7.7 Policy ENV1 – Biodiversity (MC70) 7.7.1 Gladman note the changes made to policy ENV1 and would suggest that the policy requires further consideration in order to be sound. The policy states that development which will have an adverse impact on the integrity of European protected sites will not be permitted. The policy goes on in later paragraphs to state that where harm to biodiversity assets cannot be avoided appropriate mitigation will be required. 7.7.2 It is presumed that mitigation is

Policy ENV1 - Biodiversity (MC70) Paras 5.296, 5.297 5.298 and 5.300 The Local Plan is unambitious, fragmented and unbalanced in its approach to biodiversity across the borough. The document is unsound as it does not accord with the NPPF paragraph 117 that it should 'plan for biodiversity at a landscape-scale across local authority boundaries'. Nor is it effective as it does it 'identify and map components of the local ecological networks, including the hierarchy of international, national and

Policy MC70 ENV1 – Biodiversity (Pages 226 -227, Para 1 of policy wording) Biodiversity In relation to the altered wording, "Opportunities to incorporate and enhance biodiversity should be identifiedwill be encouraged", the County Council suggests that the added text is not strong enough and would not encourage the applicants to incorporate enhancements into the site. It is suggested that alternative wording would be "will be identified and incorporated into the site".

MC70 ABC Policy ENV1 - Biodiversity * In paragraph 5 we strongly suggest the following inclusion as underlined: "Development should avoid significant harm to locally identified biodiversity assets, including Local Wildlife Sites, Local Nature Reserves, Local Biodiversity Opportunity Areas (BOAs), the Ashford Green Corridor and other designated Rural Green Corridors identified in Parish Plans as well as… etc." In paragraph 7, we suggest the following inclusion as underlined: "Opportunities fo

Para 5.300 (incorrectly labelled 2.300) – Support inclusion of reference to other natural spaces forming part of the Green Infrastructure network of Ashford Borough.

Natural England supports the amended wording proposed within Main Change 70