will be critical in addressing the ecological and climate change emergencies we face. The Nature Recovery Network will not only build on the ecological network approach to identify and target actions that connect, restore and create wildlife-rich habitats, but will also provide a mechanism for the targeting of new and emerging funding mechanisms such as ELMS and Biodiversity Net Gain.
Defra have funded the piloting of five NRN pilot areas in Buckinghamshire, Cornwall, Cumbria, Manchester and Northumberland. The aims of these pilots have been to test the end to end process for delivery of local Nature Recovery Strategies, to produce porotype LNRS and to test how LNRS sit within the local context and in particular local spatial frameworks.
Somerset’s Nature Recovery Network and Local Nature Recovery Strategy is emerging at the moment, led by Somerset Wildlife Trust through the Somerset Local Nature Partnership with all Districts and Council Councils, who have a legal obligation to produce these.