Biodiversity Surveys For Most Jersey Planning Applications Under New Draft Rules

Sweeping Planning changes demanding full biodiversity surveys for hundreds of Planning applications each year have the potential to delay even minor projects – and could shut down work completely during bird nesting season.

That's the view of Ogier's specialist planning and construction lawyer Claire Smith, who says that draft supplementary planning guidelines recently circulated demand full surveys by qualified ecologists on: any modification of a pre-1960s building; anything within 200 metres of the sea or a hedgerow; or anything within 200 metres of a garden larger than 500 square metres.

The new guidelines would also demand an ecologist's report on anything involving external lighting of a building outside the built-up area or within 50 metres of woodland.