Preferred Options November 2021

Object

Representation ID: 840

Received: 13/12/2021

Respondent: Staffordshire Wildlife Trust

The Secretary of State has granted development consent for the West Midlands Interchange, and the area includes green infrastructure. The project, however, has not been assessed in terms of biodiversity net gain, which will be mandatory for all sites including major infrastructure projects. We would recommend that before allocation, it should be determined whether the proposals would provide a 10% net gain, and whether any additional provisions may be required alongside the allocation to achieve this.

Object

Representation ID: 844

Received: 13/12/2021

Respondent: Staffordshire Wildlife Trust

We welcome the policies on protecting and enhancing the natural environment, including biodiversity net gain and following the mitigation hierarchy . However, further steps are needed to ensure the plan complies with the Environment Bill and plans positively for nature’s recovery. Further content on biodiversity net gain, ecological networks and climate change mitigation/ adaption is suggested.

Object

Representation ID: 845

Received: 13/12/2021

Respondent: Staffordshire Wildlife Trust

We feel that NB1 and 2 should be strategic policies. The NPPF advocates that plans should have ‘a strategic approach to maintaining and enhancing networks of habitats and green infrastructure; and plan for the enhancement of natural capital at a catchment or landscape scale across local authority boundaries.’