Comment

Representation ID: 15773

Received: 24/03/2021

Respondent: West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA)

Recognition of the proposed national Standards Framework for GI is welcomed.

The proposed policy for new development to meet the national GI Standards is likely to support delivery of GI in Bradford district, but there may be a need to develop locally specific policy on GI to ensure application of the national Standards reflect local circumstances - the national Framework is expected to complement local policy rather than act in its place. This would provide the opportunity for local policy on GI to set out how it can support other policies on nature recovery and Net Biodiversity gain which are currently not recognised in section 4.25.

As the national Framework is still being developed, there is potential for further quantified standards to be included alongside the Urban Greening Factor and the Accessible Natural Greenspace Standards.

Although it does not currently seem to be reflected in the Local Infrastructure Plan, the national GI Standards Framework and associated national GI dataset and mapping is intended to support LPA's in undertaking assessments such as the Open Space Assessment Needs and Demand Assessment, and this work should be informed where appropriate by the national Standards Framework and national mapping data being produced by Natural England.