Issue - meetings

The Executive Member for Regeneration and the Director of Regeneration and Culture submitted a report for the Executive’s consideration. The purpose of the report was to seek approval to adopt the Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy 2021 - 2037 (GBIS).

The GBIS would be used by the Council to help shape the future of the borough. The GBIS planned to ensure that new and existing communities lived in quality places, accessible to green and blue infrastructure. The strategy would help the Council frame its response to emerging issues, including achieving biodiversity net gain and climate change prevention/mitigation.

In preparing the GBIS, statutory consultees and other key stakeholders, including Councillors, had been consulted and invited to take part in stakeholder workshops. The outcomes of the engagement had been taken into consideration in finalising the GBIS.

The key aspects of the strategy were contained at paragraph 8 of the submitted report.

The GBIS was accompanied with an action plan, which identified a series of 15 objectives from the baseline review and key stakeholder consultation, those were detailed at paragraph 9. In addition, the action plan identified 12 priority opportunities, which were contained at paragraph 10.

The final version of the GBIS had two parts, which were attached at Appendices 1 and 2 of the submitted report.

Following its adoption, it was planned that the GBIS would be used:

·        as part of the evidence base for the Local Plan;

·        as a material consideration in the determination of any future planning applications;

·        to inform the Green Strategy; and

·        to support relevant projects.

OPTIONS

Not to adopt the Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy 2021-2037 - That would have meant that the Council would not have had a clear strategy for delivering the land-use and spatial aspects of its Green Strategy. It would have been more challenging to deliver green and blue infrastructure, of the right quality, to support future needs.

ORDERED

That the Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy 2021 - 2037 be adopted.

REASON

The GBIS set out the key land-use and spatial priorities and opportunities to help deliver the Council’s Green Strategy, and ensure that there was sufficient green and blue infrastructure, of the right types, to support the needs of existing and future residents. It would provide the evidence base to support the emerging Local Plan and would become a material consideration in future planning applications.