Foxton Neighbourhood Plan - Submission Consultation 2021

Thank you for your consultation on the above Neighbourhood Plan received by Natural England on 11 January 2021.

Natural England is a non-departmental public body. Our statutory purpose is to ensure that the natural environment is conserved, enhanced, and managed for the benefit of present and future generations, thereby contributing to sustainable development.

Natural England is a statutory consultee in neighbourhood planning and must be consulted on draft neighbourhood development plans by the Parish/Town Councils or Neighbourhood Forums where they consider our interests would be affected by the proposals made.

Natural England welcomes that the Foxton Neighbourhood Plan seeks to protect and enhance local biodiversity in accordance with Natural Cambridgeshire’s ‘Doubling Nature’ target and the Cambridgeshire Green Infrastructure Strategy. We also support recognition of the importance of maintaining and enhancing accessible green infrastructure to meet people’s needs. The safeguarding of land through Policy FOX/14, to create an extensive ecologically enhanced area of chalk grassland between Foxton Woods and the village, is welcomed.

Since submission of the initial draft Foxton Neighbourhood Plan Natural England has introduced the Cambridgeshire Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) Recreational Pressure Impact Risk Zone (IRZ). This flags areas where new housing development poses a potential risk of damage or disturbance to accessible SSSIs due to increased levels of visitor pressure. Neighbourhood Plan policies FOX/9 and FOX/20 fall within the IRZ hence new housing development, in combination with others in the local area, has the potential to adversely impact sites such as L-Moor Shepreth SSSI and Fowlmere Watercress Beds SSSI through additional recreational pressure. Development should address this and mitigate any adverse impact, for example through the delivery / contribution towards delivery of alternative new or enhanced accessible greenspace and/or through a financial contribution towards enhanced management of the designated sites affected. Our advice is that policies FOX/9 and FOX/20 should seek to secure this, for example through a requirement for a contribution towards the implementation of the area of proposed chalk grassland / accessible greenspace on land safeguarded through Policy FOX/14.

For any further consultations on your plan, please contact: consultations@naturalengland.org.uk.

Amend policies FOX/9 and FOX/20 to seek mitigation.

Thank you for your consultation on the above Neighbourhood Plan received by Natural England on 11 January 2021.

Natural England is a non-departmental public body. Our statutory purpose is to ensure that the natural environment is conserved, enhanced, and managed for the benefit of present and future generations, thereby contributing to sustainable development.

Natural England is a statutory consultee in neighbourhood planning and must be consulted on draft neighbourhood development plans by the Parish/Town Councils or Neighbourhood Forums where they consider our interests would be affected by the proposals made.

Natural England welcomes that the Foxton Neighbourhood Plan seeks to protect and enhance local biodiversity in accordance with Natural Cambridgeshire’s ‘Doubling Nature’ target and the Cambridgeshire Green Infrastructure Strategy. We also support recognition of the importance of maintaining and enhancing accessible green infrastructure to meet people’s needs. The safeguarding of land through Policy FOX/14, to create an extensive ecologically enhanced area of chalk grassland between Foxton Woods and the village, is welcomed.

Since submission of the initial draft Foxton Neighbourhood Plan Natural England has introduced the Cambridgeshire Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) Recreational Pressure Impact Risk Zone (IRZ). This flags areas where new housing development poses a potential risk of damage or disturbance to accessible SSSIs due to increased levels of visitor pressure. Neighbourhood Plan policies FOX/9 and FOX/20 fall within the IRZ hence new housing development, in combination with others in the local area, has the potential to adversely impact sites such as L-Moor Shepreth SSSI and Fowlmere Watercress Beds SSSI through additional recreational pressure. Development should address this and mitigate any adverse impact, for example through the delivery / contribution towards delivery of alternative new or enhanced accessible greenspace and/or through a financial contribution towards enhanced management of the designated sites affected. Our advice is that policies FOX/9 and FOX/20 should seek to secure this, for example through a requirement for a contribution towards the implementation of the area of proposed chalk grassland / accessible greenspace on land safeguarded through Policy FOX/14.

For any further consultations on your plan, please contact: consultations@naturalengland.org.uk.