Ecology

Category Background

To ensure that the ecological value of the site is conserved and enhanced maintaining biodiversity and protecting existing natural habitats.

Planing to enhance the ecological value of a site when drawing up designs will improve its amenity and prove very rewarding. Residents and visitors already appreciate the rich biodiversity that the South West has to offer, so aiming to maintain and protect its existing natural habitats early in the design process, will help attract people to a new development and give it a good reputation.

The SW RSS suggests:

‘Local authorities should use the nature map and work with interested local stakeholders including local biodiversity partnerships and local record centres to map local opportunities for biodiversity enhancement in LDDs. These should take into account the local distribution of habitats and species, including within urban areas and protect these sites and features from harmful development’ Draft South West Regional Spatial Strategy Part 7: Enhancing Distinctive Environments and Cultural Life: 7.2.11

Bringing communities together is about providing places that integrate nature in their design and create a sense of freedom. This means maintaining and developing attractive gardens, parks, open green areas, woodlands and wildlife sanctuaries in new sites. Local green areas encourage fun collective experiences like producing local food, which in turn may reduce car journeys to the supermarket.

Community activities reinforce the local identity, help develop bonds and friendships and encourage people to socialise in their own communities rather travel afar.

Yet trees and plants also have urban and suburban benefit, stabilising soil, preventing erosion, reducing water run-off and forming visual, wind and noise barriers and softening the built environment. They can also provide shading to reduce solar gain.

Where the South West has some of the most diverse and breathtaking countryside and important wildlife species and habitats, new developments must take care to integrate the natural identity of the region in their design in the same way they would the character of the locality.

The Ecology category addresses:

  • Protecting existing habitats, species and migration routes,
  • Support for species identified in the local biodiversity action plan,
  • Supporting and increasing the ecological value of the site,
  • Linking green spaces and habitat.

Useful resources: