Agenda item

The Committee was informed of the nature recovery implications for the Council arising from the Environment Act 2021 and the Government’s Environmental Improvement Plan 2023.

The Environment Act 2021 had included a suite of interrelated measures which underpinned the objectives of the Government’s Environmental Improvement Plan 2023. These were also of relevance to and complemented the Council’s intentions to ensure nature recovery across Derbyshire. They were summarised as the following five statutory drivers for change:

·       New legally binding national targets to protect the environment.

·       An amended and strengthened general duty for Councils (and other public bodies) to see to conserve and enhance biodiversity.

·       A Local Nature Recovery Strategy for each area.

·       Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) as a mandatory requirement for planning permission.

·       Biodiversity Net Gain offsetting.

The Committee was provided with further details on each of these drivers.

RESOLVED that the Committee notes the nature recovery implications for the Council arising from the Environment Act 2021 and Environmental Improvement Plan 2023 as detailed in the report.