Biodiversity Checklist For Householder Applications - Test Valley Borough Council printable pdf download

TVBC ref: (for office use)

TEST VALLEY BOROUGH COUNCIL

Biodiversity Checklist for Householder Applications

Site address:

There are numerous legally protected sites of nature conservation interest across Hampshire. Hampshire

also supports a wide range of legally protected species and non-statutory important sites. Developments can

adversely affect these and in many cases Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) are legally required to address

potential impacts to these. LPAs are required by the Government to consider the conservation of biodiversity

when determining a planning application. Government planning policies for biodiversity are set out in

Planning Policy Statement 9 – Biodiversity and Geological Conservation (PPS9). In order to meet these

requirements, LPAs need to be able to understand what the potential impacts of the development might be

and if there are impacts on biodiversity, how these will be avoided or mitigated.

This Checklist has been designed to help you work out if your proposal is likely to affect biodiversity, and if so,

help you understand what additional information you will need to provide to support your application and how

to get that information.

Guidance for applicants

If your answers to the questions in Sections 1 and / or 2 identify that your project may potentially have an

adverse impact on designated sites, priority or other notable habitats or legally protected or notable species

you will need to submit a Biodiversity Statement or other suitable report which demonstrates the following:



Information about the sites, species, habitats or features that could be affected (such as location, size,

abundance, importance)



Likely impacts of your development on habitats, sites or species identified in this Checklist



How alternative designs and locations have been considered



How adverse impacts will be avoided



How any unavoidable impacts will be mitigated or reduced (see note 4)



How impacts that cannot be avoided or mitigated will be compensated (see note 4)



Any proposals for enhancements of biodiversity

Where more targeted and specific reports are necessary (for example bat surveys), these must:



Be undertaken by an appropriately qualified and experienced person



Be of appropriate scope and detail (i.e. be carried out to established standards)



Be conducted at an appropriate time of year, in suitable weather conditions and using recognised

methodologies.

Reports may not be required where applicants are able to provide pre-application correspondence from

Natural England, the Local Authority or their ecological adviser that confirms that they are satisfied that the

proposal will not have an adverse impact on any features identified in Sections 1 or 2.

The application may not be validated if any of the information submitted proves to be inadequate. If validated

and the information is subsequently found not to fully address any potential impacts then further information

may be required during the course of any planning application, for instance if any of the information you have

provided needs clarification, or if other potential impacts are identified. If sufficient information on ecological

issues is not provided by the time the application needs to be determined, the application may be refused.

It is strongly advised that you consider biodiversity at the earliest possible stage in your project as there are

seasonal constraints to much of the survey work that may be needed to support your application.

For further advice on competent ecologists that can undertake specialist survey work, please see the Institute

of Ecological and Environmental Management

in the first instance.

Updated 11/2011

Biodiversity Checklist For Householder Applications - Test Valley Borough Council

Related Articles

Related forms

Related Categories