Biodiversity protection method statement

[Drellingore]

Has anyone written or seen a biodiversity protection method statement? This is not to be confused with the biodiversity enhancement plan: the protection statement is how you'll not make things worse while building, and the enhancement is how you'll leave things better once you're done.

 

We've got the below planning condition, and annoyingly it requires a bat survey before we can do anything on site. I'm guessing that these conditions have started popping up in response to the Environment Act 2021, but that the substance of them may well have existing in older documents with a different name? I would've thought protected species would need some bureaucratic backside-covering before the most recent changes?

 

Our ecologists are great and we are very happy with them, but if this document is going to be a load of generic copypasta then I'm tempted to save myself a few hundred quid. ChatGPT's Deep Research has found a few rural developments in my area that were asked to provide similar documents, but as the documents are required post-approval for the discharge of conditions they don't seem to be publicly available anywhere, unlike documents that make up the main planning application.

 

Here's the condition that we need to satisfy:

 

Quote

No development will take place (including any ground works, site or vegetation clearance), until a method statement for the protection of biodiversity including (but not necessarily limited to) roosting bats, nesting birds, reptiles, badgers, hazel dormice, great crested newts and hedgehogs during site, vegetation clearance and construction works has been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The content of the method statement will be informed by:

1. An up-to-date bat emergence survey undertaken during May, June or September

2. Updated ecological surveys of the site (if necessary due to habitat changes/time since the previous ecological surveys),
   and will include:
   a) Purpose and objectives of the method statement
   b) Working method, including timings and sensitive methods of vegetation removal and building works, necessary to achieve stated objectives
   c) Extent and location of all features with potential ecological interest shown on appropriate scale plans
   d) Provision of species translocation, displacement and/or rescue, as necessary
   e) Persons responsible for implementing works, including times during site clearance/construction when specialist ecologists need to be present on site to undertake/oversee works.
   f) 'Toolbox talk' information regarding species encounters that will be provided to contractors prior to works commencing.
   The works will be carried out in accordance with the approved details.
   Reason: These details are required prior to commencement to ensure any species affected by the development are safeguarded.

 

Edited Monday at 15:09 by Drellingore

[ToughButterCup]

First port of call: the LPA website. Download and pick apart any that you find.....

 

Next : heres what ChatGTP spewed forth....

 

[Drellingore]

2 minutes ago, ToughButterCup said:

heres what ChatGTP spewed forth....

 

Ha, looks like just asking it bog-standard questions might work better in this instance than using Deep Research!

 

I wonder if we should start some sort of UK open source document template repository for self-builders.