Ecology

Under UK planning legislation, there are three main areas of ecological protection: protected species and sites, biodiversity net gain and trees. Advice on ecology in the planning system can be sought through the Council's pre-application service. Further information on trees and their protection can be found on the Council's Trees and Woodlands webpage.

Protected species

Many of our native plant and animal species have legal protection under UK and/or European law. For example, all bat species, great crested newts, and otters are protected under both UK and European law and badgers are protected under their own Badger Act.

Areas of significant ecological value in Coventry are also protected either through national law or local policy. This includes Sites of Special Scientific Interest such as Tile Hill Wood. More information about where our protected sites are can be found on the Spectrum Spatial™ map.

Planners are legally required to consider protected species and sites when relevant to planning applications. This is undertaken in accordance with the above national legislation and the City Council's adopted Local Plan.

Biodiversity Net Gain

Biodiversity Net Gain was made nationally mandatory under the Environment Act 2021, and it requires developments to enhance the biodiversity of their sites by 10% more than it had pre-development.

Further information on this can be found in Coventry City Council’s Biodiversity Net Gain Supplementary Planning Document.

Coventry City Council has been applying a biodiversity offsetting scheme prior to the Environment Act of 2021 and is in the process of adopting the national scheme.