NET ZERO… point zero zero three…

One of the changes proposed in the new Planning and Infrastructure Bill due to be introduced to Parliament later in the year will be to address the delays caused by having to undertake ecological studies and implement mitigation measures before big developments and infrastructure projects can go ahead. We have all heard about the £100m HS2 bat tunnel.

On a more modest scale we are in the final throws of delivering a small ‘cut and carve’ project converting a pub and uppers into nine flats and a commercial space all for rent. We were required to submit 18 reports ( total cost of reports £63,347) to accompany our planning application back in 2020. Local authorities in London require detailed ecology reports to assess the potential impact on local wildlife, habitats, and biodiversity. Our urban site had no trees or outside spaces other than those given over to bin stores and the only wildlife evident were rats in drains. A walk around the site or a scan of google earth by the planning officer would have made this obvious. Our ecological report not called for under the de minimis rule was instead required as a condition of approval.

It's not clear yet whether the smallest of projects that don’t hit the headlines will be similarly unburdened of the disproportionately high costs for almost zero reward -quite literally. According to our ecological report (fee £1,596 our biodiversity net gain will be 0.003% !

The new building will have 2 raised flower beds next to the dustbin enclosure that in total are the size of the roof of a mini cooper. A condition of the planning permission ( one of thirty conditions that we are trusted to implement ) requires the green plants and the planting medium to be specified by a ‘qualified designer’ (another £2,500 fee ). Our first planting plan submitted was turned down by the planning officer ( who had superior knowledge of the plants that would be suitable in this location? ) and in addition the planting must be installed within 6 months of the flats being occupied ( no one will inspect and sign off the plants are in place as specified nor the soil type is actually as described)

Our habit is to take the common sense, conscientious approach and make pleasant places to live so people want to make them their home so we always look for ways to add planting where ever we can and include bird boxes and bee bricks as well as real lawns, hedges and trees where there is space.

As I end this piece I have been asked to sign off the cost of yet another ecological report for £6,800 this time to accompany a planning application in the semi industrial urban sprawl of SW8 – another building bounded by pavements.

For such a small urban site the ecological report tells no one anything useful. Instead we should be trusted to spend the money on implementing ‘green’ measures as a general requirement.

In our 130^th year of creating characterful places for people to live in South-West London, due to the sheer weight of the costs and delays (caused in part by planning requirements) we have decided for the time being to pause the delivery of any new residential dwellings.