Policy information sourced from the Bracknell Forest Local Plan 2024-2037 document.

LP 53: Biodiversity.

1. Development in the Borough will be expected to achieve a minimum 10% net gain for biodiversity.

2. Development proposals will be expected to:

  • provide suitable ecological survey information and assessment to establish biodiversity net gains and the extent of any potential impact on ecological features. These may include ancient woodland, veteran trees, waterbodies, wildlife corridors (including river corridors), protected species, priority species or priority habitat that may be affected during and after development. This information shall be provided prior to the determination of an application;
  • retain, protect, enhance and buffer ecological features and provide for their appropriate management;
  • where possible, create new ecological features and incorporate provisions to maximise opportunities for biodiversity; and
  • avoid fragmentation of habitats and create coherent ecological networks within the Borough such as improvements to Biodiversity Opportunity Areas and Nature Recovery Networks.

3. Where adverse impacts of development on biodiversity are identified, they must be proportionately addressed in accordance with the mitigation hierarchy of:

  • avoidance;
  • mitigation; and,
  • compensation.

4. Where the requirements of this hierarchy cannot be met, development will be refused.

5. Where biodiversity has been removed or degraded (including through neglect), the Council will take the pre-development biodiversity value as what it is likely to have been had the removal or degradation not occurred.

6. The Council will secure effective avoidance, mitigation, monitoring and compensation measures which will be maintained for at least 30 years after the development has been completed through the imposition of planning conditions, conservation covenants or planning obligations as appropriate, including monitoring of the effectiveness of these measures.

For more information, please visit Bracknell Forest’s Local Plan document here.