The Longfield Solar Farm Order 2023

Landscape and ecological management plan

9.—(1) No phase of the solar farm works and grid connection works may commence until a written landscape and ecological management plan (which must be substantially in accordance with the outline landscape and ecological management plan) has been submitted to and approved by the relevant planning authority for that phase or, where the phase falls within the administrative areas of both Braintree District Council and Chelmsford City Council, both relevant planning authorities.

(2) The landscape and ecological management plan must include details of:

(a) how the plan will secure a minimum of 87% biodiversity net gain during the operation of the authorised development, calculated using The Biodiversity Metric 4.0, published by Natural England on 20 April 2023 (or the current version of the metric if this has been superseded when the plan is submitted for approval);

(b) how the landscaping and ecological measures will be managed and maintained during the operational life of the solar farm works and grid connection works to the date on which the decommissioning environmental management plan is implemented pursuant to requirement 20 (decommissioning and restoration); and

(c) how any approaches and measures in the biodiversity design strategy have been incorporated into the design of the solar farm works and grid connection works.

(3) The landscape and ecological management plan must be implemented as approved.

(4) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (1), “commence” includes site clearance involving vegetation removal.