Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what advice or guidance they have provided to Basildon Borough Council regarding action steps to mitigate the loss of invertebrate biodiversity of the Dry Street Pastures Local Wildlife Site (Ba24), Nethermayne, Basildon, Essex, owned by the Homes and Communities Agency and currently subject to outline planning permission for housing development.

Natural England has advised Basildon Borough Council throughout the planning process for the proposed development at the Nethermayne site. Its advice has focused on statutory interests such as the adjacent Site of Special Scientific Interest and protected species. Natural England has referred the council to other ecological consultees, including the Essex Wildlife Trust, Essex Field Club, and Basildon Natural History Society for advice on non-statutory nature conservation matters, including invertebrates.

Natural England provided limited advice on invertebrates as part of its response to the developers’ Outline Biodiversity Strategy. Natural England suggested greater tailoring could be made to address the impacts on specific invertebrates found at the development site and that updated surveys should be used to guide the design of the off-site compensatory grassland to benefit invertebrate species.