As part of a movement to strengthen biodiversity locally, Bassetlaw District Council is calling on landowners across the district to put forward sites which could be used over 30 years to improve and extend its natural environment, manage climate change, or help with flood management.
The ‘call for sites’ is especially looking for land within or adjacent to areas of strategic biodiversity value identified in The Nottinghamshire Biodiversity Opportunity Mapping Project, land with the potential to buffer, connect or extend existing habitats or provide links between wildlife sites, and agricultural land.
It follows the introduction of new national Government legislation in February 2024, which requires biodiversity net gain from new development. Biodiversity net gain aims to leave habitats and species in a measurably better state than before a development took place.
For example, for every development site, a developer must provide biodiversity net gain, such as trees, hedgerows, or wildflower meadows on site or then on land close to the development, before looking at land elsewhere in Bassetlaw and then at other sites within Nottinghamshire. The ‘call for sites’ will help to identify local sites in Bassetlaw itself, which is the Council’s preference, so local people see the immediate benefits in their local area.
Cllr Julie Leigh, Cabinet Member for Identity and Place said:
“Biodiversity net gain is a great way to make our natural environment bigger, better, and more joined up, making it a more attractive place to live and visit as well as supporting our Vision 2040 to become a green and sustainable district.
“It’s also well known that access to nature positively affects our mental wellbeing and biodiverse areas can also support economic opportunities and leisure activities creating a vibrant sense of place in harmony with the natural world.
“We are looking forward to working with landowners to make the most of the opportunities for their land whilst making sure that the benefits of new development are seen locally.”
Landowners will get funding from developers for the sale of biodiversity units on their land and a maintenance contribution for the biodiversity for 30 years.
The Council is looking for different types and sizes of sites in and around towns and in the countryside, sites of particular interest (not exclusively) include those which can help link woodland or wildlife sites and can help with flood management to the west of Worksop.
The Call for Sites will open for six weeks from 20th March to 1st May 2024.
The district already contains several areas designated for their biodiversity interest, including 19 Sites of Special Scientific Interest, a Country Park, three Local Nature Reserves, over 290 Local Wildlife Sites as well as the northernmost reaches of Sherwood Forest. Over 10,000 ha of woodland including 600 ha of ancient woodland are already found within the district, almost double the average woodland coverage for England.
For more information about this process, please visit our planning pages.
Last Updated on Wednesday, May 8, 2024