Biodiversity Duty report

3.1The importance of conserving and enhancing biodiversity has been recognised and incorporated across numerous corporate strategies, policies, partnerships, and actions during the first reporting period, which are summarised below.

Council strategies, policies and objectives

3.2Great Yarmouth Corporate Plan

3.2.1The Council's Corporate Plan 2025-2030 places emphasis on maintaining a "high‑quality and sustainable local environment" and recognises the importance of the borough's coastline, natural habitats and relationship with the Broads National Park. The Plan sets strategic priorities to ensure that streets, green spaces and beaches are clean and attractive throughout the year, and to take an environmentally sustainable approach to the long‑term management of coastal and inland water environments. It also highlights the need to reduce the Council's carbon footprint and promote walking, cycling, public transport and energy‑efficient buildings, which together will assist in reducing pressures on biodiversity and supporting ecological resilience.

3.2.2The Plan further identifies the natural environment as a key asset in responding to climate change and supporting the transition to a greener economy. Strategic aims include improving resource efficiency, increasing recycling, promoting green energy and working with partners to foster civic pride and responsible environmental behaviour. The Council also commits to ensuring that natural and built environments are accessible and inclusive, and to supporting skills development linked to future "green jobs". Together, these priorities embed environmental considerations across the Council's work and form an important part of its approach to meeting the biodiversity duty.

3.3Sustainability Strategy

3.3.1The Council's Sustainability Strategy (2022) sets out a long‑term framework for addressing the interconnected challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution, and positions the natural environment as a central asset in building a resilient and sustainable borough. The Strategy establishes the "Nature Challenge" as one of three core priorities, committing the Council to protect, manage and enhance the Borough's natural resources, including its wetlands, coastal habitats, grazing marshes and nationally important landscapes such as the Broads wetland system and the dunes at Winterton‑on‑Sea. This priority is underpinned by a clear vision for a Great Yarmouth where healthy ecosystems provide essential service, such as flood resilience, climate adaptation, and opportunities for recreation and wellbeing, and where biodiversity is strengthened through proactive stewardship of Council‑owned land.

3.3.2The Sustainability Strategy also reinforces the Council's commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2035, setting out an objective to "lead by example and reduce greenhouse gas emissions generated from our own estates and operations to achieve net zero by 2035". Alongside this, the Strategy also commits to improving natural resource management, enhancing green infrastructure and working collaboratively with partners and communities.

3.4Adopted Great Yarmouth Local Plan (2013 - 2030)

3.4.1The Local Plan is the Borough's primary planning framework, setting out the spatial strategy and development management policies that guide how land is used and managed across the borough. It provides the statutory basis for decision‑making in planning and plays a key role in shaping how the natural environment is protected, enhanced and integrated with future growth.

3.4.2The current adopted Local Plan for Great Yarmouth comprises the Core Strategy (Local Plan Part 1, 2015) and the Local Plan Part 2 (2021), with the latter providing detailed policies to supplement and deliver the Core Strategy. Across both documents, the protection, conservation and enhancement of the natural environment, and the recognition of green infrastructure as a key asset, form core elements of the Plan's vision and objectives. These themes are reflected throughout the policy framework, supporting a plan‑led approach to safeguarding habitats, strengthening ecological networks and integrating biodiversity considerations into spatial planning and development management. The policies of particular relevance are:

• Core Strategy Policy CS1: Focusing on a sustainable future
• Core Strategy Policy CS2: Achieving sustainable growth
• Core Strategy Policy CS11: Enhancing the natural environment
• Core Strategy Policy CS12: Utilising Natural Resources
• Core strategy Policy CS15: Providing and protecting community assets and green infrastructure
• Local Plan Part 2 Policy GSP5: National Site Network, designated habitat sites and species impact avoidance and mitigation
• Local Plan Part 2 Policy GSP6: Green Infrastructure
• Local Plan Part 2 Policy E3: Protection of open spaces
• Local Plan Part 2 Policy E4: Trees and Landscape

