Standing advice for ancient woodland
1 Issue Date: 23 February 2011
2 Next Review Date: 22 February 2013 then every two years after that
3 Local Planning Authorities to which this standing advice applies: All Borough, District and Unitary Authorities in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Kent, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Oxfordshire, Surrey and Sussex (excluding metropolitan London Boroughs within the above Counties), the New Forest National Park Authority and the South Downs National Park Authority (from the 1 April 2011).
4 Advice Reference: StAdv/AW/SE23_02_11
This advice is issued in accordance with;
- Article 10(1) of the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) Order 2010 SI 2010/2194 and any subsequent relevant amending order.
- Section 28I of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981 (as amended by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000).
- ODPM Circular 06/2005: Biodiversity and Geological Conservation –Statutory Obligations and their impact within the Planning System.
- Planning Policy Statement 9: Biodiversity and Geological Conservation.
Use of standing advice
When any of the Local Planning Authorities (“LPAs”) named in point 3 receive a planning application which requires consultation with Natural England they should first check whether any up-to-date Standing Advice exists which is relevant to the development.
The Standing Advice is up-to-date if the next review date (point 2 above) is later than the date of the initial planning application on which the Authority wish to consult Natural England. If unsure the LPA should check with Natural England.
For planning applications affecting:
- Nationally important landscapes including an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty or National Park, or
- requiring an Environmental Impact Assessment, or
- likely to damage features of a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI); or
- likely to have a significant effect upon a Special Area of Conservation (SAC), Special Protection Area (SPA) or Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention (Ramsar site).
LPAs should still consult Natural England as usual (or as agreed if local consultation arrangements are in place).
Status of standing advice
When determining an application for development that is covered by Standing Advice, in accordance with Government guidance in Circular 06/2005, LPAs must take into account the Standing Advice.
For the avoidance of doubt Standing Advice is a material consideration in the determination of applications in the same way as a letter received from Natural England following consultation.
When this and other Standing Advice is revised or withdrawn, the LPAs named in point 3 will be informed directly by email or letter and any new Standing Advice will be published on Natural England’s website and the replaced Standing Advice removed.
This document gives you full contents: (568kb)
of the standing advice for ancient woodland
This flow chart: (8kb) will take you through a series of simple steps to help you identify whether you need to carry out an ancient woodland species survey.
This checklist: (116kb) will help you consider whether there are any ancient woodlands that may be affected by the proposed development.
