Chichester Local Plan 2021 - 2039: Proposed Submission

We request that any future allocation requires a site survey for ancient woodland and ancient & veteran trees, and that appropriate buffers are applied, before the number and layout of dwellings is agreed.

The broad site allocation lacks specific detail on its environmental impact, therefore we are unable to either support or object at this stage. We welcome point 5 requiring habitat protection. We request that any future allocation requires a site survey for ancient woodland and ancient & veteran trees, and that appropriate buffers are applied, before the number and layout of dwellings is agreed.

The Woodland Trust supports this policy.

We welcome the requirement in point 4 to plant two trees for each one lost through development, as an effective mechanism to deliver Biodiversity Net Gain and to secure multiple benefits for climate resilience, human well-being and visual amenity.

We note the requirement in point 5 for a minimum buffer zone of 15 metres for ancient woodland. We suggest amending this wording to better deliver the protection for this vital irreplaceable habitat required in the NPPF.

5. Proposals should have a minimum buffer zone of 15 metres from the boundary of ancient woodland or veteran trees to avoid root damage (known as the root protection area). For larger developments, a precautionary buffer of up to 50m may be required, unless the applicant can demonstrate that a smaller buffer would be sufficient.

We strongly support the policy in point 10 to encourage planting of a diverse range and variety of native tree species, as this is the best option for biodiversity and resilience. In addition, we recommend a policy preference for UK & Ireland sourced and grown (UKISG) tree stock to support tree health and biosecurity.

Therefore we suggest the following wording change to make the policy more effective:
1. Development proposals adhere to the NPPF mitigation hierarchy, and in addition, demonstrate that proposals provide a minimum of 10% net gain in biodiversity against a pre-development baseline. Where it is achievable, a 20%+ onsite net gain is encouraged

The Woodland Trust supports this policy and the protection for ancient woodland as an irreplaceable habitat, and the exclusion of irreplaceable habitats from net gain calculations.

We support setting a greater than 10% target for net gain where appropriate. By setting a more ambitious target, the Local Plan increases the chances that an average net gain of at least 10% will be delivered across the Plan area, given the possibility that some sites may not be able to deliver net gain within the District or that initiatives intended to deliver such gain may fall short in practice.

Therefore we suggest the following wording change to make the policy more effective:
1. Development proposals adhere to the NPPF mitigation hierarchy, and in addition, demonstrate that proposals provide a minimum of 10% net gain in biodiversity against a pre-development baseline. Where it is achievable, a 20%+ onsite net gain is encouraged.

We recommend setting a tree canopy cover target to support the Council’s Climate Emergency Action Plan. The Woodland Trust supports the UK Committee on Climate Change’s recommended increase in UK woodland cover from the current 13% of land area to at least 19% by 2050.

The Woodland Trust supports this policy. In particular, we welcome policy to prioritise the use of locally native species and the retention of existing trees (point 8), for to connecting existing green infrastructure corridors and seek to create new ones (point 9), supporting appropriate new tree planting (point 10) and wildlife passages (point 11).


We recommend setting a tree canopy cover target to support the Council’s Climate Emergency Action Plan. The Woodland Trust supports the UK Committee on Climate Change’s recommended increase in UK woodland cover from the current 13% of land area to at least 19% by 2050.

Amended text proposed:
1. The proposals maintain or, where appropriate, incorporate improvements to the existing network of green infrastructure, or the restoration, enhancement or creation of additional provision areas, and contribute delivery of the Local Nature Recovery Strategy;

The Woodland Trust supports this policy. We recommend strengthening it with reference to the emerging statutory requirements for Local Nature Recovery Strategies.

Amended text proposed:
1. The proposals maintain or, where appropriate, incorporate improvements to the existing network of green infrastructure, or the restoration, enhancement or creation of additional provision areas, and contribute delivery of the Local Nature Recovery Strategy;

We request that the policy is applied as a minimum, and that higher provision is made where feasible

The Woodland Trust supports point 3 that there should be no adverse impact on biodiversity from development affecting open space.

We welcome the inclusion of natural greenspace in Table 6.3 – Minimum Open Space Quantity and Access Standards. However we note that the standard set (1ha within 600m) falls short of Natural England’s Accessible Natural Green Space Standard of accessible natural green space of 2ha within 300m, In addition, the Woodland Trust's Woodland Access Standard recommends 2ha of accessible woodland within 500m.
We request that the policy is applied as a minimum, and that higher provision is made where feasible.

Suggested amendment:

5. Proposals should have a minimum buffer zone of 15 metres from the boundary of ancient woodland or veteran trees to avoid root damage (known as the root protection area). For larger developments, a precautionary buffer of up to 50m may be required, unless the applicant can demonstrate that a smaller buffer would be sufficient

The Woodland Trust supports this policy.

We welcome the requirement in point 4 to plant two trees for each one lost through development, as an effective mechanism to deliver Biodiversity Net Gain and to secure multiple benefits for climate resilience, human well-being and visual amenity.

We note the requirement in point 5 for a minimum buffer zone of 15 metres for ancient woodland. We suggest amending this wording to better deliver the protection for this vital irreplaceable habitat required in the NPPF.

5. Proposals should have a minimum buffer zone of 15 metres from the boundary of ancient woodland or veteran trees to avoid root damage (known as the root protection area). For larger developments, a precautionary buffer of up to 50m may be required, unless the applicant can demonstrate that a smaller buffer would be sufficient.

We strongly support the policy in point 10 to encourage planting of a diverse range and variety of native tree species, as this is the best option for biodiversity and resilience. In addition, we recommend a policy preference for UK & Ireland sourced and grown (UKISG) tree stock to support tree health and biosecurity.