Issue details

The Fareham Local Plan 2037, which is now at examination, allocates sites for housing and employment on land which is designated as important for Solent Wader and Brent Geese (SWBG) populations.  Mitigation measures are therefore required to avoid adverse effects on those populations and this report seeks to brief the Executive on the mitigation solutions for those Local Plan allocations.

The Solent supports a significant overwintering population of Solent Waders and Brent Geese (SWBG) and there are several Special Protection Areas (SPAs) designated throughout the region due to their legal protection.  The populations of SWBG rely on the availability of a network of terrestrial feeding and roosting sites which are designated as part of the Solent Wader and Brent Goose Network.  Development can result in negative impacts to the SWBG Network and as such this is a matter for consideration when preparing a Local Plan.  The emerging Local Plan 2037 has been subject to the Habitat Regulations Assessment (HRA) process which identified 5 particular site allocations that would require mitigation in relation to potential adverse impacts on such designated sites.  As Local Planning Authority, the Council is required to demonstrate the deliverability of the Local Plan including the site allocations.  Not doing so presents a risk to the soundness of the Local Plan through the Examination process.  The Local Mitigation Solutions (LMS) have been produced to demonstrate the deliverability of the Local Plan allocations through identification of the individual mitigation for those sites.