News
New Charges for Wildlife Mitigation Licences to Come into Effect this Spring
New charges for wildlife mitigation licences will be phased in this year, starting on 1 April with dormouse licences, bat licences on 22 April, and other species licences following later in 2019. The new licensing system will be operated by the Natural England...
New Research on Japanese Knotweed
Recent research by AECOM and the University of Leeds provides sound evidence that Japanese knotweed is no more damaging to buildings than other problem plants. Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM) President Max...
New guidance on Biodiversity Net Gain from CIEEM
CIEEM, CIRIA and IEMA have jointly published new guidance on biodiversity net gain. Following the publication of Biodiversity Net Gain good practice principles for development in 2016 (available here) the following documents have now also been...
An Update on the Kent GCN District Licensing Scheme
Bakerwell have met with Natural England to discuss the revised district licensing scheme for great crested newts (GCN) in Kent.
Have Your Say – Biodiversity Net Gain Consultation
Government Consultation on Biodiversity Net Gain The proposals under consultation until February 2019 seek to provide a single nationwide ecological assessment system for scoring the biodiversity of a prospective development site and setting requirements...
Biodiversity in Planning Tool Wildlife Assessment Check
A new tool developed by The Partnership for Biodiversity in Planning is now available free online, aimed at householders and small to medium-scale developers, the tool is useful for all looking to gain planning permission and wondering if an Ecological Survey will be...
An Introduction to Natural Capital
The Defra 25 year environment plan sets out the intention to set gold standards in protecting and growing natural capital and to be a worldwide leader in using this approach as a tool in decision making. This is intended to feed into the Government’s objective of...
Networking Breakfast at CIH
Building Sussex Connections held a joint networking breakfast in early March at the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) event in Brighton. The event was very successful with over 100 attendees from Kent and Sussex. The Bloody Marys and Gin & Tonics went down...
The Countryside at a Crossroads
House of Lords Select Committee’s report 'The countryside at a crossroads: Is the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 still fit for purpose?' House of Lords Select Committee’s report 'The countryside at a crossroads: Is the Natural Environment and Rural...
Revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)
National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) changes are coming. The NPPF was originally launched in 2012 and guides development across England. The government are proposing some significant changes, we discuss the key points from the revised draft below. The Framework...