Member

The planning process plays a key role in safeguarding the environment. Environmental protections are embedded in planning regulations through mandatory environmental impact assessments and habitat regulation assessments, which ensure that projects are designed and delivered in a way that minimises harm and promotes sustainability. The Secretary of State will carefully consider the environmental impacts of the proposed development, ensuring that potential impacts on environmental receptors are understood and that plans are in place to manage these impacts appropriately before granting consent. These assessments are published as part of the documentation that goes out on the Planning Inspectorate website when a decision is taken.