The process of characterising an area’s green infrastructure may have revealed the presence of habitats and species that are protected by law or by local and regional planning policies. This may be because they are important remnants of our natural biodiversity heritage, of local, national or international significance protected by either planning or statutory designations (see designation framework). They may also be regenerating greenfield or brownfield sites. In each case they will represent valuable conservation and educational assets.

In order to develop land adjacent to protected habitats, early consultation with responsible bodies is important. This will help establish criteria required to protect functioning ecosystems and to ensure development proposals are appropriate. This will require reference to survey information, management plans and advice available from the Local Authority, English Nature and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) such as Wildlife Trusts and the RSPB. For habitats and species of national significance there is a requirement to consult English Nature and DEFRA on development proposals.

Development of a site will invariably have some impact on the local environment. It is therefore the responsibility of a developer and their professional team to avoid damage to functioning ecosystems and their associated habitats and species. Where impacts are unavoidable, measures must be proposed to mitigate and compensate for these impacts. Site-specific factors may also need to be taken into account in order to meet statutory requirements, such as the vulnerability of resting and breeding sites, extensive foraging areas and features that enable species movement and migration.

Examples of a comprehensive approach to protection, and the mitigation and compensation of impacts include Orton Brick Pits near Peterborough, a brownfield SSSI - and Portishead Ashlands near Bristol, a wetland foreshore SSSI. Developers at Portishead are supporting the creation of an adjacent wildlife reserve, extending the internationally significant wetland foreshore habitat. Ashlands’ management plan also demonstrates how to maximise a nature
reserve’s educational value.