Defra, Natural England and local authorities in six pilot areas are working together to test the biodiversity offsetting approach. The pilots will develop a body of information and evidence that the Government will use to decide whether to support greater use of biodiversity in England, and if so, how to use it most effectively.

Below you will find some information from each of the pilot areas – what they are working on at the moment and which local authorities are participating. This information will be kept up to date as the pilot progresses.

• Devon
• Doncaster
• Essex
• Greater Norwich
• Nottinghamshire
• Coventry, Warwickshire and Solihull

Devon

“With 3 UNESCO sites, 2 national parks, 5 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and numerous Special Areas of Conservation (SAC), Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and County Wildlife Sites (CWS), Devon is recognised for having a special environment.  The county’s authorities have historically been proactive in applying new approaches to safeguard this environment, and a new initiative is now being created in Devon as part of the  national pilot to trial biodiversity offsetting.

Various methodologies are being developed collectively by the participating authorities to trial biodiversity offsetting in 3 principle areas: Exeter and East Devon Growth Point which includes a new settlement area; South Devon which includes the South Hams SAC and has particular interest for conserving areas for Greater Horseshoe Bats and Cirl Buntings; and North Devon’s UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve which is an ecosystem scale designation covering all of the catchments that drain to the north of the county.  These projects have their individual qualities, and will apply the Defra metric to support biodiversity offsets that are funded and safeguarded through a variety of mechanisms from Community Infrastructure Levy, Section 106, delivery bodies and NGO/Private offset providers and biodiversity ‘bankers’.  The programme is co-ordinated by a technical steering group that operates countywide”.

Participating local authorities: Dartmoor National Park Authority (DNPA), Devon County Council (DCC), East Devon District Council, Exeter City Council, Exmoor National Park Authority (ENPA), Mid Devon District Council, North Devon District Council, South Hams District Council, Teignbridge District Council, Torbay Council, Torridge District Council, West Devon Borough Council.

Doncaster

“We are pleased to be working with Defra to offer developers coming to Doncaster the option of using an offsetting approach to deliver the biodiversity compensation that is required through planning.  We are in the process of producing guidance detailing how offsetting will operate in Doncaster.  The guidance will include details of where in Doncaster we would like to see offset projects.  It is hoped that the offsetting pilot will help deliver biodiversity projects within the Council’s proposed biodiversity opportunity areas, including the parts of the Humberhead Levels and the Dearne Valley Nature Improvement Areas that fall within the Doncaster boundary.  We have been working with Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, who are developing a series of offset projects for Doncaster, but would welcome enquiries from other parties interested in being offset providers”.

• Doncaster – Biodiversity offsetting

Participating local authorities: Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council

Essex

“The combination of high-levels of development and more planned growth makes Essex an excellent place to test biodiversity offsetting, and explore its potential to enhance and join-up the county’s fantastic – yet often fragmented – natural landscape in ways that are currently not possible.

Essex County Council is leading a strong partnership of public, private and not-for-profit organisations.  In particular we will be working closely with the Environment Bank Ltd trialling a brokering system; and the Mineral Products Association to explore the role of and benefits to the aggregates industry.

Our offsetting strategy is guided by the Living Landscapes initiative established by Essex Wildlife Trust in collaboration with local authorities and their community partners.

The principle of biodiversity offsetting is also imbedded within the Greater Thames Marshes Nature Improvement Area”.

• Essex – Biodiversity offsetting

Participating local authorities: Essex County Council, Thurrock Council, Basildon Borough Council, Castle Point Borough Council, Rochford District Council, Uttlesford District Council

Greater Norwich

“The Greater Norwich Biodiversity Offsetting steering group

• The Greater Norwich Development Partnership (GNDP) Pilot steering group will include the Norfolk Biodiversity Information Service (NBIS), the Norfolk Wildlife Trust and the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership.   It is anticipated that developers will also be represented.
• Currently a Local Nature Partnership is being developed with a capacity building fund from Defra.  Should LNP status be confirmed, the LNP will be a pivotal member on the steering group and, with its broad and knowledgeable membership, it will have a significant role to play in biodiversity offsetting in the Greater Norwich area.

Identifying sites for offset provision

• Priority will be given to schemes that contribute to enhancing Core Biodiversity Areas and ecological networks that are identified in the GNDP Green Infrastructure Delivery Plan (2009).
• The steering group will establish further principles and priorities.  All offsetting schemes and offset providers will be approved by an appointed officer from Natural England”.

Participating local authorities: The Greater Norwich Development Partnership (GNDP), an existing partnership of three local authorities (Broadland District Council, Norwich City Council, and South Norfolk District Council), working together with Norfolk County Council.

Nottinghamshire

“A number of local planning authorities in Nottinghamshire will be piloting the use of biodiversity offsetting from 1^st April 2012.  Those confirmed to date are Nottinghamshire County Council and Newark and Sherwood District Council, with several others likely to be confirmed before the start of the pilot.

The pilot is being developed with input from a number of conservation organisations including Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, Sherwood Forest Trust and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, and is being led by Nottinghamshire County Council, who are also actively involved in work to set up a Local Nature Partnership covering Lowland Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.  Part of the pilot area is likely to include a section of the recently confirmed Humberhead Levels Nature Improvement Area.

As part of the pilot, an offsetting strategy is being developed to guide implementation at the local level.  This will identify which habitats should be created or restored through offsetting, based on the Nottinghamshire Local Biodiversity Action Plan, and will provide additional information for developers and potential offset providers operating within Nottinghamshire”

• Nottinghamshire – Biodiversity offsetting

Participating local authorities: Nottinghamshire County Council, Newark and Sherwood District Council, Bassettlaw District Council.

Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull

“The Local Authorities within Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull aim to develop a pilot scheme to deliver the aims and aspirations of the developing sub-regional Green Infrastructure Strategy covering Biodiversity, Accessibility and Landscape.

It will place the right habitat in the right place to create a connected landscape for wildlife and public to enjoy.

This is an evidence lead approach putting science into practice by working in partnership with the Universities of York, Warwick and Coventry to inform our decision making.  This landscape approach will be the cornerstone of our Local Nature Partnership’s vision.

We have a front-runner and will be testing the system at an early stage, so will be testing our approach to offsetting soon after the April start.

For further information, please contact the Local Authority in your area or WCC Ecology Unit 01926 418076 (email: planningecology@warwickshire.gov.uk).

Participating local authorities: Warwickshire County Council, Coventry City Council, Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council, North Warwickshire Borough Council, Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council, Rugby Borough Council, Warwick District Council, Stratford District Council