Planning for Brownfield Biodiversitya Best Practice guide
Brownfield sites are prioritised for development yet can be incredibly important for wildlife.
this guide demonstrates how sustainable reuse of previously developed land can be achieved.
Picture credits: front cover - a biodiversity-rich brownfield site © Peter Harvey; shrill carder bee (Bombus sylvarum) © Peter Harvey; this page - canvey wick sssi © Peter Harvey
2 INTRODUCTION3 KEYRECOMMENDATIONS4 BROWNFIELDS,BIODIvERSITYANDpEOpLE5 BROWNFIELDS:AHAvENFORBIODIvERSITY5 Keyfeaturesofabiodiversity-richbrownfieldsite6 BROWNFIELDSANDTHEUKBIODIvERSITYACTIONpLAN
6 OpenMosaicHabitatsonPreviously DevelopedLand7 BiodiversityActionPlanspecies7 IDENTIFYINGWILDLIFE-RICHBROWNFIELDSITES7 Gatheringinformationforforwardplanning
8 Ecologicalsurveys9 BROWNFIELDSANDpLANNINGpOLICY9 PlanningPolicyStatement1: DeliveringSustainableDevelopment9 PlanningPolicyStatement3:Housing11 PlanningPolicyStatement9: BiodiversityandGeologicalConservation11 Therequirementforrobustecologicalinformation13 Locatingdevelopmentwhereitavoids harmtowildlife14 Designingforbiodiversity15 Managingbrownfieldsforwildlife17 CONCLUSION18 REFERENCES19 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Introduction
Brownfieldbiodiversitypresentsauniquechallengetoplanners.Ontheonehandplanningpolicydictatesthatahighproportionofnewdevelopmentshouldtakeplaceonpreviouslydevelopedorbrownfieldland;yetcurrentbiodiversitypolicyandlegislationrequiresthatUKBiodiversityActionPlan(UKBAP)Priorityspeciesandhabitatsshouldbeaffordedprotectionandthatthebiodiversityinterestofbrownfieldshouldberetained.Thisguideaimstoprovidesomepracticalsolutionstoachievingsustainablereuseofbrownfieldland,forallthoseinvolvedinplanningandimplementingnewdevelopment.
Brownfieldlandcansupportanextremelyrichdiversityofwildflowersandanimals,andevenhasitsownUKBAPPriorityhabitat‘OpenMosaicHabitatsonPreviouslyDevelopedLand’.ManybrownfieldsiteshavebeendesignatedasSitesofSpecialScientificInterest,LocalNatureReservesandCountyWildlife
Sites.Nationalplanningpolicyrequiresthatthisbiodiversityinterestisretained,althoughthiscanoftencomeintoconflictwitheconomicpriorities.
Thepresenceofbrownfieldbiodiversityneednotbeaconstrainttodevelopment.ThereisstillanextensivestockofpreviouslydevelopedlandinEngland,muchofwhichcanbebuiltonwitharelativelylowenvironmentalimpact.Howeverthesustainableuseofbrownfieldlandwillrequireamoreselectiveapproachtowhichsitesaresuitablefordevelopment,andwhichshouldbeprotectedasanassetforpeopleandwildlife.Manyofthepoliciesandtoolstoachievethisarealreadyinplace.Oftenitislowawarenessoftheecologicalvalueofbrownfieldland–andacorrespondinglackofenvironmentalinformation–whichcausesitsbiodiversitytobeoverlooked,leadingtothedevelopmentofsitesofsignificantwildlifevalue.Invertebrates(includingprotectedbumblebeesandbutterflies)areespeciallyaffected,andarehenceafocusofthisguide.
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Contents
Picture credit: © Peter Harvey
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Key ReCommendatIons
Key Recommendations
Better ecological information, at the right time:Planningauthoritiesshouldensurethattheallocationofbrownfieldsitesinforwardplanningisinformedbydataontheirbiodiversityvalue,sothatsitesofhighvaluearen’tprioritisedfordevelopment.Likewiseplanningauthoritiesshouldensurethatthereisanadequateassessmentofbrownfieldbiodiversity(includingfullecologicalsurveyswhereappropriate)toinformdevelopmentcontroldecisions.
Protect key sites:Planningauthoritiesshouldensurethatthemostimportantsitesforbiodiversity–brownfieldorotherwise–areproperlyidentifiedandprotectedthroughlocalauthorityplanningpolicyor,whereappropriate,statutorydesignation.
consider the wider environment:Thevalueofbrownfieldsitesincontributingtowiderecologicalnetworksneedstobeproperlyconsideredinplanners’decision-making.Thewiderimpactsofdevelopingabrownfieldsite–forinstance,thecontributionthatitmakestotheprovisionofecosystemservices–shouldbeassessedwhenconsideringtheenvironmentalconstraintstodevelopment,andshouldbeusedtoinformdecisionsondifferentbrownfieldre-useoptions.
green infrastructure:Biodiversity-richbrownfieldsitesshouldberecognisedfortheirpotentialtodeliverhighqualityGreenInfrastructure,forpeopleandwildlife.Informationontheamenityandbiodiversityvalueofbrownfieldsitesshouldbetakenintoaccountduringthedevelopmentofgreengrids/GreenInfrastructure.
get the greenfield/brownfield balance right:Planningdecisionsshouldaimtoprotectandenhancebiodiversitywhereveritoccurs,includingonbrownfieldland.BrownfieldsitesthathaveblendedintothelandscapeshouldbetreatedinthesamewayasGreenfieldland(asoutlinedinPPS3).
retain existing habitats:Themasterplanningofabrownfieldsiteshouldseektoretainandintegrateexistingwildlifehabitatsandfeatureswithinnewdevelopment,ratherthanattemptingtorecreatethemsubsequently.Thiscanhelptoreducetheneedforcostlymitigationandcompensation.
incorporate new biodiversity features:Thedesignofnewdevelopmentonbrownfieldlandshouldincorporatenewhabitatsandfeaturesofvaluetobrownfieldwildlife,throughinnovativehabitatcreationwithinlandscapingandbuiltstructures(suchaslivingroofsandgreenwalls).
secure long-term management:Long-termmanagementandmonitoringforbiodiversityshouldbesecuredthroughappropriatelywordedplanningconditionsandSection106agreements.
seCtIon tItle
Picture credits: left - © greg Hitchcock; right - shrill carder bee (Bombus sylvarum) © Peter Harvey
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Brownfields, biodiversity and people
Brownfieldsitescanprovidevaluableopportunitiesforpeopletohaveaccesstothewildlifeontheirdoorstep,andifmanagedproperlycanbeapowerfuldriverofsustainableregeneration.Governmentpolicyisjuststartingtorecognisethesocialandenvironmentalcontributionthatnaturalisedbrownfieldsitescanmakeinurbanareas,eventhoughthepublichavebeenusingandenjoyingsuchsitesunofficiallyfordecades.
