In the remaining stages of the Environment Bill this week, Richard is supporting New Clause 16, making protection of biodiversity a condition for planning permission and Amendment 41, allowing planning authorities to take unlawful tree felling by landowners into account when considering planning applications.
Richard Fuller, MP for North East Bedfordshire, said:
I am supporting these amendments because there are small steps we can take to encourage good behaviour and stop bad development as it is important that developers are given the right carrot and stick to fulfil our biodiversity objectives.
The details of the amendments can be found here.
NC 16: “Protection of bio-diversity as condition of planning permission (1) The Town and Country Planning Act 1990 is amended as set out in section (2). (2) After section 70(2), insert— “(2A) Any grants of planning permission for residential development in England must be subject to a condition that such a development does not have a detrimental effect on the local levels of nature conservation and bio-diversity.””
Amendment 41: Schedule 15, page 224, line 41, at end insert— “Planning decisions, felling without a licence and failure to comply with restocking orders 6A (1) The Town and Country Planning Act 1990 is amended as follows:12 Wednesday 26 May 2021 REPORT STAGE (2) In section 70(2) (Determination of applications: general considerations), after “material considerations” insert— “including previous convictions held by the landowner for unlawful tree felling, and failure to comply with restocking and enforcement orders.”
