I am requesting information regarding the implementation and impact of the mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) requirement on planning applications submitted to your council.
Please provide the following data for the period from 12 February 2024 to the date of your response.
Planning Application Decisions:
* The total number of planning applications refused where failure to meet the statutory Biodiversity Net Gain requirement was a primary or contributing reason for refusal.
None
* The total number of planning applications that have been delayed or had a decision withheld pending the submission or approval of a satisfactory BNG plan.
None – a Biodiversity Gain Plan cannot be submitted until after planning permission is granted, so it follows that a planning application can’t be delayed by non-submission of such a Plan.
Length of Delays:
* For the applications delayed due to BNG requirements (as identified in question 1), what has been the average length of the delay, measured in weeks, from the initial target decision date?
N/A
BNG Enforcement:
* The total number of enforcement actions or formal investigations the council has initiated related to non-compliance with BNG obligations on approved developments.
None
* The total number of financial penalties or fines that have been issued by the council for breaches of BNG requirements and the total monetary value (£) of these penalties.
None
Reasons for Planning Delays (Context):
* A list of the five most common reasons cited for delays in determining planning applications within your council since 12 February 2024. If possible, please indicate the percentage of total delays each reason accounts for, to help contextualise the impact of BNG relative to other factors.
17 planning applications required extensions of time beyond the standard determination period, of which 10 were due to the need for additional or revised information, four were to allow an application to be reported for a committee decision, and three were to allow consultees time to respond.