Thebenefitsthatgreen(orbrown)spaceprovidestohumanwellbeingarewelldocumented,andincludehealth,recreationandaccesstowildlife.Recentstudieshavefoundthatthepsychologicalbenefitsassociatedwithgreenspaceincreaseasbiodiversityincreases(Fulleretal.,2007).NaturalEnglandrecognisesthisvalueintheirAccesstoNaturalGreenspaceStandards,astrategywhichacknowledgestheintegralrolethatbiodiversityplaysinsustainableurbancommunities.
BRoWnFIelds, BIodIveRsIty and people
Thecontributionthatnaturalgreenspacemakestopeople’squalityoflifeisalsorecognisedinPlanningPolicyGuidanceNote17:PlanningforOpenSpace,SportandRecreation.Thisstatesthatopenspaceofhighqualityorofvaluetoalocalcommunity,includingareasthatparticularlybenefitwildlifeandbiodiversity,shouldberecognisedandgivenprotectionbylocalauthorities.Manyregionshavemappedoutareasofgreenspaceofamenityandbiodiversityvalue,andthese‘greengrids’areincreasinglybeingadoptedasSupplementaryPlanningDocuments,asafurthermeansbywhichtheplanningsystemcanhelptodeliversustainabledevelopment.
PPG17requiresthatbiodiversity-richbrownfieldlandshouldberecognisedinstrategicplansforitspotentialtodeliverGreenInfrastructure.Howevertodatethepotentialcontributionthatexistingbrownfieldlandcouldmaketotheprovisionofgreenspaceinbothnewandexistingsettlementshasyettobefullyrealisedbeyondafewflagshipsites.Localauthoritiesandgreengridpartnershipsthereforehaveanimportantroletoplayinproperlyassessingtheamenityandbiodiversityvalueofbrownfieldsites,andtakingthisintoaccountduringthedesignanddevelopmentoffunctionalGreenInfrastructurethatwillbenefitbothpeopleandwildlife.
Suggestedfurtherreading:
Handleyetal.(2003),Accessible Natural Greenspace Standards in Towns and Cities: A Review and Toolkit for their Implementation EnglishNatureResearchReportNo.526(canbedownloadedfromwww.naturalengland.org.uk/publications)
above: Some brownfields can act as outdoor classrooms and provide valuable opportunities for people to interact with nature
right: The UKBAP Shrill carder bee (Bombus sylvarum)
seCtIon tItle
Picture credits: left - © greg Hitchcock; top right - ©John Mason; bottom right - ©nico vereecken
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BRoWnFIelds: a Haven FoR BIodIveRsIty
Brownfields: a haven for biodiversity
Thereisstillalingeringperceptionthatbrownfieldsitesareneglectedwastelandsthataredevoidofinterest,eitherforpeopleorforwildlife.Yetbiodiversityoftenthrivesinsuchapparentlyabandonedsituations,wheredecadesmayhavepassedsincehumanactivitytookplace.Recentstudieshavehighlightedthatbrownfieldlandisoftenthebestoronlyavailablehabitatformanyrareandendangeredspecies,includingmanyUKBAPPriorityspecies,notjustinurbanareasbutinthewidercountrysidetoo.Indeedtheinvertebraterarityanddiversityofsomebrownfieldsitesisonlyequalledbythatofsomeancientwoodlands(Barker,2000)–aremarkablefactwhenyouconsiderthatwhileitcantakehundredsofyearsforawoodlandtomature,abrownfieldsitehasoftenonlybeeninexistenceforafewdecades.
Brownfieldsitesalsoplayapartinmaintainingthebiodiversityofthewiderarea.Asimportantreservesofbiodiversityinurbanareas,thelossofbrownfieldsitesislikelytoreducetheamountofwildlifeweseeinourgardensandparks.Thevalueofbrownfieldsitesincontributingtowiderecologicalnetworks,aswellastheprovisionof‘ecosystemservices’suchaspollination,shouldbeanimportantconsiderationwithintheplanningprocess.Thewiderecologicalimportanceofapotentialdevelopmentsiteshouldbeconsideredwhenassessingenvironmentalimpacts,inmuchthesamewayasthepotentialimpactonneighbouringareaswithstatutorydesignation(suchasSitesofSpecialScientificInterest)isevaluated.
Key features of a biodiversity-rich brownfield site
Thereasonwhywildlife-richbrownfieldsitesareabletosupportsuchhighbiodiversitycanbesummedupinasingleword–variety.
Someofthekeyfeaturesthatcontributetothisvarietyaresummarisedhere.
Artificialsubstrates,suchascrackedandcrumblingconcrete,coupledwithalackoftopsoilproduceanutrientpoorgrowingmedium.Theselow nutrient levelspreventfastgrowingspecies,suchasgrassesandnettles,fromdominating,andthuspromotehigh plant diversity.Thelackoftopsoilmayalsoresultindryconditions,andthedrought-stressthatthiscausesencourageshigh flower abundance.Thishighplantdiversityleadstohighanimaldiversity;eachspeciesofplantislikelytohaveitsownassociatedinvertebratespecieswhichwillfeedontheplantitself,oronthenectarandpollenprovidedbytheflowers.Theseinvertebrateswillattractyetmorewildlife,includingotherinvertebrates,reptiles,birdsandmammals.
Withintheseareasofhighplantdiversityandflowerabundance,patchesofbare groundandexposedearthbanks,whichmaybearesultofpublicuseofthesite,canprovideimportantnestingareasforinvertebrates.Thisdisturbanceleadstovariousstagesofsuccessionwithinsites,addingtotheall-importantvariety.sparsely vegetated areasarealsoimportanttomanyspecies,withrubbleandbaregroundprovidingasunnyspotforinvertebratesandreptilestobaskin.
Theremainsofhardsurfacingandfoundationswillaffectthedrainageofthesite,andcanproduceseasonal and permanent water bodies.Coastal
andestuarinebrownfieldsitescansupportsaline-influencedareasthatmimicsaltmarshhabitatsandprovidehomesforseveralUKBAPspecies.
above: Disused railway lines can provide important corridors for wildlife
left: patches of bare ground can provide important nesting areas
left: The UKBAP Sea aster mining bee
(Colletes halophilus)
Picture credits: top - © Peter Harvey; bottom - © greg Hitchcock
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BRoWnFIelds and tHe UK BIodIveRsIty aCtIon plan
Manyinvertebrateseitherliveorover-winterinplantstems,leavesorseedheads.Fortheseanimalsitisthelack of managementonbrownfields,specificallythelackofmowingorgrazingofgrasslands,thatmakesthesesitessoimportantfortheirsurvival.
