Draft Regulation 18 Sandwell Local Plan

4. Sandwell's Natural and Historic Environment

4.1 The Black Country enjoys a unique physical and cultural heritage thanks to its origins as a mainstay of heavy industry and driver of the Industrial Revolution. The geological complexity of the area, its topography, its settlement pattern and the existence of significant areas of green and open space within one of the most densely-developed parts of the country require a set of robust and relevant planning policies that will help to protect and enhance what gives Sandwell and the wider Black Country its unique physical, ecological and historic character and appearance.

Nature Conservation

4.2 The protection and improvement of Sandwell's biodiversity and geodiversity will safeguard and improve the environmental attractiveness and value of the area for residents and visitors while at the same time improving the physical and natural sustainability of communities within the conurbation in the face of climate change. This will directly contribute to delivering Strategic Objective 11, which is also associated with supporting the physical and mental wellbeing of residents.

Justification

4.3 The past development and redevelopment of the Black Country has led to it being referred to as an "endless village", which describes both the interlinked settlements and the many patches of encapsulated countryside present within it. The Black Country is home to internationally and nationally designated nature conservation sites and has the most diverse geology, for its size, of any area on Earth^[35]. Many rare and protected species are found within its matrix of greenspace and the built environment.

4.4 Development in Sandwell should positively contribute to the protection, enhancement and expansion of the natural environment across the wider Black Country by:

• extending and improving the condition of habitats and nature conservation sites;
• improving opportunities for the movement of wildlife within and beyond urban areas;
• restoring or creating habitats / geological features that actively contribute to the implementation of Nature Recovery Networks, Biodiversity Action Plans (BAPs) and / or Geodiversity Action Plans (GAPs) at a national, regional, or local level;
• ensuring that developments adjacent to canals and natural watercourses deliver improved and extended corridors for the movement of wildlife and people.

4.5 Sandwell lies at the heart of the British mainland and the Birmingham and Black Country conurbation and therefore plays an important role in helping species migrate and adapt to climate change across the urban area as their existing habitats are rendered unsuitable. It is very important to increase the ability of landscapes and their ecosystems to adapt in response to changes in the climate by increasing the range, extent, and connectivity of habitats.

4.6 To protect vulnerable species, the Local Nature Recovery Network Strategy will allow isolated nature conservation sites to be protected, buffered, improved and linked to others. When considering the movement of wildlife, development proposals should incorporate the recommendations from the Black Country Local Nature Recovery Network Opportunity Map and the ecological networks it identifies. Species dispersal will be aided by extending, widening, and improving the habitats of wildlife corridors. Conversely, fragmentation and weakening of wildlife sites and wildlife corridors by development will be opposed.

4.7 Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINCs) and Sites of Local Importance for Nature Conservation (SLINCs) are identified though the process of local site assessment. This process is overseen by the Birmingham and Black Country Local Sites Partnership, whose role is to provide expert advice to the area's local authorities and other organisations as appropriate on the selection, management, protection and review of the network of local sites throughout Birmingham and the Black Country. It is particularly important to protect and enhance SINCs; an up-to-date Local Site Assessment will be required to support any proposal that could harm a SINC.

4.8 Development offers an opportunity to improve the local environment, and this is especially so in an urban area. The Council is committed to meeting its "Biodiversity Duty" under the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act (2006) and to delivering the principles of the NPPF by proactively protecting, restoring and creating a richer and more sustainable wildlife and geology. The local Biodiversity Partnership, Geodiversity Partnership, Birmingham and Black Country Local Nature Partnership and Local Sites Partnership will identify, map, and regularly review the priorities for protection and improvement throughout the Black Country, in accordance with the emerging Black Country Nature Recovery Network strategy. These will be used to inform planning decisions. The Local Environmental Records Centre hold, collate and disseminate the definitive and up-to-date register of locally designated nature conservation sites on behalf of the Black Country Authorities.

4.9 The Council's most recent Green Spaces Strategy Implementation and Business Plan (2022 – 23) states that Sandwell is currently failing to meet the national ANGSt^[36] standard for local nature reserves and has committed to meeting the standard's requirement of at least one hectare of Local Nature Reserve per 1,000 population. This equates to around 35ha or 0.35km² for Sandwell.