Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will have discussions with Forest Holidays UK on the potential impact of their developments on (a) ecology and (b) habitats.

Forest Holidays is a commercial undertaking that develops and provides overnight cabin accommodation in the nation’s forests, which are managed by Forestry England. The partnership between the Forestry Commission and Forest Holidays is managed on a commercial lease basis and the Forestry Commission acts as landlord of Forest Holidays sites. Forestry England is an Executive Agency of the Forestry Commission.

Forestry England carries out careful and systematic reviews of areas of the nation’s forests where any development might be considered, to assess whether environmental or other considerations should preclude the development. All Forest Holidays proposals adhere to the principles of ‘biodiversity net gain’. Forest Holidays completes a broad suite of ecological studies, including assessments for protected species at potential new cabin locations. Protection of flora and fauna both during construction and post operation is secured through adherence to method statements and management plans which are submitted with a full planning application. Forest Holidays developments are subject to the same local authority managed planning permission controls as any other recreational site developer. This will include environmental assessments and formal consultation as required by the respective local planning authority.

As an Executive Agency of the Forestry Commission (FC), Forestry England is discussed with Ministers in FC's bimonthly Ministerial Delivery Meetings and their six-monthly Ministerial Performance Review.