Thisdiversityofhabitats(oftenreferredtoasahabitat mosaic)combinedwithlackofmanagementisthekeytothewildlifevalueofbrownfieldland.Butwhyissomuchrarebiodiversityincreasinglyrestrictedtothislargelyurbanhabitat?Putsimply,
Brownfields and the UK Biodiversity action plan
Planningauthoritieshavealegaldutyto‘haveregardtotheconservationofbiodiversity’undertheNaturalEnvironmentandRuralCommunities(NERC)Act.InparticularitshouldbenotedthatthepresenceofUKBAPhabitatsandspeciesisamaterialconsiderationinthedetermination
ofplanningapplications.Earlyconsiderationofbiodiversitybyaplannersisthereforeimportantandthechangestoplanningapplicationvalidationrequirements(seepage12)provideanopportunitytofacilitatethis.
open Mosaic Habitats on Previously developed land
TheimportancethatbrownfieldsiteshaveinsupportingbiodiversityhasbeenrecognisedbytheGovernmentintheUKBAPPriorityhabitat‘OpenMosaicHabitatsonPreviouslyDevelopedLand’.Thismeansthatwildlife-richareasofbrownfieldlandareregardedasapriorityforconservation,andpublicbodieshavealegaldutytohaveregardtoconservingtheirbiodiversity.
Sowhatshouldplannersbelookingforwhenseekingtoidentifyexamplesofthispriorityhabitat?The‘brownfield’PriorityhabitatisuniqueamongUKBAPhabitatsinthatitrepresentsavarietyofhabitatsonanareadefinedbypreviousland-use,ratherthanasinglehabitattype.Thehabitatofbrownfieldsitesisbestdefinedintermsofvegetationstructure,ratherthanthroughspecifictypesofvegetation.OpenMosaicHabitatsonPreviouslyDevelopedLandmaybecharacterisedby
Suggestedfurtherreading:
Buglife,Brownfieldsleaflet.(Thisissuitableforageneralaudience.Forhardcopiespleaseemailinfo@buglife.org.uk.Notavailableelectronically)
Buglife(2008),Thames Gateway Brownfields: invertebrate biodiversity and management (canbedownloadedfromwww.buglife.org.uk/aboutbuglife/publications)
Gibson,CWD(1998),Brownfield: red data. The values artificial habitats have for uncommon invertebrates EnglishNatureResearchReportNo.273(canbedownloadedfromwww.naturalengland.org.uk/publications)
above: An urban brownfield site showing a variety of plant species and open areas for sun-loving invertebrates and reptiles
above: An ‘Open Mosaic Habitat on Previously Developed Land’
thecountrysidenolongerprovidestheabundanceorvarietyofhabitatsthatmanyspeciesneed.Wherehabitatmosaicswereoncecommoninthewidercountryside,intensivefarminghasnowmadetheseincreasinglyhardtofind.Whilenaturereservesareoftensmallandisolated,brownfieldsitestendtoclusteraroundex-industrialareasandestuaries.Theseprovideasizeablemosaicofhabitatswhichcollectivelysupportpopulationsofspecieswhichcan’tsurviveinthelong-termonsmallreservesduetoissueswithpopulationsizeandinbreeding.
Picture credit: left - © Martha Benoit; top right - © Peter Harvey; bottom right - © Michael Brace – www.wildaboutkent.com
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unmanaged,flower-richgrasslandswithsparsely-vegetatedareasonnutrient-poorsubstrates.Theymayalsocontainfeatureswhichcontributetothehabitatvariety,suchaspatchesofbareground,seasonallywetareasandpatchesofscrub.Brownfieldlandwhichmatchesthisdescription,inwholeorinpart,shouldbeconsideredaPriorityhabitat.AnofficialhabitatdefinitioniscurrentlybeingdevelopedbyDEFRA.
Siteswhichdemonstratethesecharacteristicsarelikelytosupporthighbiodiversity,andfurtherecologicalsurveysshouldbeundertaken.Because
thegeologyandlandusehistoryofbrownfieldsiteswillvaryfromregiontoregion,andfromsitetosite,thespeciespresentwillalsovary,sosurveyswillneedtobetargetedaccordingly.
Biodiversity action Plan species
ManyoftheUK’smostthreatenedinvertebratespecieshaveastrongassociationwithbrownfieldhabitats.Afewspecies,suchastheStreakedbombardierbeetle(Brachinus sclopeta)andDistinguishedjumpingspider(Sitticus distinguendus)areonlyknownfromafewbrownfieldsites,and
theirfuturedependsuponprotectionthroughtheplanningprocess.BrownfieldsitesarealsokeyhabitatsforscarceanddecliningbutterfliessuchastheDingy
Skipper,GrizzledSkipperandGrayling.TheShrillCarderbumblebee(Bombus sylvarum)isrestrictedtoahandfulofpopulations,andbrownfieldsitesareofkeyimportancetoitslong-termsurvival.ListsofUKBAPinvertebratespeciesassociatedwithbrownfieldlandcanbefoundontheBuglifewebsiteatwww.buglife.org.uk/aboutbuglife/publications
Brownfieldlandisalsoknowntosupportanumberofprotected species,includingGreat
crestednewts,Slowworms,CommonlizardsandtheBlackredstart,ararebirdassociatedwithbrownfieldsitesintownsandcities.
IdentIFyInG WIldlIFe-RICH BRoWnFIeld sItes
Identifying wildlife-rich brownfield sites
gathering information for forward planning
Whenplanningforbrownfieldbiodiversity,preventioniscertainlybetterthancure.Safeguardingexistingimportanthabitatsandspecieswhenconsideringpossiblesiteallocationscanhelptoreducetheneedforcostlymitigationandcompensationatalaterstage,andisamoreeffectiveapproachtoconservingbiodiversity.
Thechallengeforplannersistoensurethattheyhaveadequateinformationonthebiodiversityofbrownfieldsiteswhenmakingsiteallocations.Eveninadvanceofafullecologicalsurvey,thebiodiversityofabrownfieldsitecanbeprovisionallyassessedbyidentifyingthekeyhabitatsandfeaturesforwildlife.Buglifehasdevelopedaneasy-to-use
Suggestedfurtherreading:
Buglife(2008)Assessing Brownfield Biodiversity(canbedownloadedfromwww.buglife.org.uk/aboutbuglife/publications)
siteassessmentform,whichprovidesarapidwayofrecordingfeaturesofimportancetobiodiversityandassessingthepotentialbiodiversity(seeSuggestedfurtherreading,below).ThiscanbecombinedwithGeographicalInformationSystemstoprovidean‘alertmap’toinformsiteallocations,scopingopinionsandplanningapplications.Thisinformationdoesnotremovetheneedforadequateecologicalinformationattheapplicationstage,butcanbeausefultooltohighlightpotentialenvironmentalimpactsandsurveyrequirementsatanearlystageandthusspeeduptheplanningprocess.
left: The UKBAP Streaked bombardier
beetle (Brachinus sclopeta)
left: The UKBAP Distinguished jumping spider
(Sitticus distinguendus)
left: Brownfield sites can also
support populations of protected species such
as Common lizards
Picture credit: © greg Hitchcock
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ecological surveys
Planningforbrownfieldbiodiversityshouldbeinformedbygoodecologicalinformation.Manyspecies,includingUKBAPPriorityandprotectedspecies,occuronsiteswhicharenotpartofthedesignatedsitesnetwork.Therefore,site-specificinformationisnecessaryinordertoadequatelyaddresstherequirementsofPlanningPolicyStatement9:BiodiversityandGeologicalConservationanddemonstratecompliancewiththeNERCActduty.Surveyresultsshouldaccompanytheplanningapplicationssothataninformedplanningdecisioncanbemade,andanyrecommendationsshouldbesecuredthroughplanningconditions.
