Member

Amendment 251A, also tabled by my noble friend Lady Young, would require all off-site conservation measures to be maintained in perpetuity. I agree with my noble friend that it is absolutely crucial that conservation measures are in place for the appropriate period. That is why Clause 55(6) requires the EDP to set out how the conservation measures are to be maintained, and that Natural England will need to do so for as long as is required to ensure that the impact of development is materially outweighed in line with the overall improvement test. In many cases, this may indeed mean that the measures must be maintained for several decades or even in perpetuity.