Purpose

Report to consider the recreational disturbance mitigation strategy for Ashridge Commons and Woods

Decision

This report contained the package of documents that collectively provided the interim mitigation measures needed to enable proposed new housing development in proximity to the Chilterns Beechwoods Special Area of Conservation (SAC) at Ashridge Commons and Woods Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) to be permitted. It explained the process for how the Council would comply with its legal obligations under the Habitats Directive and allow the current moratorium on residential development in the relevant part of Buckinghamshire to be lifted.

This Mitigation Strategy was interim and would be reviewed as part of the new Local Plan for Buckinghamshire. The purpose of this strategy was to mitigate the impact of development that had already been allocated within Local Plans and neighbourhood plans, which was required to meet housing targets.

The Council had been working with Natural England, the National Trust and other local authorities who were also impacted by the restrictions (Dacorum, Central Bedfordshire Council and St. Albans City and District Council), to prepare the Mitigation Strategy. Following Natural England’s guidance, the Mitigation Strategy identified the need for qualifying development to provide mitigation in the form of a) Strategic Access Management and Monitoring Strategy payments and b) Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace provision.

RESOLVED –

(1)               That the Chilterns Beechwoods Special Area of Conservation Mitigation Strategy be approved.

(2)               That the Collaboration Agreement for the Strategic Access Management and Monitoring Strategy be agreed (substantially in the form of Appendix A to the Cabinet report), with authority delegated to the Corporate Director for Planning, Growth and Sustainability, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Planning and Regeneration, to approve the final version should it be materially amended.

(3)               That authority be delegated to the Corporate Director for Planning, Growth and Sustainability, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Planning and Regeneration, to approve any necessary amendments after the first version of the Collaboration Agreement has been approved (attached at Appendix A) and to the Mitigation Strategy (attached at Appendix B).