Thesuccessofsurveysonbrownfieldsitescanoftendependupontheexperienceofthesurveyorinassessingsuchsitesandthemappingdetailatwhichsurveysareundertaken.Phase1habitatsurveyscanbeinconsistentinidentifyingbiodiversitypotential,sincebrownfieldsitesareoftenacomplexmosaicofhabitats.Surveyorsshouldbefamiliarwithbrownfieldecologyandundertakemappingatalevelofdetailthatisabletoidentifyanyhabitatmosaicpresent.Ifthescaleatwhichhabitatsaremappedistoobroad,habitatmosaicsmaybemissed,givingtheimpressionthatthepotentialwildlifeinterestislowerthanitis;thiscouldalso
Suggestedfurtherreading:
FurtherguidanceforsurveyingforinvertebrateonbrownfieldsitescanbefoundinBuglife(2008),Thames Gateway brownfields: invertebrate diversity and management (canbedownloadedfromwww.buglife.org.uk/aboutbuglife/publications)
EnglishNature(2005),Organising surveys to determine site quality for invertebrates(canbedownloadedfromwww.naturalengland.org.uk/publications)
What should a brownfield ecology survey include?Surveysofbrownfieldsitesprovidedwithplanningapplicationsshouldindicate:
•Thesite’sbiodiversityinterest,includingthe presence,orlikelypresence,ofanyUKBAp habitatsorspecies
•Itslocal,regionalandnationalsignificancein termsofbiodiversity
•AnyhabitatsandfeaturesofimportanceInvertebratesurveysarelikelytobe important,andshouldtargetkeygroupssuchasbees/wasps,butterflies/moths,flies,beetlesandspiders.Surveyswillneedtotakeplaceoveranumberofvisitsduringtheappropriatemonthsoftheyear,whileemployingavarietyofmethods(suchassweepnetting,pitfalltrappingandhandsearches).
leadtoafailuretoidentifythepresenceoftheUKBAP‘OpenMosaicHabitats’Priorityhabitat.
Aninvertebratesurveyisoftenthekeysurveyforidentifyingthebiodiversityvalueofbrownfieldsites,onaccountofthehighnumberofrareinvertebratespecies(includingasignificantnumberofUKBAPpriorityspecies)associatedwithsuchsites.Theinvertebratebiodiversityisoftendominatedbygroupssuchasbutterflies,beetles,bees,waspsandspiders,andamajorityoftherare(RedDataBookandUKBAP)speciespresentonbrownfieldlandarefromthesegroups.Themosteffectivesitesurveysshouldthereforepayparticularattentiontothesegroups.Reptilesurveysarealsooftenappropriate;theopenconditions,areassuitableforhibernationandhighinvertebratenumberscanleadtolargereptilepopulations.Greatcrestednewtsmayalsobefoundonbrownfieldsites.
IDENTIFYING WILDLIFE-RICH BROWNFIELD SITES
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BRoWnFIelds and plannInG polICy
Brownfields and planning policy
Theplanningsystemisresponsiblefordeterminingwhat,whereandhowdevelopmenthappens.Allplanningdecisionsareexpectedtobemadeinaccordancewiththedevelopmentplan,andinlinewithnationalplanningpolicy,exceptwherethereisanover-ridingreasontodepartfromthese.Thereareanumberofplanningpoliciesrelatingtobrownfielddevelopment,butunderpinningtheseisthegoalthatplanningauthoritiesshouldseektoavoidharmtobiodiversityinthefirstinstance.Ifthisisnotpossible,thenthatharmwillneedtobeadequatelymitigatedor,asalastresort,compensatedfor.Theultimateaimshouldbetoachieveanetgaininbiodiversity.
Thissectiongivesanoverviewofthepolicyandlegislationthataffectsbrownfieldland,encompassingboththedriversfordevelopmentandsafeguardsforbiodiversity.Itevaluatestheeffectivenessofcurrentpolicyandlegislationdesignedtoprotectbiodiversity,identifiesanyshortcomingsandrecommendshowthesecanbeaddressed.Pleasenotethatbrownfieldisdefinedthroughoutthisguideasnotincludinggardens.
Thepotentialchallengetosustainabledevelopmentcausedbybrownfieldlandrichinbiodiversityisnotinsurmountable.Ashasalreadybeenshowninthisguide,whereup-to-dateenvironmentalinformationisavailabletoplannersthiscanplayavitalroleinsupportinggenuinelysustainableplanningdecisionsandpreventingunnecessarycostsanddelays.
natural environment & Rural Communities act (2006)
TheintroductionoftheNERCActwasanimportantstepforwardfornatureconservation.Section40statesthat“Everypublicauthoritymust,inexercisingitsfunctions,haveregard,sofarasisconsistentwiththeproperexerciseofthosefunctions,tothepurposeofconservingbiodiversity.”ToensurecompliancewiththeNERCAct,planningauthoritiesneedtosatisfytherequirementsofppS9,whichincludeshavingaccesstoadequateandup-to-datebiodiversityinformationaboutindividualsites.Thisisparticularlysignificantforbrownfieldland,wherethepresumptioninfavourofdevelopmentcanleadtositesbeingallocatedwithlittleornosurveyhavingtakenplace.
Planning Policy statement 1: delivering sustainable development
PPS1isakeydriverofbrownfielddevelopment.ItprioritisesthereuseofPreviouslyDevelopedLand,withtheobjectiveofreducingurbansprawl.PPS1alsopresentsapotentialconflictforthoselookingtoprioritisethedevelopmentofbrownfieldsites.Itstatesthattodeliversustainabledevelopmentplannersshouldseekto‘enhanceaswellasprotectbiodiversity.’PPS1alsocallsforhigherdensitiesofdevelopment,thereby‘increasingoutputwhilereducingresourceuse’(theresourceinquestionbeingland).Yetbuildingathighdensitiesislikelytomakeprotectionofbiodiversitymorechallengingtoachieve,exceptwherethisallowsimportantareasofexistinghabitattoremainundevelopedandretainedasbiodiversity-richGreenInfrastructure.Thedensityofdevelopmentthatsitescansustainablysupportwillvaryfromsitetosite,andsite-basedecologicalinformationwillberequiredtoinformthedecisionmakingprocess.
