18 Sep 2024

Delivering flood resilience through the planning system in England: Understanding opportunities, challenges and barriers with a focus on the post-consent planning process ‘Dysfunction’ in the English planning system is leaving new housing development vulnerable to flood risk, according to a new report published by the Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA). The research identified a […]

31 Jul 2024

Ofwat has launched a new consultation on its draft guidance for an environmental incentives common framework – the regulator expects all parties, including developers, to collaborate and take a pragmatic approach to implementation. Many water companies currently offer developers discounts on their new connection charges for meeting certain standards of water efficiency or sustainable drainage […]

23 Jul 2024

The Environmental Industries Commission (EIC) has released a new guide to nature policies. The publication provides a plain English summary of the multiple and fast-emerging nature policies across the UK, and advice on how enhancing nature can add value to development projects. The legislative and investment-driven focus on nature is accelerating, with increased recognition that […]

12 Jun 2024

More environmental groups have set out their expectations and requests for political parties to consider in their manifestos and election campaigning. They include Save Britain’s Rivers: i challenges all parties to commit to election manifesto RIVER HEALTH: 77 per cent of rivers in good health by 2027. SEWAGE: Sewage spills will not damage high-priority areas […]

28 Jun 2023

From BBC news Fears supplying water to thousands of new homes “will pose a significant risk” have led to the first planning objections from the Environment Agency. It is the first time it has objected to new housing over water concerns. The planned homes are all in the south of Cambridgeshire, which could see more […]

27 Jul 2021

Defra ‘The Government has launched (Thursday 22 July) opened a consultation on compensatory measures for unavoidable development impacts on Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Our marine environment faces increasing pressure from human activities and climate change. The government wants to ensure that a consistent level of protection is afforded to the unique habitats, species and features […]

28 Jan 2020

Steve Hull, ABPmer: ‘Offshore wind expansion in UK waters is facing constraints by the EU Birds & Habitats Directives, which set acceptability standards for impacts to Special Protection Areas and Special Areas of Conservation, particularly in relation to potential impacts to seabirds. Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies are now advising that, based on current scientific understanding […]

23 May 2019

NCC ‘This paper sets out the NCC’s advice to government on net environmental gain. It considers recent commitments to mandate net biodiversity gain and the broad goals of the 25 Year Environment Plan. In its 2017 advice to government on the 25 Year Environment Plan (25 YEP), the NCC proposed that the concept of natural […]