Standards Development

Scope

The UK commitment to halt the overall loss of biodiversity by 2030 in line with the European Biodiversity Strategy and UN Aichi targets, is being passed down to local authorities to implement, mainly through planning policy.

BS 42020 looks to promote transparency and consistency in the quality and appropriateness of ecological information submitted with planning applications and applications for other regulatory approvals. It gives guidance on how to produce clear and concise ecological information, gives recommendations on issues such as professional ethics and provides a framework to demonstrate how biodiversity has been managed.

The standard is intended to assist those concerned with ecological issues as they arise through the planning process. It will also help in matters relating to consented development and activities involved in the management and use of land outside the scope of land use planning, which could have site specific ecological implications.

The revision will review references to legislation to ensure the standard is remains relevant for the whole of the UK. The content will be updated in line with the latest Government initiatives and policy including NNPF, 25 Year Plan and Environment Bill. 

This British Standard gives recommendations and provides guidance primarily for ensuring that actions and decisions taken at each stage of the planning process are informed by sufficient and appropriate ecological information.

In particular, this British Standard provides recommendations and guidance to all professionals working in the planning and development sectors who might encounter biodiversity as an issue during the planning, design and development process on how to:

a) meet obligations under codes of ethics or conduct when taking decisions or undertaking actions that could affect the natural environment; and

b) adopt a professional, scientific and consistent approach to gathering, analysing, presenting and reviewing ecological information at key stages of the planning application process, or in evaluating the ecological implications of associated activities as part of consultation or other regulatory procedures.

The processes recommended in this British Standard are applicable to the terrestrial, aquatic and marine environments.

Although the recommendations of this British Standard are intended primarily for those in the development control and management process, its principles can also be applied to forward planning, and in relation to other consenting processes, e.g. applications for EPS licence applications or environmental permits (see 9.5). The principles of the standard may also be applied to the preparation and determination of planning applications where geodiversity is a material consideration.

Purpose

To revise BS 42020:2013 and update the content so it is in line with the latest UK government initiatives and policy, including NNPF, 25 Year Plan and Environment Bill.