Planning Policy statement 3: Housing
PlanningPolicyStatement3:Housing(PPS3)isthemaindriverforthedevelopmentofPreviouslyDevelopedLand(PDL),settingthenationaltargetof60%ofnewhousingtobeprovidedonPDL.Governmentreportssuggestthatthistargetisbeingmet,andexceededinmanyplaces.DespitearecentRoyalCommissionreportcallingforthetargettobereviewed,therearecommitmentstomaintainitfortheforeseeablefuture.
WithinPPS3thereisonepotential(butusuallyoverlooked)safeguardforbrownfieldbiodiversity.ThedefinitionofPreviouslyDevelopedLandfoundinthepolicyexcludessitesthathavebeen“previouslydevelopedbutwheretheremainsofanystructureoractivityhaveblendedintothelandscapeintheprocessoftime(totheextentthatitcanreasonablybeconsideredaspartofthenaturalsurroundings)”.Thisprovidesplannerswithanopportunitytoevaluatewhetherdevelopmentofabrownfieldsiteisappropriate,orindeedifthesitefitstheofficialdefinitionofPDL.Sitesthathaveblendedinshouldbetreatedasgreenfield.
Buthowmightthe‘blendedintothelandscape’definitionbeappliedinpractice?Itisnotnecessaryforsitestohavelostalltraceoftheirformerusetobeconsideredtohave‘blendedintothelandscape’.Thishasbeendemonstratedinthelawcourts,thoughitisimportantthateachsiteisassessedinitsowncontext.Itistheroleoftheplanningauthority
Picture credit: © Peter Harvey
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todetermine“theextentthatitcanreasonablybeconsideredaspartofthenaturalsurroundings”.Thiswilloftenbeasubjectivejudgement,anditshouldbeborneinmindthatbrownfieldwildlifecanco-existalongsidethecrumblingman-madestructures–indeedsuchfeaturescanevensupportbiodiversity–solargeareasofcrackedtarmacandconcretedon’tautomaticallyprecludeasitefrombeingconsideredasanaturalasset.Thepresenceofsignificantlevelsofbiodiversityisavalidargumentthatasitehas‘blendedintothelandscape’,evenifman-madestructuresarestillvisible–thewildlifewillbethebestindicatorofsitestatus.ThisgivesadegreeofflexibilitytoplannersinhowtheychoosetocategoriseanddealwithPreviouslyDevelopedLand.
Mineralsextractionsitesarealso‘brownfield’,althoughwhereprovisionforrestorationhasbeenmadetheyarenotconsideredasPreviouslyDevelopedLand(asdefinedbyPPS3),andaredealt
withunderMPS1:PlanningandMinerals.Mineralsextractionsitesoftenhavesignificantbiodiversityinterest,andthereareoftenopportunitiestomanagethemforthebenefitofwildlifeandpeopleifapragmaticapproachistakentooldplanningconditionswhichmaynolongerbeinlinewithcurrentlandusepriorities.
BROWNFIELDS AND PLANNING POLICY
above: Aggregates sites can provide wildlife oases in urban and farmed areas
Suggestedfurtherreading:
Guidanceonrestoringaggregatessitesforbiodiversityhasbeenproducedin‘Managing Aggregates Sites for Invertebrates: a best practice guide’,whichcanbedownloadedfromwww.buglife.org.uk/aboutbuglife/publications
Davies,A.M.(2006)Nature After Minerals: how mineral site restoration can benefit people and wildlife. RSPB,Sandy.
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Planning Policy statement 9: Biodiversity and geological conservation
PlanningPolicyStatement9isthekeynationalguidanceonhowbiodiversityistobeprotectedthroughtheplanningsystem.Thispolicypromotesaproactiveroleforplanningauthorities,recommendingtheconservationofbiodiversitythroughsiteprotectionpolicies,basingdecisionsonup-to-dateecologicalinformationandevidence,andbyinfluencingthedesignandformofnewdevelopment.PPS9statesthatifsignificantbiodiversityimpactscannotbeprevented,mitigatedorcompensatedfor,thenplanningpermissionshouldberefused.Thisappliestobrownfieldsitesasmuchastootherpotentialdevelopmentsites.
PPS9recognisesthepotentialpolicyconflictssurroundingthereuseofbrownfieldland,andmakesclearthatwheresiteshavebiodiversityimportancethisshouldberetained.Planningauthoritiesshouldensurethatthemostimportantbrownfieldsitesforbiodiversityareproperlyidentifiedandprotectedthroughlocalauthorityplanningpolicyor,whereappropriate,statutorydesignation(suchashappenedwithCanveyWickinsouthEssex,abrownfieldsitedesignatedasaSiteofSpecialScientificInterestin2005).
pps9 paragraph 13: There-useofpreviouslydevelopedlandfornewdevelopmentmakesamajorcontributiontosustainabledevelopmentbyreducingtheamountofcountrysideandundevelopedlandthatneedstobeused.However,wheresuchsiteshavesignificantbiodiversityorgeologicalinterestofrecognisedlocalimportance,localplanningauthorities,togetherwithdevelopers,shouldaimtoretainthisinterestorincorporateitintoanydevelopmentofthesite.
Suggestedfurtherreading:
Oxford,M(2006)PAS2010:Planning to halt the loss of biodiversity,BritishStandardsInstitute
pps9 paragraph 1 (i): Developmentplanpoliciesandplanningdecisionsshouldbebaseduponup-to-dateinformationabouttheenvironmentalcharacteristicsoftheirareas.Thesecharacteristicsshouldincludetherelevantbiodiversityandgeologicalresourcesofthearea.Inreviewingenvironmentalcharacteristicslocalauthoritiesshouldassessthepotentialtosustainandenhancethoseresources.
the requirement for robust ecological information
AsPPS9makesclear,itisimportantthatallplanningdecisionsarebaseduponup-to-dateinformationabouttheenvironmentalcharacteristicsofasite,includingitsbiodiversityvalue.PlanningPolicyStatement12:LocalSpatialPlanning
alsorequiresanadequateevidencebasefortheproductionofLocalDevelopmentFrameworks.
Thelevelandqualityofecologicalinformationavailablehasahugebearingonthedecisionmakingprocessatalllevelsofplanning,andcanbethedifferencebetweenbiodiversitylossesandsustainabledevelopment.Amajorcontributortothelossofbiodiversityinurbanareasislackofawarenessof,andinformationabout,theecologicalimportanceofbrownfields,whichcanresultinanunderestimationofthetrueimpactsofdevelopmentonbiodiversity.
OftenthefirstecologicalinformationavailabletoinformplanningdecisionscomesaspartofanEnvironmentalImpactAssessment(EIA)submittedbytheapplicant.Thiswillcomprisethemaininformationusedtoevaluateimpactsandtoinformtheresponsesofconsultees,anditistheresponsibilityoftheplanningauthoritytoensurethattheinformationisappropriateandsufficient.
