Issue - meetings

Councillor Gary Sumner, the Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Councillor Keith Williams, the Cabinet Member for Customer Services and Operational Excellence, along with the Head of Planning, Regulatory Services and Heritage & Head of Property Assets, submitted a joint report seeking authority for Swindon Borough Council to become part of the national roll-out by Natural England of District Level Licensing (DLL) for Great Crested Newt habitats. This would provide an alternative mechanism for protecting newts, which is intended to reduce the costs on developers and which would enable newt populations to flourish in suitable locations.

Councillor Sumner introduced the joint report, informing Members that a site had been identified and additional sites would be sought.

Councillor Brian Ford, Cabinet Member for Adults and Health, and Councillor Vinay Manro asked question about the size of the great crested newt population and the proposed site. Councillor Sumner and the Planning Manager responded at the meeting. Councillor Dale Heenan, Cabinet Member for the Town Centre, welcomed the report and noted how it would support future development in the Borough.

Resolved:-

1.    That the Head of Planning, Regulatory Services and Heritage in consultation with the Chief Legal Officer be authorised to enter into a Memorandum of Agreement to progress the Council’s involvement in Natural England’s District Level Licensing project for Great Crested Newts (GCN) on such terms and conditions that are necessary in order to protect the Council’s interests.

2.    That the Head of Property Assets, in consultation with the Head of Planning, Regulatory Services and Heritage be authorised to:

a) Utilise the land at Mouldon Hill, Swindon as shown on the plan attached as Appendix 1 to the main report, for GCN habitat purposes.

b) Identify further Council owned land, which is assessed as suitable for GCN habitat and unsuitable for any alternative development, and in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Corporate Services and Operational Excellence, to utilise that land for GCN habitat purposes in line with the District Level Licencing initiative.

3.    That the Head of Property Assets in consultation with the Chief Legal Officer be authorised to enter into an agreement with Natural England to regulate the use of land identified in 2(a) and 2(b) above as GCN habitat on such terms and conditions that are necessary in order to protect the Council’s interests.

The reasons for the decision and alternative options are as set out in the report to the meeting.