Comment
Greater Cambridge Local Plan Preferred Options
Representation ID: 58357
Received: 13/12/2021
Respondent: ARU
Agent: Savills
The Topic Paper on Biodiversity seeks to provide justification for the proposed minimum 20% biodiversity net gain requirement, above the 10% requirement in the Environment Act. The Topic Paper focusses on the benefits of a 20% requirement rather than its practical deliverability, and it acknowledges that “Given the widespread application of BNG is still emerging, there is clearly further site-specific viability testing required of alternative BNG percentage requirements”. At present, ARU cannot support a requirement in excess of the national requirement of 10%.
The Topic Paper on Biodiversity seeks to provide justification for the proposed minimum 20% biodiversity net gain requirement, above the 10% requirement in the Environment Act. The Topic Paper focusses on the benefits of a 20% requirement rather than its practical deliverability, and it acknowledges that “Given the widespread application of BNG is still emerging, there is clearly further site-specific viability testing required of alternative BNG percentage requirements”. At present, ARU cannot support a requirement in excess of the national requirement of 10%.