Support

Representation ID: 3138

Received: 03/03/2023

Respondent: Norfolk County Council - Strategic Planning Team

Ecology - the County Council is pleased to note that The Assessment of Sites was supported by a Technical Consultation with both internal and external consultees on environmental protection issues, including ecology.
As previously noted during the Regulation 18 consultation, Norfolk County Council is part of the County Wildlife Site (CWS) partnership. Where sites are within the vicinity of CWS and increased recreational pressure may be seen; Norfolk County Council may look to seek Planning Obligations and/ or use of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funds in order to mitigate against these pressures, including any soft landscaping design/ species selection to reflect the composition of the CWS. Where adjacent to a CWS, a suitable buffer should be incorporated within the design. There may also be other pressures which will be assessed at the time of application which may lead to Green Infrastructure requests through Planning Obligations. Norfolk County Council jointly manages, with Norfolk Wildlife Trust, a growing network of Roadside Nature Reserves (RNRs). Where proposals abut an RNR, careful consideration would need to be given to the location of site access points and the application must demonstrate that the RNRs will not be adversely impacted by the proposal. If the site is adjacent to an existing or candidate RNR, opportunities to enhance the RNR should be incorporated into the scheme design or contributions discussed by means of Planning Obligations/ CIL.