Planning

Unlike rural Britain, the key influence on London’s nature is planning and regeneration. Huge areas of natural greenspace have been lost to the development of London since the 19th century. Despite successful campaigns to save some iconic sites, such as Wimbledon Common and Epping Forest, the continual loss of wildlife habitats through development in the 1960s and ‘70s made it imperative to put in place plans and policies to protect nature, not only for its intrinsic interest but also the benefit of people.

The key frameworks are national planning policy (currently the Town & Country Planning Act 1990, and the Planning & Compulsory Purchase Act 2004) and their articulations through Unitary Development Plans (UDPs), and more recently Local Development Frameworks (LDFs).

National planning policy for biodiversity is largely articulated through Planning Policy Statement 9 (Biodiversity and Geological Conservation), 2005, which strongly recognises the need for the protection of wildlife in urban areas, and sets out means to incorporate biodiversity in development through its advisory document. Other relevant policy includes: PPS1 (Delivering sustainable development) 2001; PPG2 (Green Belt) 1992; PPS3 (Housing) 2010; PPG17 (Open Space, Sport and Recreation) 2003; PPS25 (Development and flood risk) 2010, and Tree Preservation Orders.

LDFs and (UDPs) identify sites for the protection of biodiversity (local wildlife sites, or SINCs), policies for their protection, and if they see fit additional guidance for specific issues, such as green infrastructure, through Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs). Overlaying these LDFs in London is The London Plan 2011, the regional spatial strategy for London.

Planning decisions need to take account of UDP/LDF policies and national guidance – and can be a difficult process for planning officers to balance a number of often conflicting needs and demands. In addition, confusion over the value of wildlife on a site hasn’t been helped by planning language, for example the presumed benefits of greenfield sites compared to brownfields. Ensuring that decisions robustly recognise policies for biodiversity requires vigilance.

The planning process is currently in a period of flux with the Government’s intention of reducing the amount of planning policy with its draft National Planning Policy Framework. It is too early to say how this will relate to the oversight of wildlife site protection at a London borough level, and the intentions of The London Plan.

Planning

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