Council to consult on ‘Biodiversity Strategy’
Eastleigh Borough Council is set to consult on its draft Biodiversity Strategy that sets out a ten-year approach to biodiversity protection and recovery in the borough.
The strategy, entitled ‘Securing our Natural Environment’ highlights the issues facing biodiversity in the borough and provides a framework for the delivery of a new Biodiversity Action Plan and Local Nature Recovery Strategy and new Supplementary Planning Document to achieve a greener, more ecologically diverse borough for the future. Delivery of the strategy will help protect, maintain, and increase the borough’s diverse habitats and arrest the decline of species loss locally.
We will also seek to extend and enhance habitats and create new ones where possible. This will not only benefit biodiversity but also have huge benefits for residents by contributing to improved health and wellbeing through enhanced access to nature and natural green spaces.
As part of this strategy, the Council will:
- Create a minimum of 50 hectares of new habitat and restore a minimum 50 hectares of existing habitat in priority areas.
- Plant 160,000 trees across the borough by 2030, planting the right species and maturity of tree in the right place to ensure maximum ecological benefit.
- Seek to protect and improve existing designated nature conservation sites and increase the number of Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation by 10%.
- Take specific, measurable action aiming to halt or reverse the decline of key species so that fewer species are in decline or vulnerable.
- Ensure all relevant development meets the required biodiversity obligations of a minimum of 10% biodiversity net gain enshrined in the Environment Act.
Cabinet Lead for Environment Cllr Rupert Kyrle said, “This important strategy will help us to protect, maintain, and increase the borough’s biodiversity over the next ten years. We recognise that the boroughs biodiversity is a critical component of a high quality environment. The protection of our valuable natural assets is important, not just for their intrinsic worth, but because of their value to wildlife and local people in delivering a huge range of health and wellbeing, economic and social benefits. We can all contribute to protecting and enhancing biodiversity in our borough by recognising the wealth of habitats and species we have and by our actions upon them.”
He added, “The plan also reflects the continued importance of engaging our communities in action for biodiversity and I encourage local people to comment on our plans when the consultation starts early next year.”
Local people will have the chance to comment on the draft Biodiversity Strategy when it goes out to consultation early in 2022.