HCS voices concerns about Kirklees Council’s biodiversity strategy and its planning process

Following limited sampling and analysis in autumn 2021, Huddersfield Civic Society identified a gap between Kirklees Council’s biodiversity strategy and its deployment within the planning application process - particularly in relation to requirements for Biodiversity Net Gain.

As a result of the findings a request has been made to Kirklees Council’s Scrutiny Panel for consideration of the following questions:

1. Is resourcing adequate with the right levels of ecological expertise in the right places? 

2. Is there adequate understanding and prioritisation of BNG by political decision makers in the council? 

3. What assurances are there that the follow-up and tracking of applicant (developer) compliance with post-approval BNG conditions will be made by the council? 

We make one wider recommendation which could be submitted - along with any additional feedback from Kirklees Council - as part of the current DEFRA consultation.

This is that Natural England radically simplifies its BNG process, including metrics/ calculation tools and documentation to enable all stakeholders to focus on essentials and to make BNG reporting (including calculations) accessible to the public.

To read the full report that has been submitted to the council please see the document below.

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