Agenda item

      i.         The Biodiversity Manager introduced the item on the revised Biodiversity Strategy. He reported that the strategy reflected the results of the mid-term review, new legislation and the adoption of the Cambridge and Peterborough Local Nature Recovery Strategy.

    ii.         Results from the 2025 site audit had shown a mixed but generally positive picture of habitat conditions on commons and local nature reserves. Some core sites such as Logan's Meadow and Hobson's Park were showing clear improvement following targeted investment and partnership working. Several others remained stable, and where sites had been assessed as declining targeted action had been taken, for example interventions over the winter at Byron’s Pool and Bramblefields.

   iii.         Positive progress had been made on herbicide reduction across the city, improving habitats and water courses, delivery of major habitat creation projects, including new wetlands at Logan's Meadow and ongoing chalk stream restorations.

  iv.         The public consultation had shown 92% support for the draft strategy’s direction and strong backing for the Nature City Accreditation aspiration. The strategy aimed to further embed biodiversity into council services, including through the requirement of a 20% biodiversity net gain on developments.

    v.         It was noted that the proposed action plan included explicit improvement targets for each core site, and proposed designation of two new Local Nature Reserves (LNRSs), both within Cherry Hinton.

  vi.         Following the presentation, members were invited to discuss the draft strategy. The Committee was generally supportive of the proposals, and members asked officers and the Cabinet Member questions on various aspects of the strategy and associated documents.

 vii.         Topics covered included: the ratings assigned to each nature site, how deliverable the plan was, the multi-use nature of the sites, whether the 20% measurable net gain target was ambitious enough and what it meant in tangible terms, the Council’s herbicide-free approach, the need for partnership working with the county council to identify where biodiversity could be delivered without compromising highway safety (e.g. verges),  consultation on the two proposed sites in Cherry Hinton, the funding and resources needed to deliver the strategy including current and future staffing levels, the need to protect sites through the planning process, links to other areas of council activity including allotments and dog-control, the importance of effective communication and engagement with local groups, ongoing managements and maintenance of sites, and the various types of ecological corridors detailed in the papers.

viii.         Following this, the Committee agreed the following:

·      To note the progress made in the midterm review of the Biodiversity Strategy (2026 – 2031), including the public consultation.

·      To recommend the Strategy (and Action Plan) to the Cabinet for adoption subject to the following points:

-         the definition of ‘measurable net gain’ should be strengthened;

-         there was a continuing need to focus on communications with residents when carrying out work on nature sites; and

-         effective joint-working (including within the council on areas such as allotments and dog control as well as with external partners) was crucial to the delivery of the strategy.

·      To support the proposed Local Nature Reserve (LNR) designations of Fulbourn Road and Church End in Cherry Hinton.