Whenanecologicalassessmentisinadequate–forexample,wheresurveyshavebeenundertakenoutsideoftheoptimumseason,orwherekeyspecieshavebeenignored–thishasthepotentialtooverlooksignificantimpacts,therebycausingunnecessarydelaystotheplanningprocess(includingthroughobjectionsfromstatutoryandnon-statutoryconsultees).Suchdelayscanbeavoidedbyidentifyingthosebrownfieldsiteslikelytosupporthighbiodiversityattheforwardplanningstage,andensuringthattheyareproperlyassessed.
AccompanyingPPS9isthedocument‘PlanningforBiodiversityandGeologicalConservation–AGuidetoGoodPractice’(ODPM,2006).Thisemphasisestheneedforaninformationandevidencebaseto:supportthepreparationofRegionalSpatialStrategiesandLocalDevelopmentFrameworks;achieveaninformedstrategicandspatiallyplannedapproachtotheconservation,enhancementandrestorationofbiodiversity;andappraisetheenvironmentalimpactsofalldevelopment
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proposals.WithintheGuide,achecklistofcomponentsofanenvironmentalevidencebaseincludes‘informationonthebiodiversityvalueofpreviouslydevelopedsitesandtheopportunitiesforincorporatingthisindevelopments’.
validation of applications
SinceApril2008localauthoritieshavebeenabletomakea‘biodiversitysurveyandreport’arequirementforvalidationofplanningapplications(CLG,2007).Thetypeandextentoftheapplicationwilldeterminethelevelofdetailrequired,butthissystemstillrequiresalevelofbiodiversityinformationthatwillallowanassessmentofthelikelyaccuracyoftheinformationprovidedbytheapplicant.GuidanceforapplicantsshouldencouragethemtoidentifypotentialareasoftheUKBAphabitatOpenMosaicHabitatsonpreviouslyDevelopedLand,andhighlightanyfurthersurveysneededtoidentifyUKBApspeciesassociatedwithsuchhabitatsintheirregion.TheAssociationofLocalGovernmentEcologistshaveproducedguidanceandatemplatewhichcanbedownloadedatwww.alge.org.uk
BROWNFIELDS AND PLANNING POLICY
above: West Thurrock Marshes in the Thames Gateway was subject to a judicial review of its planning permission in 2008 over concerns that its biodiversity value was not adequately safeguarded
ItisalsoworthconsideringtheTownandCountryPlanning(EnvironmentalImpactAssessment)(EnglandandWales)Regulations1999inthiscontext.Regulation19statesthatanapplicantmayrequesta‘scopingopinion’fromtheplanningauthority.Planningauthoritiesshouldaimtobeinapositiontogiveaccuratescopingopinionsforbrownfielddevelopments,baseduponup-to-dateenvironmentalinformation,includingbiodiversityinformation.Asdiscussedelsewhereinthisguide,‘alertmaps’basedonpreliminarybrownfieldsiteassessmentsareagoodwayofaddressingthisrequirement.
Localauthorityecologistsandbiodiversityofficershaveanimportantroletoplayinhelpingtoensurethatadequateinformationismadeavailabletothosewhoneedit.Ecologistscanhelptointegratesustainabilityintoworkingpracticesanddecisions,andensurecompliancewithbiodiversitypolicyandlegislation.Wherelocalauthoritiesdonothaveaccesstoaprofessionalecologisttheywillneedtoseekouttheexpertiseofexternalbodies,suchasstatutorynatureconservationorganisations,biologicalrecordcentresandconservationorganisationssuchastheWildlifeTrust,RSPBandBuglife.
Picture credit: © greg Hitchcock
Picture credit: © greg Hitchcock
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Suggestedfurtherreading:
Lott,D(2006)Biodiversity data needs for Local Authorities and National Park Authorities,AssociationofLocalGovernmentEcologists(canbedownloadedfromwww.alge.org.uk)
OfficeoftheDeputyPrimeMinister(2006),Planning for Biodiversity and Geological Conservation – A Guide to Good Practice
Buglifewebsitewww.buglife.org.uk
locating development where it avoids harm to wildlife
UnderPPS9plannersshouldbesatisfiedthatdevelopmentissituatedwhereitwilldotheleastharmtobiodiversity.Well-informedforwardplanningshouldidentifythemostappropriatedevelopmentsitesearlyon.Planningauthoritiesneedtobeproactiveinbringingtogetherdevelopersandlandownerstoachievesustainabledevelopmentthroughprioritisingthedevelopmentofsitesthatwillhaveminimalimpactontheenvironment,includingsitesoflowbiodiversitysignificance.
Planningdecisionsshouldalsobeinformedbyanassessmentofotherpotentialdevelopmentsites,andreasonsastowhythesearenotrealisiticalternatives.Alternativesitesshouldbeconsideredinadvanceofimpact-avoidancemeasures–preventionbeforemitigation.Thisissoundeconomicaswellasenvironmentalreasoning.Theprioritisationoflowbiodiversitysitesprovidesabenefitinthatthecostsofmitigationorcompensationtodeveloperswillbelower,aswellasreducingimpactsonwildlife.
pps9 key principle 6: Wheregrantingplanningpermissionwouldresultinsignificantharmto[biodiversity]interests,localplanningauthoritieswillneedtobesatisfiedthatthedevelopmentcannotreasonablybelocatedonanyalternativesitesthatwouldresultinlessornoharm.Intheabsenceofanysuchalternatives,localplanningauthoritiesshouldensurethat,beforeplanningpermissionisgranted,adequatemitigationmeasuresareputinplace.
Greenfield or Brownfield?
Currentplanningpolicyprioritisespreviouslydevelopedorbrownfieldlandfordevelopmentandgivesgreenfieldlandmuchstrongerprotection.Yetasmuchof50%ofbrownfieldlandhasbeenfoundtosupporthighlevelsofbiodiversity.Theplanningsystemhasadutytohaveregardtoconservingexistingbiodiversity,whereverthisoccurs.Amoreevidence-basedapproachtothelocationofnewdevelopmentshouldbepursued,sothatareaswiththelowestenvironmentalimpactareprioritisedfordevelopment,regardlessofwhethertheyarebrownfieldorgreenfield.
right: A flower-rich wetland area on a brownfield site that supports several UKBAP species
Picture credit: stony meadow grassland © Matt Prescott
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designing for biodiversity
Wheredevelopmentcannotbeavoided,carefully-designedmitigationistheprincipaltoolforreducingtheimpacts.Itisextremelyimportantthatup-to-dateenvironmentalinformationisavailabletoinformandshapethedesignofnewdevelopment.Ecologicalsurveyshelptoidentifytheextentanddistributionofhabitatsorfeaturesofimportanceforwildlife,andshouldinformanyproposedmitigationand/orpositivenatureconservationmeasures.
