Object

Representation ID: 7941

Received: 20/09/2021

Respondent: Pavenham Parish council

The Parish Council recognises that the Borough Council is in some difficulty in promoting a policy that essentially will have to anticipate the provisions of the Environment Bill – which on the basis of latest reports, may well be delayed yet further by reason of amendments made to the Bill by the House of Lords which are being resisted by Government.
Whilst the Parish Council supports the positive approach that is being taken by the Borough Council with regard to “environmental net gain”, the Parish Council would be very concerned if the Borough Council introduced environmental concepts that went beyond the terms and concepts as defined in what will eventually be the Environment Act – as and when it receives Royal Assent.

The Parish Council to an extent wishes to reserve its comments at this stage in that once the Bill has received Royal Assent the concepts discussed by the Borough Council in this Consultation will have been clarified.

The Parish Council does have some concern, however, that by recognising the concepts of “biodiversity net gain” – natural capital gain” – and “environmental net gain” it is running the risk with its proposed “Policy NE1 – Environmental net gain” of introducing a degree of confusion in terminology which, if that terminology itself conflicts with the wording employed by the Environment Act will ultimately lead to confusion as to interpretation and implementation which, with a draft Plan that is contemplating an additional 12,500 new dwellings in the Plan period, could be very dangerous.