Final Report
The final report of the “Biodiversity Evidence – Better Outcomes from Planning” project has been published. Read the report by clicking here or on the image below.
The report includes information in relation to biodiversity in planning in London’s LPAs. Read about:
- Screening for biodiversity
- The role of LPAs’ ecologists
- Challenges
- The role of GiGL
- Supporting London’s LPAs
- Recommendations
Aims and Objectives
The “Biodiversity Evidence – Better Outcomes from Planning” project aimed to understand the challenges, limitations and needs of Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) in London with regards to taking account of biodiversity early on in the planning process, and to provide resources to help them overcome some of these issues.
Considering biodiversity early in the planning process, and conserving and enhancing biodiversity can also provide opportunities for delivering positive outcomes for adaptation to climate change, health and well-being, air quality, green infrastructure and flood alleviation and biodiversity net gain.
Background
In 2016, a project by the Mayor of London concluded that about 18% of planning applications in a one year period in London should have been supported by a biodiversity data search, based on a set of criteria used to assess the potential impacts of the proposed developments on biodiversity. However, it was found that only 1% of applications that were validated were accompanied by a GiGL data search during the same period. Find the latest figures on the data search reports per LPA here.
Scope
The scope of the project is Greater London and its LPAs. There are 35 LPAs in London; this includes all Boroughs, the City of London and two Mayoral Development Corporations (London Legacy Development Corporation and Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation). This was a one-year project, which started in October 2019, supported by the Mayor of London and hosted by GiGL.
Participation
The first phase of the project examined how London’s Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) are currently taking into account biodiversity in planning and identified their challenges and needs through a questionnaire survey and direct meetings. Overall, 23 LPAs participated by completing the questionnaire and/ or contributing in meetings. In total, there were 39 responses to the questionnaire survey and 31 participants in the meetings. The participants represent a wide coverage of London’s LPAs which includes inner and outer London LPAs, LPAs with and without in-house ecologists providing planning advice, GiGL partner and non-partner LPAs, as well as different roles within the LPAs (see figure below).
Supporting London’s Local Planning Authorities
A training event was held on the 23 September 2020. Details of its contents can be found here.
The resources prepared under the framework of this project can be found here. For further resouces check our Planning for Nature group of pages.