Agenda item

The Committee will receive a report that provides an overview of outputs and lessons learnt from the Buckinghamshire Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) Pilot, and the proposed approach on producing the live LNRS.

Contributors:

Cllr Gareth Williams, Cabinet Member for Climate Change & Environment

Steve Bambrick, Service Director for Planning & Environment

Ed Barlow, Head of Climate Change & Environment

David Sutherland, Environment Bill Readiness Manager

Nicola Thomas, Natural Environment Partnership Manager

The Chairman invited the Cabinet Member for Climate Change & Environment to introduce the report. Before doing so, the Cabinet Member apologised for the waste collection performance issues in the south of the county.

Buckinghamshire Council had been one of five pilot authorities to prepare for a Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) between September 2020 – May 2021, and the paper outlined the findings from this process. LNRSs were established as a part of the Environment Act 2021 and would be a new system of spatial strategy for nature that would identify opportunities. Additionally, there were multiple benefits to a LNRS such as carbon reduction, wildlife addition, flood alleviation and public health. The following points were highlighted during the office presentation:-

·       The LNRS would be evidence based, collaborative and locally led. It had the potential to guide where developer payments should be invested to create or restore habitat, and would also channel external funding from other sources (e.g. new Environment Land Management scheme, Woodland Creations Funds and Carbon Offsetting).  

·       Buckinghamshire Council had been indicatively identified as the responsible authority to lead on the LNRS to cover Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes.

·       The pilot involved testing a process to collate data and establish a local baseline and narrative. This led to the creation of a Statement of Biodiversity Priorities and a Local Habitat Map.

·       The Statement of Biodiversity Priorities included:

o   A description of sub-areas and key habitats and species.

o   An opportunity for linking, increasing or improving each key habitat.

o   Wider environmental issues that nature-based solutions would help.

o   The outcomes that the LNRS sought to achieve.

·       The Local Habitat Map included:

o   Most valuable existing habitats for nature (e.g. nationally designated wildlife sites and Local Nature Reserves).

o   Map specific proposals for creating of improving habitat.

·       The pilot involved online engagement with a total of 358 stakeholders across varying sectors. These included agriculture and land managers, Town and Parish Councils, central Government and agencies, conservation groups and individuals. The engagement exercise suggested 705 outcomes, 715 actions and 228 benefits that the LNRS pilot could incorporate that needed to be reviewed and prioritised.

·       A prioritisation matrix was developed to produce a scoring system based on the outcomes that had been suggested. Key themes emerged which included aspirations for better management of habitats, more woodland, more urban trees and improved chalk streams.

·       Two illustrative maps were produced to determine a potential approach for the LNRS. Four zones were created across the map:

o   Zone 1: Protected sites and nature reserves.

o   Zone 2: Maintain and Enhance.

o   Zone 3: Restore or Recover.

o   Zone 4: Wider Landscape.

·       Five key themes were learnt from the pilot experience which was fed back to Government.

·       Most of the £140,000 awarded for the pilot was allocated towards mapping resource, technical resource to produce the prototype LNRS and external consultants to assist with stakeholder engagement.

·       Government guidance was expected in Autumn 2022 which would incorporate the learning from all five pilots and the Government’s consultation.

·       For the real LNRS, the intended approach was to commission Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Natural Environment Partnership to lead preparation of the Strategy via a service level agreement which would require formal approval by each local authority.

·       Seed funding by Defra would lead to the recruitment of a Project Manager who would then commence preparatory work.

During the Select Committee discussion, the following points were noted:-

·       During the pilot, Defra and the pilot authorities met bi-weekly to discuss the steps being carried out. At the end of the pilot, Defra produced a lessons learnt report based on the experience of all the local authorities.

·       The recent granting of city status to Milton Keynes was not expected to impact Buckinghamshire Council being the responsible authority.

·       Biodiversify was the consultancy used for systematic conservation planning that helped with mapping whilst 3KQ acted as a facilitator for the engagement sessions. Part of the funding was also spent on works by the Wildlife Trust and the Local Nature Partnership.

·       The LNRS would help guide the placement of the new, mandatory biodiversity net gain requirement in the planning system and would ensure new developments increased biodiversity by 10% as close as possible to the site. However the exact weight of the LNRS and its priority in planning, including the Local Plan, was still to be determined by Defra. 

·       The technical scoring matrix had been formulated quickly and had to balance stakeholder feedback and local targets for habitat creation and restoration.

·       The LNRS was designed to work in partnership with the new Environment Land Management Scheme. Land use for food and associated payments would be guided by the Sustainable Farming Initiative. 

·       The four zones in the LNRS were to indicate opportunities for funding, not constrain land usage.

·       The Natural Environment Partnership (NEP) central team did not have the funding or resource available yet for the upcoming LNRS however new burdens funding from Government was expected to cover a new Project Manager post.

·       The impact of HS2 was beyond the scope of the LNRS but it was acknowledged that biodiversity net gain benefits from the project would take many years to materialise.

·       Members felt that planning would play an important role in the emerging LNRS and that a balance needed to be struck between the needs of nature and residents. The Cabinet Member was also asked to consider how Member input would be considered in the formulation of the LNRS.

·       The Environment Act stipulated that the responsible authority had to report to Government every five years on the LNRS.

·       The Transport, Environment & Climate Change Select Committee would have a role in the future scrutiny of the success of LNRS. The Committee may also have a joint role with the Growth, Infrastructure & Housing Select Committee regarding the relationship between the LNRS and the local plan.

·       The Colne Valley Landscape Partnership was in NEP and had been involved in the LNRS pilot. 

The Chairman thanked the Cabinet Member and officers for the report and welcomed an update on the LNRS as it developed.