Securing new areas of greenspace and responsible habitat management are among the actions taken over the past year by Surrey Heath Borough Council to enhance biodiversity in the borough.
The shortlisting of Windlemere Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG) as a potential location to provide a strategic biodiversity gain site to supply off-site biodiversity units to developers is also included in the council’s first Biodiversity Duty Report.
The Biodiversity Duty requires public authorities to take steps for conserving and enhancing biodiversity in England.
In June last year Surrey Heath Borough Council published its Biodiversity Duty first consideration report and agreed the associated action plan be implemented.
This new report, approved by the council Executive at its meeting of 21 April 2026, summarises the current policies the Council has in place that benefit biodiversity, and reports on Biodiversity Net Gain (an approach to new development that aims to leave nature in a measurably better state than it was found). Actions taken so far to enhance biodiversity are reviewed, and a future action plan is presented.
The council has also provided support and feedback to the lead authority Surrey County Council in the production of the Surrey Local Nature Recovery Strategy. The document sets county-wide priorities and spatial mapping for nature recovery, and will also be a material consideration in planning decisions.