Existingfeaturesofvaluetobiodiversityshouldberetainedwithinnewdevelopment.Invariablyasitewillcontainareasofhabitatthatcontributelesstobiodiversitythanothers,andtheseshouldbeprioritisedfordevelopmentoverareasofhighbiodiversityvalue.Wherepossible,areasthatallowmovementofspeciesthroughasiteshouldalsobeconserved,especiallywhenthatsitemayprovidealinkbetweenothersites,parks,gardensorotherhabitats.
Thephasingofmitigationiscrucialtoitssuccess.Newlycreatedhabitatsshouldbeinplacebeforedestructionofthehabitatthattheyarereplacing,andadequatetimemustbegivenforthesehabitatstoestablishandtoenablewildlifetomovein.Mitigationthatisunabletoprovidecontinuityofhabitatforwildlifeisunlikelytobesuccessful.Phasingmayrequireanumberofyearswherethebiodiversityandhabitatcomplexityisespeciallyhigh.
Opportunitiestocreatenewhabitatsandfeaturesofvaluetobrownfieldbiodiversityshouldalsobetaken,bothinlandscapingandalsointhedesignofnewbuildings.Brownfieldspeciesoftenhaveveryspecialisedrequirements,andsuccessfulmitigationneedstotakeaccountofthis.Beneficialfeaturesincludeexposedearthbanks,areasofsparselyvegetatedstonyground,seasonallywetareasandpatchesofbaregroundwithinunmanagedgrassland.Areasofwildflowergrasslandwhichuse
nativenectar-richspeciesarealsoimportantforwildlife,withlowfertilitysoilthekeytosuccessfulestablishment.Thesenutrientpoorsoilsaresignificantlylessexpensivethanthe‘topsoil’oftenusedinpost-developmentlandscaping.
pps9 paragraph 14: Developmentproposalsprovidemanyopportunitiesforbuilding-inbeneficialbiodiversityorgeologicalfeaturesaspartofgooddesign.Whenconsideringproposals,localplanningauthoritiesshouldmaximisesuchopportunitiesinandarounddevelopments,usingplanningobligationswhereappropriate.
BROWNFIELDS AND PLANNING POLICY
living roofs for biodiversity
Greenroofsandwallsareonewaytoincorporatehabitatsforbiodiversitywithinnewdevelopment,andplanningauthoritiesshouldbeactivelypromotingtheseinpre-applicationdiscussionswithdevelopers.‘Livingroofs’aredistinctivefromsedum-basedsystems,astheyarespeciallydesignedforwildlife,recreatingtheflower-richrubblesubstratestypicalofbrownfieldsites.AnewprojectledbyBuglifeandLivingRoofsiscreatingroofsthatwillhelptoprovidenewhabitatsforbrownfieldbiodiversityinLondon.
above: Imaginative landscaping can provide colourful habitats for people and wildlife
Picture credit: laban dance centre, london © livingroofs.org
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Thechallengeofmitigatingtheadverseeffectsofbrownfielddevelopmentisthatsomeofthesefeaturesmaynotbeasaestheticallypleasingasmoretraditional(butlesseffective)mitigationmeasures.Howeverthiscanbeaddressedthroughinnovativedesign–suchasusingbrightly-colouredsubstrates–andprovidinginformationandinterpretationtoresidentsaboutthevalueofsuchfeaturesforwildlife.Asenseofownershipcanalsobegainedthoughinvolvementinthemanagementprocess.Makingsmallconcessionsinmanagement,suchasmowingtheedgesoflonggrassareasandprovidingaccessthroughsuchareas,canalsoillustratethatthefeaturesare‘caredfor’.
Managing brownfields for wildlife
Securingthelong-termmanagementofwildlifeareasisanimportantconsideration.Amanagement
planwillusuallybenecessaryonsitesofsignificantwildlifevalue.Thewildlifehabitatsofbrownfieldsitesoftenrequireadifferenttypeofmanagementtotypicalurbangreenspace.Brownfieldhabitatsmayhavebeencreatedandmaintainedbyman-madeprocessessuchasdisturbancefromrobustpublicuse.Iftheseprocessesareconstrainedasaresultofsitedevelopment,theywillneedtobereplicatedtoensurethelongtermsuccessofthemitigation.Managementplansshouldbedrawnupinconsultationwithexperiencedecologists,NaturalEnglandandothernatureconservationorganisationswhereappropriate.Thesuccessofmitigationmeasuresshouldbemonitoredthroughperiodicsurveys,andadaptediftheyarefoundtobeineffective.Monitoringandmanagement,andtheassociatedmanagementplan,shouldbesecuredthroughappropriatelywordedplanningconditionsandSection106agreements.
above: Well designed living roofs can mitigate some of the impacts of development on biodiversity
Picture credits: left - © gyongyver Kadas; right - © gregory Hitchcock
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national Brownfield strategy
TheNationalBrownfieldStrategy(NBS)istheGovernment’spolicyframeworkforbrownfielddevelopment.TheNBSsetsoutthepolicymeasuresnecessarytoensuresustainablereuseofbrownfieldland.Thestrategyaimsto“encourage and promote best practice in the reuse of PDL which recognises the biodiversity value, or nature conservation importance, of some brownfield sites and is consistent with the principles of sustainable development.”Itrecognisesthatdevelopmentwillnotalwaysbethemostappropriateoptionfor
sustainablereuseofbrownfields,acknowledgingtheneedtoprotecttheUKBAphabitatOpenMosaicHabitatsonpreviouslyDevelopedLand.TheNBSalsostatesthat‘Developers need to do more to assess the environmental implications of their proposals for brownfield sites at an early stage, in consultation with appropriate agencies’(CLG,2008).
TheBrownfieldGuide,RecommendationstoGovernmentandassociateddocumentscanbedownloadedfromhttp://www.englishpartnerships.co.uk/landsupplypublications.htm
Suggestedfurtherreading:
Town&CountryPlanningAssociation(2004),Biodiversity by Design(canbedownloadedfromhttp://www.tcpa.org.uk/biodiversitybydesign.htm)
GeneralbrownfieldmanagementguidelinesaregiveninBuglife(2008),Thames Gateway brownfields: invertebrate diversity and management (canbedownloadedfromwww.buglife.org.uk/aboutbuglife/publications)
BROWNFIELDS AND PLANNING POLICY
above: This sparsely vegetated stony area successfully recreates one of the habitat types present on brownfield sites, and will support a number of scarce invertebrates including UKBAP species
above: Features such as this bank of Pulverised Fuel Ash provide important nesting areas for invertebrates and should be retained in development plans
Picture credit: © Peter Harvey
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ConClUsIon
Conclusion
Makingdecisionsthatseektointegrateeconomicdevelopment,improvequalityoflifeandconserveenvironmentalassetsaredemandingresponsibilitiesforplanningauthorities.Thisisparticularlychallengingwhenassessingtheroleofbrownfieldlandindeliveringregeneration.Wherebrownfieldlandsupportssignificantlevelsofbiodiversity,policiesdrivingbrownfielddevelopmentcancreaterealchallengestoachievingenvironmentallysustainabledevelopment.Wheresufficientecologicalinformationisinplaceitcanmakeachievingasustainableoutcomeconsiderablyeasier.
