Dec 18, 2015 - Specialists from Mott MacDonald and Cranfield University modelled, quantified, and mapped a range of ecosystem services at different times ...
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18/12/2015
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Planning for environmental benefits Words: Dr Ron Corstanje
ENGLAND ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT/ SUSTAINABILITY APPRAISAL ECOLOGY ECOSYSTEMS SERVICES ASSESSMENT FLOODING DEVELOPMENT CONSENT ORDER
Are there planning mechanisms that ensure we develop ecosystems that contribute to our wellbeing? Dr Ron Corstanje outlines the benefits of Ecosystem Services Assessment The planning regime continues to be limited by the idea of the environment as a constraint on development. That’s meant mechanisms like the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) are used to show how environmental issues can be navigated around – protecting bats with gantries across new roads and sustainable drainage systems in new housing estates. What’s missing in the approach is the other side of our relationship with the physical landscape, and the benefits provided by ecosystems that contribute to our wellbeing. These need to be taken into account to make balanced decisions, based on an integrated view of grey, blue and green infrastructure. And there’s the opportunity to revolutionise both strategic land use planning and development control by asking: “What does this landscape do for us now?” and “What could it do for us in the future?” This would create a more positive basis for development and the role of planning. This is what the ‘ecosystem services’ approach tries to do, looking at the positive contribution of features in a local environment such as carbon sequestration, water purification, flood protection, and recreation. opportunities.
"An 'ecosystem services' approach looks at the positive contribution of features in a local environment"
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Work on assessing the Norwich Northern Distributor Road (NDR) has been a useful example of how an Ecosystem Services Assessment (ESA) can be applied. A project involving dual carriageway of 20 km, the NDR has been classified as requiring a Development Consent Order (DCO).
OSBORNE RICHARDS PLANNER @ LEADING CONSULTANCY
Specialists from Mott MacDonald and Cranfield University modelled, quantified, and mapped a range of ecosystem services at different times under alternative land-use scenarios, with and without the new road.
OSBORNE RICHARDS DESIGN OFFICER
The ESA showed that benefits such as enhanced carbon sequestration could be achieved through landscaping features included in the road design, as well as trade-offs with arable agricultural production through surrounding habitat creation. Its findings informed aspects of the project’s EIA and contributed to the decisions on final siting and design of habitat creation and other measures, leading to the DCO being granted by the secretary of state.
OSBORNE RICHARDS PLANNING OFFICER
By accounting for the benefits provided by ecosystems to society, planners can consider environmental change from a more holistic perspective. Using a quantitative modelling system means they can value the ecosystem services provided and do a scenarios-based analysis to consider the trade-offs posed by alternative project
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Dr Ron Corstanje is a lecturer in environmental informatics at Cranfield University IMAGE | SHUTTERSTOCK
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