SNH perspective on Planning and the Environment

1. SNH perspective on Planning and the Environment Derek Manson Planning Adviser

2. Scottish Natural Heritage is funded by the Scottish Government. Our purpose is to: promote care for and improvement of the natural heritage help people enjoy it responsibly enable greater understanding and awareness of it promote its sustainable use, now and for future generations. We do this by Providing advice to the Scottish Government and its agencies, local authorities, developers, land managers and others. Promote the wider benefits of protecting and enhancing nature and landscapes in the public interest Targeting action to protect and enhance nature and landscapes, working in partnership with others. SNH – who were are, what we do

3. SNH and Development Plans • We are a Key Agency as defined in planning circular 1/2009 Development Planning • Our formal role is to co-operate with planning authorities at the following stages • The compilation of the main issues report • The preparation of the proposed plan • The preparation of action programmes and proposed action programmes

4. How we can help

5. What we seek to do • We seek to engage pro-actively and early in development plan preparation • We wish to provide clear, helpful advice to planning authorities and aid the implementation of a genuinely plan led system

6. Green Networks We recommend that the LDP provides a basis to fulfill the SPP requirements to protect and enhance the green network, through: • Policies and spatial proposals that safeguard and avoid fragmentation of existing green networks and identify opportunities to create or enhance existing green network assets; • Policies and spatial proposals that indicate new or future green network development in relation to other planning matters (for example housing growth, infrastructure provision, allocation of business land etc).

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9. Strategic Environmental Assessment • Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) plays a vital role in protecting and improving all of these aspects of the environment and more by ensuring that policy-makers across Scotland embed environmental considerations into Local Development Plans. • We are also a "Consultation Authority", along with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and Historic Scotland, providing advice and comment on SEAs at screening, scoping and environment report stage. Topics considered as part of SEA Biodiversity, Flora and Fauna Population and Human Health Soil Water Air Climatic Factors Material Assets Cultural Heritage Landscape

10. Habitat Regulations Appraisal • Habitats Regulations Appraisal, seeks to ensure that only those plans, projects and development proposals which will not adversely affect the interests of a European protected site (SPAs and SACs) are allowed to proceed. • We welcome early engagement to help planning authorities identify any likely significant effects of draft policies and proposals on European sites, and on mitigation necessary

11. Landscape Capacity Study • SNH, South, East and North Ayrshire Planning Authorities have co-funded and worked together to produce landscape wind capacity studies. • These are based on SNH Landscape Character Assessments. • The capacity studies only look at landscape and visual aspects of wind energy development.

12. Questions Contact details: derek.manson@snh.gov.uk 0141 951 0835