Brownfield Register
We are required to prepare, maintain, and publish registers of previously developed (brownfield) land.
Sites to be included in Part 1 of Gravesham's brownfield land register must meet the following criteria:
- an area of at least 0.25 hectares or capable of supporting at least 5 dwellings
- suitable for residential development
- available for residential development and
- residential development of the land is achievable
Where we consider that permission in principle should be granted to a site, these sites should be entered into Part 2 of the register. However, sites cannot be entered into Part 2 of the register where development of the site would:
- fall within Schedule 1 of the EIA Regulations
- fall within Schedule 2 of the EIA Regulations and has been screened as EIA development (Part 2 of the EIA Regulations)
- development would be prohibited under habitats protection legislation
High environmental value
The Wildlife and Countryside Link provides further guidance to set out land of high environmental value which is not suitable for entry onto brownfield registers. They advise that brownfield land should be considered of high environmental value if it:
- contains priority habitat(s) listed under Section 41 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act, 2006
- holds a nature conservation designation (including Sites of Special Scientific Interest, Special Protection Areas, Special Areas of Conservation and Ramsar sites)
- has been selected as a Local Wildlife Site
- development would adversely impact on irreplaceable habitats such as ancient woodland and aged and veteran trees
In addition, sites with brownfield land of high environmental value should not be considered suitable for permission in principle (see definition above). In addition, sites with complex environmental issues, which will require substantial information upfront to determine adverse impacts (such as detailed ecological survey work), are unlikely to be suitable for permission in principle.
Such sites may include, but are not limited to, those where the development would require an Environmental Impact Assessment or an Appropriate Assessment (under the Habitats Regulations). If there is any uncertainty with regard to future environmental impacts, then the site is not suitable for permission in principle.
Due to Gravesham containing a number of highly sensitive sites with nature conservation designations which would be subject to an Appropriate Assessment under the Habitats Regulations either alone (for a plan or project) and in combination with other plans and projects a Part 2 register has not been prepared.