Forests: Planning

(asked on 30th October 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he plans to take to strengthen the protection for ancient woodland from inappropriate development as part of his Planning White Paper.


Answered by
Christopher Pincher Portrait
Christopher Pincher
This question was answered on 9th November 2020

In Planning for the Future we make clear that, under the reforms proposed, local authorities would use the plan-making process to ensure the continued protection and enhancement of areas important for biodiversity, including ancient woodland. After carefully considering all the consultation responses, the Government will publish its conclusions and intentions, setting out any decisions and how they would be implemented.

We have already strengthened the protections for irreplaceable habitat, including ancient woodland and ancient and veteran trees, in the National Planning Policy Framework. Any development that could affect such habitat should be ‘wholly exceptional’.

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