WILD BIRDS PLUS NE IN PLANNING

Those of you who follow what I write know about our concern for wild birds and their current problems. Defra, too, have pondered this and recently issued an update of their guidance: the legal duty of “competent authorities” to increase the provision of, and protect, habitat for wild birds. The competent authorities who must implement this duty which applies to England and Wales include Local Authorities, Natural England, the Environment Agency, the Forestry Commission, National Park Authorities and others. Having identified wild bird habitats of all types, these bodies must “help to provide, protect and restore habitats for wild birds [and]  take appropriate steps to help:

• preserve, manage and re-establish habitat that is large and varied enough for wild birds to support and maintain their populations in the long term
• avoid any pollution or deterioration of wild bird habitat as far as possible”.

The wording of the duty goes on to explain: 

“Your duty to provide and protect wild bird habitats applies when you carry out your functions, for example, when you:

• manage land that you own or occupy
• make plans or strategies to decide where activities or development should take place
• take decisions that might affect wild bird habitats, such as giving permissions or consents
• get a request from someone to use your powers to protect wild bird habitats
• carry out your own statutory work affecting land with wild bird habitats

You must use your judgement to decide what is appropriate action. You should get an ecologist to help if you’re not sure. In most cases, the action you should already be taking to protect and enhance the natural environment will benefit the habitats of wild birds.”

You can find all the information at https://bit.ly/wildbirdhabitat. 

Betts are not a competent authority as defined above, but we take the instructions in this duty very seriously and we constantly endeavour to improve the favourable conservation status of our wild birds.