Colchester City Council Preferred Options Local Plan Regulation 18 Consultation 2025

Comment

Representation ID: 14080

Received: 18/01/2026

Respondent: Natural England

Natural England welcomes the Plan’s holistic, integrated approach, supporting its focus on climate action, biodiversity recovery, environmental quality, and community wellbeing. The inclusion of air and water quality, water resources, flood risk, LNRS, green infrastructure, and biodiversity net gain is strongly endorsed. Meeting the need for 20,800 homes and 41.7ha of employment land is recognised as a challenge, and NE supports directing growth to sustainable locations. They commend the Plan’s partnership approach and its emphasis on creating a better environment through green networks, new open spaces, wildlife corridors, and improved sustainable travel to enhance health, quality of life, and nature.

Comment

Representation ID: 14235

Received: 18/01/2026

Respondent: Natural England

As indicated previously, siting large housing developments immediately adjacent to coastal
designated sites should be avoided where possible. Where this is considered necessary,
developments are likely to need to provide Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG) to
mitigate adverse recreational impacts on the Essex Coast Habitats Sites. The review of the Essex
Coast RAMS may provide further information about acceptable scales and distance of development
from the coast.

Comment

Representation ID: 14236

Received: 18/01/2026

Respondent: Natural England

We advise that policy wording should ensure that development will avoid Best and Most Versatile
agricultural land where possible.

Comment

Representation ID: 14237

Received: 18/01/2026

Respondent: Natural England

We would like to see green infrastructure (GI) included in this policy. GI is an important part of
infrastructure provision, and this should be reflected in infrastructure planning. Our previous response should be referenced for further detail around the
importance of timely delivery of high-quality natural greenspace for people’s health and wellbeing
and for managing recreational pressure impacts on sensitive designated sites.
Working towards a Nature Towns and Cities accreditation would help build the process of
integrating and embedding GI as critical infrastructure into the Local Plan and Plan policies.

Comment

Representation ID: 14238

Received: 18/01/2026

Respondent: Natural England

Natural England’s advice is that policy wording should stipulate that sufficient SANG will be required
for this major cross-boundary proposal, to comply with Policy GN5 and mitigation for loss /
disturbance of any land considered to be functionally linked to Habitats sites.

Comment

Representation ID: 14239

Received: 18/01/2026

Respondent: Natural England

Whilst Natural England is generally supportive of these policies, including strong links to the Essex
LNRS, please refer to the advice we have provided in our previous response.
Natural England strongly supports the proposed new enhanced biodiversity and open space
dedication on land at Middlewick Ranges, as set out in the Sustainability Appraisal. Our advice is
that it’s delivery should be secured through the appropriate Plan policy i.e. EN1 or EN3.

Comment

Representation ID: 14240

Received: 18/01/2026

Respondent: Natural England

With regard to Policy EN9: Pollution and Contaminated Land: Natural England would expect the
plan to address the impacts of air quality on the natural environment. In particular, it should address
the traffic impacts associated with new development, particularly where this impacts on protected
sites. If the Local Plan would result in other air quality impacts apart from traffic, then this will also
need to be addressed.
Local authorities should consider including a local plan policy based on the suggestion below to
address air pollution impacts on Habitat Sites and SSSIs (suggested wording included in attachment).

Comment

Representation ID: 14241

Received: 18/01/2026

Respondent: Natural England

Natural England fully supports this policy and the Council’s ambition to work with landowners and stakeholders to deliver the Essex LNRS, including the Roman River corridor nature recovery area. They welcome the requirement that non‑nature‑recovery proposals must demonstrate they will not hinder nature recovery in Strategic Opportunity Areas and will contribute to habitat creation. Natural England recommends borough‑wide mapping, similar to the 2025 Strategic Biodiversity Assessment, to clarify LNRS opportunities and strengthen ecological connectivity in future allocations. They also encourage the Council to participate in the Nature Towns and Cities Accreditation scheme as part of the planning process.

Comment

Representation ID: 14242

Received: 18/01/2026

Respondent: Natural England

As indicated previously, we advise inserting the following underlined words ‘All SANGs that are
required must meet the Natural England standard of a minimum of 8 hectares per 1,000 head of
new population’. The NE SANG Guidelines (2021) must be met in full. We advise that Policy GN5
includes a requirement to consult NE via the pre-application service for bespoke advice on SANG
proposals, to ensure that the planning application does not get held up at the consultation stage.

Comment

Representation ID: 14243

Received: 18/01/2026

Respondent: Natural England

Whilst Natural England is generally supportive of these policies, please refer to the advice provided
in our previous response. In particular, with regard to Policy LC2: Dedham Vale National
Landscape, whilst we support the policy, we strongly recommend seeking the views of Dedham
Vale National Landscape team on this policy.