Green Infrastructure Statements

Key Points

  • The state of Britain’s biodiversity is currently amongst the worst in the world.
  • As a result, the Environment (Wales) Act 2016 requires Welsh local authorities to ensure that all future development activities preserve and improve biodiversity.
  • Therefore, the Planning Policy Wales (Edition 12) requires a Green Infrastructure Statement to be submitted along with ALL applications for planning permission.
  • The following paragraphs expand on these Key Points.

We have considerable experience in guiding developers on how to protect and improve biodiversity alongside their projects. If you require help with preparing Green Infrastructure Statements, please contact us.

What is Green Infrastructure?

Although there is no unique definition of the term, Green Infrastructure can be described as the network of natural and semi-natural features within and between our villages, towns and cities – reaching out into the wider countryside. These features range in scale, from individual street trees, green roofs and private gardens through to parks, rivers and woodlands, transport corridors, verges and, at the larger scale, wetlands, forests and agricultural land.

Why are Green Infrastructure Statements Required?

Section 6 of the Environment (Wales) Act 2016 requires public authorities to maintain and enhance biodiversity, promote the resilience of ecosystems and to consider biodiversity in policy and decision making. This element of the Act aims to maintain and enhance the natural environment, increase awareness of the importance of biodiversity, support ecological resilience and adapt to a changing environment.

As a consequence, Edition 12 of the Welsh government’s Planning Policy Wales requires that a Green Infrastructure Statement be prepared on ALL developments, to show that development has a net benefit to biodiversity and green infrastructure. This information MUST be provided as part of the planning application process.

The planning system manages the development and use of land in the public interest, prioritising long term collective benefit, contributing to improving the economic, social, environmental and cultural well‑being of Wales. It must reconcile the needs of development and conservation, securing economy, efficiency and amenity in the use of land, ensuring the sustainable management of natural resources and protecting, promoting, conserving and enhancing the built and historic environment.

What must Green Infrastructure Statements Include?

Green Infrastructure Statements will vary in complexity and scope, depending on the size and type of development project. Nevertheless, each statement will be required to include:

  • The location of the development.
  • The extent and details of the proposed development.
  • An ecological description of the site before development commences, including any Green Infrastructure changes that have already been made or will be made to facilitate development.
  • How retained Green Infrastructure will be protected during the development.
  • What Green Infrastructure will be installed as part of the development to mitigate against any losses and to enhance biodiversity, and where will it be sited.
  • How Green Infrastructure will be maintained after completion of the project.
  • Supporting diagrams and photographs.

For small projects, the degree of mitigation and enhancement of Green Infrastructure will be appropriately smaller than those required for larger projects.

What is involved in Preparing a Green Infrastructure Statement?

In order to complete the Green Infrastructure Statement, your ecologist will need to:

  • Complete appropriate site surveys (unless satisfactory reports already exist).
  • Conduct desk studies on the species and habitats which might be affected by the development (unless satisfactory reports already exist).
  • Review and discuss the development plans, with other specialists, where appropriate.
  • Provide advice on how to minimise loss of biodiversity during the development activity.
  • Provide guidance on how biodiversity can be improved and maintained.

If you need help in preparing a Green Infrastructure Statement for your development project, please contact us.