Issue - meetings

To consider the attached report of the Senior Natural Environment Officer.

The Planning Policy and Projects Manager presented the Green Infrastructure Strategy report.

Members were informed that ensuring the provision of effective green infrastructure through planning policies and decisions was a principle embedded in the National Planning Policy Framework. The Council’s emerging Local Plan set out policies and requirements in relation to green infrastructure, the protection and enhancement of ecological assets, and high-quality design. To support these policies and assist the Council in meeting the requirements being brought forward through the Environment Act 2021, there was a need to produce a Green Infrastructure Strategy.

Members raised the following points:

·         To question when a review of the strategy would take place and it was suggested that a full review should be conducted in the first two years. In response it was stated that this would be too soon to review the strategy given the number of actions to do and the resources required to conduct it.

·         To acknowledge that this was an aspirational document with an action plan that would be updated to reflect work undertaken.

·         To recognise that Green Infrastructure was more than a planning issue as it affected the Council’s wider climate change agenda.

·         To question whether the Climate Change Forum should have a role in monitoring the progress of the strategy.

The report was noted.

To consider the attached report of the Senior Natural Environment Officer.

Responsibility: Portfolio Holder for Planning and Built Environment

It was agreed:

(a)   That the Green Infrastructure Strategy, as amended following consultation, and as set out at Appendix 2 to the report, be adopted and published.

(b)   That the Head of Planning and Development be authorised, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Built Environment, to make minor amendments to the Green Infrastructure Strategy prior to its publication.