Our panel of Trowers experts provided an overview of two topical subjects – air quality and biodiversity net gain – with a discussion on considerations for NHS Trusts.
Topics covered included:
Air quality – With increasing evidence demonstrating a causal link between Covid-19 and air pollution levels, the need to improve air quality has been pushed further to the forefront of peoples minds. Its relevance in respect of the determination of planning applications is increasing, and hospitals and health care facilities are particularly relevant to discussions about air quality because they can often lead to increases in traffic and travel in their vicinity, and also because people visiting such facilities can typically be more vulnerable to the effects of poor air quality. Air quality has been the subject of some recent high profile cases as well as a prevalent issue in a number of recent planning matters that we have been involved in. We anticipate that this will continue to increase.
Biodiversity net gain –The Environment Bill 2020 introduces a requirement for a planning condition which will require 10% biodiversity net gain to be a condition of all planning permissions granted under the Town and Country Planning Act, subject to a number of exemptions.The Bill provides that a planning permission will be granted subject to a pre-commencement condition that development cannot begin until the developer has a biodiversity gain plan containing the relevant information and showing that the biodiversity gain objective is achieved and approved.
Watch the full webinar below:
