Protected Species
Policies DC5 and DC6 of the General Development Control Policies Document of the Horsham District Local Development Framework seek to protect, conserve or enhance the biodiversity of the District and to resist development on or near to sites where demonstrable harm to ancient woodland would be caused.
Natural England are an important consultee in the determination of applications relevant to the above policies and has issued standing advice for applications which may affect protected species or ancient woodland. The standing advice is available on the Natural England website.
The standing advice contains information of relevance to developers or individual applicants submitting an application which may have impact upon either protected species (including bats, barn owls and greater crested newts) or ancient woodland.
Standing advice is a material consideration in the determination of applications in the same way as a letter received from Natural England following consultation.
The aim of the standing advice is to assist LPAs in the protection of species and ancient woodland, streamline the determination process and secure the best outcomes for the natural environment.
The protected species standing advice will replace individual consultation responses for applications where insufficient information has been provided and should result in fewer objections and appeals against non determination or refusal.
The ancient woodland standing advice will help inform whether planning consent should be granted where an application may affect ancient woodland and also offers guidance on how the protection of ancient woodland can be included in Local Development Frameworks.