Agenda and minutes

Venue: 0.02 Chamber - Quadrant, The Silverlink North, Cobalt Business Park, North Tyneside, NE27 0BY. View directions

Contact: Dave Parkin; Tel: 0191 643 5316  Email: Democratic.support@northtyneside.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

E7/19

Substitute Members

To be informed of the appointment of any substitute members for the meeting.

Minutes:

There were no substitute members reported.

E8/19

Declaration of Interests and Dispensations

You are invited to declare any registerable and/or non-registerable interests in matters appearing on the agenda, and the nature of that interest.

 

You are also invited to disclose any dispensations that you have been granted in relation to any items on the agenda.

Minutes:

Councillor M Hall declared a registerable interest in the Biodiversity Action Plan and Biodiversity Net Gain report as she was a director of the Rising Sun Farm Trading Company and the Rising Sun Farm Trust.

E9/19

Minutes pdf icon PDF 110 KB

To consider the minutes of the meeting held on 12 July 2022.

Minutes:

Resolved that the minutes of the meeting held on 12 July 2022 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair

E10/19

Biodiversity Action Plan and Biodiversity Net Gain pdf icon PDF 150 KB

To receive a presentation on the annual report in relation to the Newcastle and North Tyneside Biodiversity Action Plan and the biodiversity requirements of the Environment Act 2021 in relation to biodiversity net gain.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Consideration was given to a report which provided an update on the delivery of the Newcastle and North Tyneside Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) between 2020 and 2022.  The report also provided an update on the responsibilities in relation to Biodiversity Net Gain as part of the planning process.

 

It was explained that the Biodiversity Action Plan contained a number of individual habitat and species plans and the report outlined the targets for each of the plans and provided examples of the various BAP projects which had been delivered over the previous two years.  The projects varied widely from restoring ponds and wetlands, the creation of species rich grassland, woodland and hedgerow planting provision through to botanical surveys and education programmes.  Reference was also made to the ongoing work being carried out by community groups to conserve and enhance wetlands and green spaces.  It was explained that over the past two years all of the targets set out in the action plan had either been fully met or were ongoing.

 

Reference was made to the ongoing work in relation to major planning projects in the area, including Murton Gap and Killingworth Moor.  It was explained that, in relation to the Murton housing scheme, work had been ongoing to ensure that suitable wildlife corridor landscaping was included in the development and, where necessary, suitable sites had been identified for off-site compensation. 

 

Details of the existing habitat on the Murton Housing Site were set out.  This included 14 hectares (ha) of arable land, 0.45 ha of poor field margins, 1.3 ha of amenity grass and 1.116 kilometres (km) of hedgerows.  In addition there were 20.5 ha of arable land, 0.75 ha of poor grassland and 2.2 km of native hedgerow off-site.  It was explained that after the development had been completed there would be 0.6 ha of broadleaf woodland, 0.5 ha of mixed native shrub, 0.6 ha of sustainable urban drainage (SUDS) and reedbed, 1 ha of neutral and modified grassland and 2.09 km of native hedgerow.  Offsite compensation habitat of 4.57 ha of neutral grassland, 2.5 km of native hedgerow, skylark plots and land set aside had been agreed.  It was explained that this had resulted in a habitat biodiversity net gain of almost 30% and a net gain of 575% in relation to hedgerows.

 

Details of the Authority’s biodiversity projects were outlined. 

 

These included:

·       The creation and management of 84 greenspaces as biodiversity areas;

·       The restoration of the education pond at the Rising Sun Country Park;

·       The creation of approximately 4 hectares of native woodland at the Rising Sun Country Park, Henley Gardens and Love Avenue through the North East Community Funding;

·       Conservation grazing at St Mary’s Nature Reserve;

·       500 bluebell bulbs planted at Benton Quarry Park;

·       500 bluebell bulbs, native wildflower seeds and cherry tree provided and planted at the SUEZ waste site;

·       Watercourse improvements, scrub planning and meadow creation at Rising Sun Country Park;

·       Watercourse improvements at Wideopen;

·       The provision of wildflower seed for the lower promenade project at  ...  view the full minutes text for item E10/19