I would be obliged if the Council could provide me with the following information which relates directly to the application of Schedule 7A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) to planning applications in England.
1. Does the Council have an adopted development plan policy requiring planning applications to deliver a minimum of 10% BNG? Please provide details.
No, Devon County Council (DCC) does not have any development plan policies specifying a percentage net gain. Development proposals are bound by statutory Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) requirements.
2. Does the Council have an adopted development plan policy requiring planning applications to deliver more than the minimum 10% BNG and do these apply to all sites i.e. greenfield or brownfield? Please provide details.
No, DCC does not have any development plan policies specifying a percentage net gain. Development proposals are bound by statutory BNG requirements.
3. If no planning policies are currently adopted requiring a minimum of 10% BNG or more than 10% BNG, are local plans in preparation or published at Regulation 18 or Regulation 19 stage, which require these levels of BNG to be met?
No.
4. Does the Council provide specific pre-application advice on BNG to developers other than as part of the general pre-application advice service?
Yes, DCC Ecologists offer a paid pre-application service which can include specific BNG issues if required.
Please see this DCC webpage for further information.
5. Has the Council developed its own Environment Bank to enable applicant’s/developers to deliver BNG off-site where the need arise or does it provide a list of recommended sites that have been secured through section agreements or conservation covenants?
This opportunity is being explored on DCC land, but has not yet been established.
6. Does the Council keep information on the level of BNG which has been provided on-site and off* site since 12 February 2024? If ‘Yes’ can the amounts in area and linear units be provided?
Six DCC applications have discharged the statutory BNG condition since February 2024.
Onsite habitat unit delivery – 1.42 units.
Onsite linear unit delivery – 0.12.
Offsite habitat unit delivery – 4.18.
Offsite linear unit delivery – 0.31
7. Has the Council published its Biodiversity Duty Report as required under the Environment Act 2021?
Yes. Please see this Devon County Council webpage for more information.