Decision details

(i)  To approve the adoption of the definitive Solent Recreation Mitigation Strategy, as shown in Appendix 1 to the report, so that new residential development is required to mitigate against the harm caused, by either the submission of their own site specific schemes of work or a payment of £337-880 depending on the number of bedrooms in a property.

(ii)  To use the Solent Recreation Mitigation Strategy in determining planning applications from 1 April 2018.

1.  To continue to meet the Council’s requirements as a competent authority to ensure that new development does not cause an unacceptable cumulative impact to protected species.

2.  To ensure that an appropriate mechanism is in place to mitigate against the potential harm on Solent Special Protection Areas, that otherwise would be caused by the increased recreational disturbance from new residential development within the surrounding Solent area.

One option would be to not implement the strategy. This would lead to possible legal challenge by third parties, including Natural England (who is a signatory to the definitive strategy) on new residential planning permissions issued. In addition developers would be required to submit and implement site specific schemes, acceptable to Natural England, alongside each application for residential development, at a potentially higher cost and without the benefits of a strategic approach to this issue.