I believe it is important to protect wildlife in North Warwickshire and across the country as a whole. I am confident that the government’s policies will help to do this.
Extensive wildlife legislation provides protection for wild birds and therefore development projects must consider the impact on local wildlife and take precautionary action to protect their habitats. Practices such as netting must only be used to help protect birds during a development. It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to cause unnecessary suffering to a bird, and anyone who willingly does so could potentially face prosecution.
Developments should enhance our natural environment, which is why I am encouraged that the Government has announced plans to require developers to deliver a 'biodiversity net gain' - meaning wildlife habitats must be left in a measurably better state than they were before any development started.
The revised National Planning Policy Framework is also clear that planning policies and decisions should enhance the natural and local environment by minimising the impacts on and providing net gains for biodiversity. Survey reports and mitigation plans are required for projects as part of the planning permission process. Surveys reports need to demonstrate whether protected species are present, and how the site is used, and mitigation plans describe how developers will avoid or manage any negative effects on protected species.