Decision details

The Purpose of this report is to seek the Executive’s approval of the Definitive Solent Recreation Mitigation Strategy (SRMS).  In doing so, this would allow the Council to Implement the Strategy’s new guidance and charging schedule (collected as a developer contribution from planning permissions) from 01 April 2018.

The Solent Coastline contains large numbers of important bird assemblages which have resulted in it being designated as a Special Protection Area (SPA) under the EU Birds Directive and subsequently transposed into the UK Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 (the Habitats Regulations).

The Solent SPA bird species are particularly vulnerable to the effects of recreational disturbance arising from new housebuilding in the area.  In order to legally permit new residential development whilst ensuring protection and mitigation of the Solent SPAs, the Solent Recreation Mitigation Partnership (SRMP) was formed, of which Fareham Borough Council (FBC) is a current member.

The SRMP produced an Interim Mitigation Strategy in 2014 to address immediate pressures from development, however this Interim Strategy has now been updated by a more comprehensive Definitive Mitigation Strategy.  This Definite Strategy was endorsed by the PUSH Joint Committee on 05 December 2017 as a mechanism to mitigate the impact on SPA species that is likely to result from recreational disturbance arising from planned new house building in the vicinity of the coast to 2034.  The Strategy proposes a series of management measures which actively encourage all coastal visitors to enjoy their visits in a responsible manner rather than restricting access to the coast or preventing activities that take place.

The implementation of the Strategy and the monitoring of its effectiveness would be funded by a sliding scale of developer contributions which have been calculated according to the bedroom numbers of a property.  On average, this would be the equivalent of £564 per new dwelling, an increase from £181 per new dwelling under the interim Strategy.  This contribution would be required for all new homes built within 3.5 miles (5.6 kilometres) of the SPAs which in practice covers the entire Borough.

Payment of the Solent Recreation Mitigation Strategy contribution provides a cost-effective partnership approach to providing the necessary mitigation to protect the SPAs in line with the advice of Natural England, the Government’s statutory advisor on nature conservation.  If applicants decide not to make the SRMS contribution, they will need to undertake their own Habitat Regulations Assessment to assess and mitigate the impact that their development may have on an SPA, as required by the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 (the Habitats Regulations).

RESOLVED that the Executive approves the implementation of the Definitive Solent Recreation Mitigation Strategy and the associated charging regime from 01 April 2018.