We support the intention to require at least 20% net gain in biodiversity from new development. This is necessary to ensure that each development makes a significant contribution to reversing the decline in biodiversity which has occurred in Cambridgeshire and across the country in recent decades.

However, we believe that the proposed policy on protection of important habitats needs strengthening. When considering irreplaceable habitats such as ancient woodland and ancient or veteran trees, it is not sufficient to say that development will be allowed if the need for it significantly outweighs the biodiversity benefit of retaining it. In 2019, the wording on ancient woodland protection in the NPPF was significantly strengthened to say that loss should only be permitted in "wholly exceptional" circumstances (para 175c). So the wording in your plan needs to be at least as strong as that in the NPPF.