Elton Ecology were commissioned to provide discharge of conditions support relating to a planning permission for the erection of 9 residential units with associated parking and amenity space, in the Croydon Council Local Planning Authority area.

A condition was attached to the planning application requiring a Biodiversity Enhancement Strategy for Protected and Priority species, to include:
• Purpose and conservation objectives for the proposed enhancement measures;
• Detailed designs to achieve stated objectives;
• Locations of proposed enhancement measures by appropriate maps and plans;
• Persons responsible for implementing the enhancement measures;
• Details of initial aftercare and long-term maintenance (where relevant).

The Issue

A third-party ecological report was submitted to the Planning Authority prior to our involvement. The condition attached to the planning consent required that the biodiversity enhancements stipulated in the third-party report were implemented in full for the Biodiversity Enhancement Strategy, including the creation of a species rich wildflower meadow grassland within the amenity space of the development.

On reviewing this proposal it was evident that due to the small area of amenity space available, its location, and visitor pressure that would occur at the site, producing a meadow of biodiversity value within the amenity greenspace allocated would not be achievable in practice.

Our Solution

Via correspondence with the local planning authority, a practical alternative solution to meadow creation was agreed, which was the creation of a green roof comprising drought tolerant species on a well-drained and low nutrient substrate.

Elton Ecology submitted a Biodiversity Enhancement Strategy for the site which included the creation of a green roof, which was approved by the Local Planning Authority ecology consultee and the condition was discharged.