Planningauthoritiesneedtobeproactiveindeliveringbiodiversityconservationthroughtheplanningprocess,notjustthroughdevelopmentcontroldecisionsbutalsobygatheringthebiodiversityinformationnecessarytoinformforwardplanning.Itisonlythroughadequateforwardplanningforbiodiversitythatnegativeimpactscanbeforeseenandavoided.Thisinformation-baseddecision-makingcanalsocontributetothedevelopmentoffunctionalGreenInfrastructurethathelpstomitigateagainsttheimpactsofclimatechangeforwildlife,aswellassupportingtheecosystemservicesthatunderpinoureconomicandsocialwellbeing.
Effectiveforwardplanningforbiodiversityisonlypartofthesolution.Theincreasinglevelofdevelopmentonbrownfieldlandpredictedwillmakeenvironmentalimpactsunavoidable.Yetwhereplanningauthoritiesinfluencethedesignofnewdevelopment,thiscanhelptoensurethatitcontinuestoprovidevaluablehabitatsforwildlife.Mitigationthatisinformedbyappropriatesurvey,maintainshabitatcontinuityandisextensiveenoughtomaintainorenhancebiodiversityinthelong-termwillalsobeessential.Highstandardsofsurvey,designandlong-termsustainablemanagement,supportedbytherelevantprofessionalbodies,willbeneededifbiodiversityandnewdevelopmentaretoco-existsuccessfully.
Farfrombeingaconstraint,thewildlifeofbrownfieldsitesprovidesarealopportunitytoputbiodiversityattheheartofnewdevelopment.Increasinglyitisrecognisedthatwhendevelopmentsmakespaceforwildlifetheyarehealthierandmoreattractiveplacestolive.Thepoliciesandtoolstomakethishappenalreadyexist,andinitiativessuchasEco-townsprovideanopportunitytomainstreamthis.Allweneednowisamorecoordinatedandinformedapproachtoprotectingbiodiversityinthereuseofbrownfieldland.
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Barker, g. (2000). Ecological recombination in urban areas: implications for nature conservation. ProceedingsofaworkshopheldattheCentreforEcologyandHydrology(MonksWood).
Buglife (2008)Assessing Brownfield BiodiversityBuglife-TheInvertebrateConservationTrust,Peterborough
Buglife (2008),Thames Gateway brownfields: invertebrate diversity and managementBuglife–TheInvertebrateConservationTrust,Peterborough
Butterfly conservation (2006), Brownfields for Butterflies
communities & local government (2006),Planning Policy Statement 3: Housing
communities & local government (2007),The Validation of Planning Applications
communities & local government (2008),Securing the Future Supply of Brownfield Land
davies, a.M. (2006),Nature After Minerals: how mineral site restoration can benefit people and wildlife. RSPB,Sandy
de vries, s, verheij, ra, groenewegen, PP & spreeuwenberg, P (2003),Natural environments – healthy environments? An exploratory analysis of the relationship between greenspace and health.EnvironmentalPlanningA35,1717-1731
defra (2007),An introductory guide to valuing ecosystem services (andassociateddocuments)
department for communities & local government (2006),Planning Policy Guidance 17: Planning for open space, sport & recreation
english nature (2005),Organising surveys to determine site quality for invertebrates
EnglishNatureResearchReportNo.526
fuller, ra, irvine, Kn, devine-wright, P, warren, PH & gaston, KJ (2007),Psychological benefits of greenspace increase with biodiversity,BiologyLetters3,390-394
gibson, cwd (1998),Brownfield: red data. The values
artificial habitats have for uncommon invertebratesEnglishNatureResearchReportNo.273
Handley et al. (2003),Accessible Natural Greenspace Standards in Towns and Cities: A Review and Toolkit for their ImplementationHarvey, P.r. (2000)The East Thames Corridor:anationally important invertebrate fauna under threat. BritishWildlife12(2):91-98
HM government (2005),Securing the future: delivering the UK sustainable development strategy
Kuo, fe (2001),Coping with poverty: impacts of environment and attention in the inner city.Environ.Behav.33,5-34
lott, d (2006) Biodiversity data needs for Local Authorities and National Park Authorities,AssociationofLocalGovernmentEcologists
office of the deputy prime Minster (2005),Planning Policy Statement 1: Delivering Sustainable Development
office of the deputy Prime Minister (2005),Planning Policy Statement 9: Biodiversity and Geological Conservation
office of the deputy Prime Minister (2004),Planning Policy Statement 12: Local Development Frameworks
office of the deputy Prime Minister (2006),Planning for Biodiversity and Geological Conservation – A Guide to Good Practice
oxford, M (2006)PAS2010:Planning to halt the loss of biodiversity,BritishStandardsInstitute
sullivan, wc, Kuo, fe & dePooter, sf (2004), The fruit of urban nature: vital neighbourhood spaces. Environ.Behav.36,678-700
town & country Planning association (2004),Biodiversity by Design
ulrich, rs (1984),View through a window may influence recovery from surgery Science 224, 420-421
whitehouse, a.t. (2008)Managing Aggregates Sites forInvertebrates: a best practice guide.Buglife-TheInvertebrateConservationTrust,Peterborough.
ReFeRenCes
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BuglifegratefullyacknowledgesthefinancialsupportoftheEsméeFairbairnFoundation.
Buglifewishestothankthefollowingorganisationsfortheirinputintotheguide:NaturalEngland;EnvironmentAgency;RSPB;theWildlifeTrustsofEssex,KentandLondon;ButterflyConservation,BumblebeeConservationTrust;andtheRoyalTownPlanningInstitute.
Itshouldbenotedthattheviewsexpressedinthisguidearenotnecessarilythoseoftheorganisationsabove.
above: Brownfield sites are capable of supporting high biodiversity and human recreation – in this case mountain-biking
Picture credit: © greg Hitchcock
aCKnoWledGements
Conservingthesmallthingsthatruntheworld
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www.buglife.org.uk
Picture credits: stonepit close quarry © greg Hitchcock; sea aster mining
bee (Colletes halophilus) © nico vereecken
Designed by Green Passion Creative www.green-passion.co.uk Printed on 100% recycled stock using vegetable oil-based inks.
this report should be referenced as:Buglife (2009) Planning for Brownfield Biodiversity: a best practice guide. Buglife - the invertebrate conservation trust, Peterborough
ISBN:978-1-904878-92-6