Recommendation 9

Any future national spatial planning or land use policies, such as a Land Use Framework or Spatial Development Strategies, must be aligned with, and complimentary to, all environmental targets, frameworks and policies. These include but are not limited to: Environment Act 2021 86 targets, the Environmental Improvement Plan, Biodiversity Net Gain, Nature Recovery Networks, Environmental Land Management Schemes, Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS), Environmental Delivery Plans (if in existence) and Flood Plans. The relationships between LNRS and other spatial planning and nature policies, such as the ones noted above, should be made clear. In its response to this report, Government should lay out how each of the policies mentioned above align and work together. (Recommendation, Paragraph 58)