Policy information sourced from The Woking Local Development Document - Core Strategy
CS7: Biodiversity and nature conservation
The Council is committed to conserving and protecting existing biodiversity assets within the Borough. It will require development proposals to contribute to the enhancement of existing biodiversity and geodiversity features and also explore opportunities to create and manage new ones where it is appropriate. This will include those habitats and species listed in the Surrey Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP). Any development that will be anticipated to have a potentially harmful effect or lead to a loss of features of interest for biodiversity will be refused.
The Council will pay particular consideration to the following hierarchy of important sites and habitats in the Borough.
- Special Protection Areas (SPA) and Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) (European).
- Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and National Nature Reserves (National).
- Sites of Nature Conservation Importance (SNCI), Local Nature Reserves (LNR), and other Ancient Woodland not identified in 1 and 2 above (Local).
These sites are identified on the Proposals Map.
Within locally designated sites development will not be permitted unless it is necessary for appropriate on-site management measures and can demonstrate no adverse impacts to the integrity of the nature conservation interest.
Development adjacent to locally designated sites will not be permitted where it has an adverse impact on the integrity of the nature conservation interest that cannot be mitigated.
The Council will encourage new development to make positive contribution to biodiversity through the creation of green spaces, where appropriate, and the creation of linkages between sites to create a local and regional biodiversity network of wildlife corridors and green infrastructure. It will seek to retain and encourage the enhancement of significant features of nature conservation value on development sites.
Any development with potential impact on the SPA or the SAC will be subject to a Habitats Regulations Assessment to determine the need for Appropriate Assessment.
For more information please see the Core Strategy