A consultation has been launched for developers in England on how to integrate environmental issues into their schemes. The document has been drafted by the Environment Agency, Natural England and the Forestry Commission.
The guidance, out for consultation until 19 October, encourages developers to engage with the regulators early on so that plans can be made more sustainable from the outset, without requiring costly redesigns to respond to regulators’ concerns. It describes which regulator has responsibility for each of the 14 environmental issues ranging from sustainable construction to flood management, contaminated land and protected areas.
The document covers climate change and ecosystem services, which cut across all of these other issues, the guidance states. It should be noted that the Environment Agency was given responsibility for advising on how to adapt to climate change last year (2011).
On ecosystem services the guidance says green infrastructure is a “key way” of ensuring these benefits from nature, including flood protection and recreational value, are integrated into development
The document says it will help developers quickly find the information and advice they need, thereby “reducing the costs and time spent with development proposals”.
Further details on the consultation and a copy of the consultation document can be found at http://bit.ly/OxNXY1