Who should use our data at a local authority
Our data is most frequently used in the planning department and by ecologists, but it has many other applications as well.
Development control officers
Development control officers ensure planning decisions comply with planning policy and legislation. They:
- decide who to consult
- decide when to ask applicants for ecological surveys
- assess the impacts of a development
- decide what mitigation or compensation is required
Planning policy officers
Planning policy officers ensure plans and policies comply with planning policy and legislation. They compare the benefits and impacts of allocating strategic sites for:
- housing
- roads
- minerals
- waste
Highways engineers
Highways engineers avoid breaching wildlife law by checking for legally protected species records before starting maintenance work. For example, they check for water voles in culverts and bats in bridges. This preemptive work helps prevent costly delays to maintenance work.
Tree and arboricultural officers
These officers prevent breaches of wildlife laws by including a check for bat roosts and nesting birds in standard risk assessments before tree works or vegetation removal. This pre-emptive work helps prevent costly delays to maintenance work.
Parks officers
Parks officers identify existing wildlife in local areas and assess potential additions. They use this information to manage parks, promoting wildlife and enhancing local well-being and community cohesion.
Landscape officers
These officers advise on planting schemes, emphasising local and native species, and occasionally nationally rare plants.
Ecologists and biodiversity officers
These officers do all of the above!
Why local authorities should use our data
Compliance with legislation
Local authorities require our information to comply with the following legislation and policies:
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Local plans, policies and strategies
- The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2011
- Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010
- EU Inspire Regulations 2009
- Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act
- Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004
- Environmental Information Regulations 2004
- Protection of Badgers Act 1992
- Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
- The Environment Act 2021
The risks of not using our data
Decision-making without our information could lead to:
- failure to meet statutory responsibilities
- breaches of wildlife legislation
- overturned planning permissions
- unsatisfactory local development frameworks (LDFs) or local plans (LPs) assessed by the Planning Inspectorate
- costs awarded against the council
- time wasted fighting judicial reviews
- delays to the LDF or LP
- negative publicity and damage to reputation