GMCA 753 - Provision of a resource and associated programme of dissemination events to improve urban planning’s contribution to River Basin Management Plan delivery

Tender description

A research commission earlier in Phase 4 demonstrated that WFD guidance is not always embedded in wider planning guidance meaning that WFD objectives sometimes do not receive adequate consideration. Meanwhile, the roles and responsibilities around achieving WFD outcomes are often not clear especially around the division of responsibilities between the Environment Agency and local authorities. The research also showed a lack of consistency between local authorities in embedding WFD objectives at a planning policy level and within individual planning decisions. Local authorities also experienced difficulties in translating WFD objectives outlined in specific actions and measures within the River Basin Management Plan into the responses to individual planning applications. National policies supporting the Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan, including Biodiversity Net Gain, Local Nature Recovery Strategies and Green Infrastructure Standards, will provide new ways to deliver WFD objectives through urban planning and development. Therefore, there is now an opportunity to maximise the translation of these new policies into WFD outcomes. Now that the challenges and barriers to achieving optimal WFD outcomes are better understood Greater Manchester Combined Authority and the Environment Agency wish to commission the production of a tool or resource that will enable local authority planning officers and others to maximise the delivery of RBMP objectives and the aims of the WFD (this part of project will be delivered under contract to GMCA). In order to promote the uptake and use of the tool GMCA & EA would like the supplier to organise a programme of seminars or networking events or training sessions to help provide local authority planners and others with the confidence to use the resources and to optimise WFD delivery. Keywords: Consultancy, Environment