South Cambridgeshire District Council

RESOLVED:This Council recognises that:- we are facing an ecological emergency as well as a climate emergency;- the challenge to balance economic growth with measures to protect and enhancenature has never been more urgent, given the unprecedented investment ininfrastructure in the district alongside the increasing decline in biodiversity;- opportunities are available through the planning system for improving nature byembedding the “environmental net gain” principle into development, includinghousing and infrastructure, in order to deliver environmental improvements;- the conservation and enhancement of the natural environment play a pivotal rolein our economy and wellbeing, providing wide-ranging benefits such as cleanwater and air, food, timber, carbon capture, flood protection and recreation.Therefore, this Council aims to double the area of rich wildlife habitats, tree cover andaccessible green space in order for nature and people to thrive, and businesses toprosper. In order to do so, the Council will:- Ensure the delivery of biodiversity and environmental enhancements through ourplanning policy and development control functions by providing high-levelguidance to support existing biodiversity policies as part of the GreaterCambridge Sustainable Design and Construction SPD and more detailedguidance for developers through the forthcoming Greater Cambridge BiodiversitySPD.- Enable the development of a mandatory biodiversity net gain policy for SouthCambridgeshire and Cambridge through the new Joint Greater Cambridge LocalPlan, ensuring that this is a core principle for all future development across theGreater Cambridge Shared Planning Service.- Identifying areas for tree planting for carbon sequestration, flood management,air quality improvement and other environmental services.- Adopt the Developing Nature Toolkit and direct developers to use the toolkit toassist them in demonstrating a net gain in biodiversity, to be used from the veryoutset of planning new developments, and ideally at the time of selecting sites toacquire for development.- Collaborate with our communities, Parish Councils and schools to encourage theplanting of trees and the management of wildflower verges alongside roads.- Continue to support Natural Cambridgeshire, the Local Nature Partnership (LNP),to deliver the Doubling Nature Vision for ‘Cambridgeshire to be an exemplar forthe landscape scale restoration of the natural environment.

— Full Council (Source)