John Healey visits Centenary Riverside
Influencing Policies, Strategies and the Planning System
Sheffield Wildlife Trust has always realised the importance of influencing relevant policies and strategies where they can have an impact on, or provide an opportunity for nature conservation and engagement with wildlife.
We have recently prioritised the following policy and strategy work:
- Working with the Wildlife Trusts nationally to influence policy and respond to relevant consultations such as the Natural Environment White Paper and the National Planning Policy Framework.
- Influencing local natural environment strategies including Sheffield’s Green & Open Spaces Strategy, Sheffield Waterways Strategy, Rotherham Waterways Strategy and the South Yorkshire Green Infrastructure Strategy by attending meetings and workshops, sitting on steering groups and responding to consultations.
- Using the same methods to influence national, regional and local Biodiversity Action Plans and Strategies.
- Influencing key community and well-being strategies including Sheffield Play Strategy, Sheffield Food Plan, Community Assemblies Plans and local health strategies, to ensure that engagement with the natural environment and the benefits of sustainable lifestyles are included.
- Encouraging Local Authorities and other public bodies to implement the NERC Biodiversity Duty by staging a high profile event with South Yorkshire Biodiversity Forum and producing sector-specific guidance notes.
- Providing briefing papers for partners and articles for members on key documents.
This work is important because it allows Sheffield Wildlife Trust’s priorities to be integrated into these policies and strategies, making it easier for the work to actually be delivered on the ground. The work also raises the profile of the Wildlife Trust and the different work we do. Sheffield Wildlife Trust’s Chief Executive, the South Yorkshire Biodiversity Coordinator and the Community Engagement & Learning Manager lead on this work with other members of staff, trustees and volunteers.
Biodiversity and the Town & Country Planning System
The Town & Country Planning System can both threaten and provide opportunities for biodiversity. Sheffield Wildlife Trust works with the Local Authorities in South Yorkshire and the Yorkshire & Humber Biodiversity Partnership to:
- Provide a response to key relevant planning applications which could have a significant negative impact on biodiversity, or create an opportunity for biodiversity enhancement (in Sheffield).
- Comment on relevant Regional Planning Documents and Local Development Framework Documents – these set out the policies (known as forward planning) on how the Local Authorities will deal with spatial planning for their area and planning applications (known as development control).
- Develop and deliver training to planning officers (both forward planning and developmental control officers) on biodiversity issues and how to integrate biodiversity priority maps in their Local Development Frameworks.
- Ensure Biodiversity Action Plans are relevant to the planning system – for example the Green Roof Habitat Action Plan for Sheffield.
- Ensure Local Wildlife Sites are protected robustly in the local planning systems (as the sites are not protected in any other way).