§ The Minister for Housing and Planning (Keith Hill)I am announcing today the publication of a consultation draft of a new planning policy statement on biodiversity and geological conservation and a draft circular (published jointly with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) to accompany it. The draft of planning policy statement 9 (PPS9) sets out the Government's national planning policies for biodiversity and geological conservation. The accompanying draft circular provides administrative guidance on the application of the law relating to planning and nature conservation as it applies in England.
It is intended that PPS9, together with the circular and future good practice guidance will, in due course replace planning policy guidance note 9 on nature conservation published in 1994. The draft PPS9, and its supporting documents meet the commitment set out in the planning Green Paper for shorter, more focused and policy rich statements of planning policy with separate advice on non-policy matters.
The draft PPS takes account of legislative changes since 1994 that affect biodiversity and geological conservation, and reflects the commitments in the "Biodiversity Strategy for England", published in 2002. It has a clearer focus on the need to conserve, enhance and restore biological diversity.
Consultation on the draft of PPS9 and the accompanying draft circular will run until 9 December 2004. Copies of the draft consultation papers have been made available in the Libraries of the House.