Green Infrastructure – Trees, Ecology and Landscape

Welsh Government has recently issued Planning Policy Wales Edition 12. To address the nature emergency there is a revised Chapter 6 ‘Distinctive and Natural Places’ whereby there are policy changes to:-.

Green Infrastructure

Net Benefit for Biodiversity and the Step Wise Approach

Protection for Sites of Special Scientific Interest

Trees and Woodlands

A key change is the requirement that all planning applications that are submitted should include a ‘Green Infrastructure Statement’ . Chapter 6 of PPW12 indicates that a ‘Green Infrastructure Statement’ should describe how green infrastructure has been incorporated into the proposal. The statement should be proportionate to the scale and nature of the proposed development, for example for development such as householder and minor developments this would normally be a short description and should not be an onerous requirement for applicants.

The Green Infrastructure statement will be an effective way of demonstrating positive multi-functional outcomes which are appropriate to the site in question and must be used for demonstrating how the ‘Step-Wise Approach’ has been applied.

Monmouthshire Council has provided further information , a GI Statement proforma and guide for applicants below which includes:-

GI Statement proforma
GI Statement guide for householder and minor developments
A link to the householder net Biodiversity benefit brochure and guide
Further links to MCC GI Assessments, GI Strategy and GI SPG to support larger applications

Further information relating to PPW12 can be found at the following link the Welsh Government external web site at https://www.gov.wales/sites/default/files/publications/2024-02/planning-policy-wales-edition-12_1.pdf

GI Proforma

GI Statement Guide for Householders