The NPPF sets out the three roles that the planning system should perform in delivering its purpose of achieving sustainable development (para. 7):
- Economic; ensuring that sufficient, appropriate land is available for development to support growth and innovation and to coordinate requirements for developments such as infrastructure;
- Social; providing housing to meet the needs of local communities and creating a favourable environment in which to live, with access to local services;
- Environmental; protecting and enhancing the natural, built and historic environment, including improving biodiversity and addressing issues of waste, pollution and climate change.

It is therefore of the utmost importance that sites allocated for development are selected on the basis that there will be no adverse impacts on existing designated wildlife sites; this includes increased recreational pressure and severance of important wildlife corridors. Currently designated sites do not exist in isolation, and are dependent on viable and functional wildlife corridors that create a permeable landscape and allow the migration and movement of species between areas of high quality habitat.

Essex Wildlife Trust would urge local authority planners to fully integrate the model of Living Landscapes into their strategic plans. This could be achieved through the creation of "green infrastructure" masterplans which aim to enhance linkages between and habitat "buffers" around existing local wildlife sites. Such masterplans should be developed in advance of plans for the built development and their primary focus should be on protecting and enhancing biodiversity.

An important consideration for these areas is that such Living Landscapes are also beneficial to local people and communities and foster a flourishing local economy. This embraces the idea that we should be encouraging people to live in, work in and enjoy their local environment harmoniously. Any substantial development allocated in the green belt should include the generous provision of recreational green space. This serves to reduce human pressure on existing wildlife habitat.

Local authorities in England and Wales have a legal duty to conserve biodiversity. This is recognised and formalised within Section 40 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities (NERC) Act 2006, which states:
(1) "Every public body must, in exercising its functions, have regard, so far as is consistent with the proper exercise of those functions, to the purpose of conserving biodiversity"
(3) "Conserving biodiversity includes, in relation to a living organism or type of habitat, restoring or enhancing a population or habitat." (This is significant as it places a duty on all local authorities to conserve wider biodiversity in addition to the statutory protection given to certain sites and species.)

Local authorities also have important obligations in implementing the national Biodiversity Action Plan. This means that a local authority is required to demonstrate that:
* biodiversity conservation and enhancement is appropriately integrated throughout all departmental policies and activities
* all staff, managers and elected members understand how biodiversity issues relate to their own decisions and actions
* it provides sustained support to local biodiversity initiatives, such as Local Biodiversity Action Plans, Biological Records Centres and Local Site systems
* biodiversity, in particular Species and Habitats of Principle Importance, is properly protected and enhanced in line with statutory nature conservation obligations
* it has access to professional ecological expertise and up-to-date biodiversity information
* it reports on progress towards national and local biodiversity targets.

The aim of the biodiversity duty is to raise the profile of biodiversity in England and Wales, so that the conservation of biodiversity becomes properly embedded in all relevant policies and decisions made by public authorities. Planning policies and decisions must reflect and where appropriate promote relevant EU obligations and statutory requirements.

The A127 already represents a significant barrier for the movement and dispersal of wildlife, particularly between valuable wildlife habitats at Thorndon Woods and Parkland to the north and the Langdon Ridge in the Basildon district to the south. Any development along this transport corridor will serve to increase the impact of this barrier and risks adversely impacting on the biodiversity of these two living landscapes, which are of great importance for maintaining the biodiversity of the area.

Significant conservation efforts would be required to offset such an impact, especially in view of the fact that such development will likely require widening of the A127 to accommodate the increased traffic. It is our view that at least one substantial wildlife bridge spanning the carriageway would be necessary to mitigate the serious adverse impacts of major development along this transport corridor. There are several examples of the successful construction of such "wildlife highways" being undertaken in Europe, particularly in the Netherlands.

The strategic options to the west of West Horndon (037A and 037B) would have the least harmful impact on important wildlife habitats and species. We would therefore consider these options to be preferable if the council are minded to locate new development along the A127 transport corridor.

The strategic options to the east of West Horndon (038) are unacceptable as they would adversely impact on priority ancient woodlands and wood pasture and parkland habitats which function as necessary linkage components between Thorndon to the north and Langdon to the south east.

We would also object to the proposed allocation for the Dunton Garden Suburb further to the east, which would similarly have unacceptable adverse impacts on priority ancient woodland and deciduous woodland habitats, hedgerows and field margins that also function to create a wildlife corridor linking habitats at Thorndon and the Langdon Ridge.

There are a considerable number of priority ancient woodland and deciduous woodland Local Wildlife Sites scattered throughout this large area to the east of the A12 corridor. It is therefore of the utmost importance that any sites allocated for development are selected on the basis that there will be no adverse impacts on these existing designated wildlife sites; impacts would include increased recreational pressure, pet predation and severance of important wildlife corridors.

We would urge local authority planners to create "green infrastructure" masterplans which aim to enhance linkages between and habitat "buffers" around these existing local wildlife sites. Such masterplans should be developed in advance of any plans for the built development and their primary focus should be on protecting and enhancing biodiversity. Any substantial development allocated in this area should include the generous provision of recreational green space. This would serve to reduce human pressure on existing wildlife habitat.

There are many priority ancient woodland and deciduous woodland Local Wildlife Sites in this area. Any sites allocated for development should be selected on the basis that there will be no adverse impacts on these designated sites; impacts would include increased recreational pressure, pet predation and severance of important wildlife corridors.

Planners should create "green infrastructure" masterplans which aim to enhance linkages between and habitat "buffers" around these designated sites. GI masterplans should be developed prior to plans for built development and their primary focus should be protecting and enhancing biodiversity. Development should include the generous provision of recreational green space.

An important priority for green infrastructure must be the protection and enhancement of biodiversity. This is not even mentioned in the above description. Such a glaring omission needs to be rectified if the local authority is to be seen to comply with its obligations and legal duty to conserve biodiversity. This is recognised and formalised within Section 40 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities (NERC) Act 2006, which states:
(1) "Every public body must, in exercising its functions, have regard, so far as is consistent with the proper exercise of those functions, to the purpose of conserving biodiversity"
(3) "Conserving biodiversity includes, in relation to a living organism or type of habitat, restoring or enhancing a population or habitat." (This is significant as it places a duty on all local authorities to conserve wider biodiversity in addition to the statutory protection given to certain sites and species.)

Local authorities also have important obligations in implementing the national Biodiversity Action Plan. This means that a local authority is required to demonstrate that:
* biodiversity conservation and enhancement is appropriately integrated throughout all departmental policies and activities
* all staff, managers and elected members understand how biodiversity issues relate to their own decisions and actions
* it provides sustained support to local biodiversity initiatives, such as Local Biodiversity Action Plans, Biological Records Centres and Local Site systems
* biodiversity, in particular Species and Habitats of Principle Importance, is properly protected and enhanced in line with statutory nature conservation obligations
* it has access to professional ecological expertise and up-to-date biodiversity information
* it reports on progress towards national and local biodiversity targets.

The aim of the biodiversity duty is to raise the profile of biodiversity in England and Wales, so that the conservation of biodiversity becomes properly embedded in all relevant policies and decisions made by public authorities. Planning policies and decisions must reflect and where appropriate promote relevant EU obligations and statutory requirements.