North Tyneside Council to monitor biodiversity pledges made by housing developers

Austen Shakespeare
·1-min read
Builders on a building site
-Credit: (Image: PA)


North Tyneside Council has been called to explain how it ensures biodiversity pledges made by housing developers are kept.

Council officers have been asked how they monitor environmental contributions promised by property developers throughout North Tyneside. As of April this year, both major and minor developments are required to improve biodiversity by at least 10%.

In addition, according to biodiversity guidance, the habitat provisions must be maintained for at least 30 years from the completion of the development. Small works requiring planning permission, such as home improvements or extensions, will generally not be required to submit a biodiversity net gain.

However, now planning and environmental staff within the local authority have been asked to explain how off-site habitat enhancements are monitored and delivered.

Coun Brian Burdis, the former chair of the now defunct environment sub-committee, said: “In general, when a developer comes along they say we can't increase biodiversity in this area but we can give you or purchase you another piece of land, how do we monitor that and what's happening with it?

“It's just to make sure that when we are promised stuff, we get it, and we fulfil it.”

Often developers also have to financially contribute to mitigate against other impacts of their projects, including donations to primary education or soft play areas, via section 106 payments. However, on occasion, such payments can be waived by the authority if they render a potential scheme financially unviable.

An examination into how the council checks on developer-promised environmental contributions has now been added to the Green sub-committee's work programme for the next year.

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