Green Infrastructure and Biodiversity Strategies

Following on from our Green Grid consultation last year, we have drafted two closely linked strategies; the Biodiversity Strategy and the Green Infrastructure Strategy.  

In our Green City Plan 2030, we made a commitment to create a greener, healthier, and more sustainable city that is better adapted to the various challenges arising from climate change. The Corporate Plan 2022/30 sets a further ambition for Southampton to have an increased amount of connected, good quality green space. A key aim of both plans is to create a more resilient city, one that is healthy, and attractive for people to live in, work in and visit. A city that is designed to benefit people and wildlife.  

We need to address the commitments in those plans and meet new statutory obligations, arising from the Environment Act 2021, including a strengthened Biodiversity Duty (focussed on conserving, restoring and enhancing habitats and species populations) and a requirement to secure at least 10% Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) from planning developments.  Southampton City Council will also be required to contribute towards the development and delivery of a new Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS), which focusses on restoring habitats and increasing connectivity. 

The Green Infrastructure (GI) Strategy and Biodiversity Strategy outline how the council will play our part in transforming our own activities in terms of land management and spatial planning. They also set out how improved GI and biodiversity will make the city more resilient to the effects of climate change and improve the health, wellbeing and prosperity of Southampton. 

These consultations are now closed. Thank you to everyone that took the time to complete the consultations.

After the consultation we are pleased to publish our new strategies.