3.5 Great Yarmouth Emerging Local Plan (2024-2042)

3.5.1The emerging Great Yarmouth Local Plan will replace the adopted Core Strategy and Local Plan Part 2 once formally adopted. As of March 2026, the Plan is at an advanced stage of examination and subject to the outcome of that process, is anticipated to be adopted in Summer 2026. Upon adoption, it will form the statutory development plan for the Borough, sitting alongside other relevant documents that make up the wider development plan framework. Consistent with the existing Local Plan, the emerging Plan includes a clear vision and set of objectives focused on the protection, conservation and enhancement of the natural environment, including the delivery of measurable biodiversity net gain. The policies within the emerging Local Plan that are of particular relevance to the biodiversity duty are outlined below:

• Policy NAT1: Protecting Biodiversity and Geodiversity
• Policy NAT2: Locally Designated Sites
• Policy NAT3: Biodiversity Net Gain
• Policy NAT4: National Site Network designated habitat sites, Ramsar sites, and species impact avoidance and mitigation
• Policy NAT5: Nutrient Neutrality
• Policy NAT6: Norfolk Coast National Landscape and the Broads
• Policy NAT7: Landscape Character
• Policy NAT8: Strategic Gaps
• Policy NAT9: Dark Skies
• Policy NAT10: Trees, woodlands and hedgerows

3.5.2The requirements and implementation of particular policies within the emerging Local Plans are discussed below (section 4.2).

3.5.3Please note that this Biodiversity Report will be republished immediately after the adoption of the new Local Plan (expected in June 2026) to provide access to the adopted document.

3.6Neighbourhood Plans

3.6.1As of March 2026, there are six adopted neighbourhood plans within the Borough, which form part of the local development plan. All of the adopted neighbourhood plans include biodiversity relates policies, listed below. The policies contain locally specific provisions that make a contribution to biodiversity protection and enhancement across various settlements within the borough:

• Belton with Browston, Burgh Castle and Fritton with St Olaves Neighbourhood Plan Policy 6: Biodiversity
• Belton with Browston, Burgh Castle and Fritton with St Olaves Neighbourhood Plan Policy 7: Local Green Spaces
• Belton with Browston, Burgh Castle and Fritton with St Olaves Neighbourhood Plan Policy 9: Dark Skies
• Filby Neighbourhood Plan Policy E1: Habitat and Wildlife
• Filby Neighbourhood Plan Policy E2: Trees and Hedgerows
• Filby Neighbourhood Plan Policy E3: Local Green Space
• Filby Neighbourhood Plan Policy E4: Dark Skies
• Filby Neighbourhood Plan Policy E5: Landscape Character
• Fleggburgh Neighbourhood Plan Policy 3: Enhancing the Natural Environment
• Fleggburgh Neighbourhood Plan Policy 4: Local Green Space
• Fleggburgh Neighbourhood Plan Policy 5: Landscape Setting
• Fleggburgh Neighbourhood Plan Policy 6: Dark Skies
• Hemsby Neighbourhood Plan Policy 13: Biodiversity Improvements
• Hemsby Neighbourhood Plan Policy 14: Green Corridors
• Hemsby Neighbourhood Plan Policy 15: Local Green Spaces
• Rollesby Neighbourhood Plan Policy E1: Protecting and enhancing the environment
• Rollesby Neighbourhood Plan Policy E2: Landscape Character and appearance
• Rollesby Neighbourhood Plan Policy E3: Protecting Dark Night Skies
• Winterton-on-Sea Neighbourhood Plan Policy E1: Protecting and Enhancing the Environment
• Winterton-on-Sea Neighbourhood Plan Policy CA3: Local Green Space

Partnership Strategies

3.7Norfolk Local Nature Recovery Strategy

3.7.1The Council has participated in the production of the Norfolk LNRS as a Supporting Authority, with Norfolk County Council acting as the Responsible Authority.

3.7.2The Norfolk LNRS is comprised of a written statement of biodiversity priorities and a local habitat map, which identifies existing natural areas, and key locations and opportunities for potential enhancement, expansion, and improved habitat connectivity.

3.7.3In complying with the strengthened duty set out in the Environment Act 2021, the PPG confirms all public authorities must have must 'have regard' to the relevant LNRS. It is understood that the PPG is likely to be updated to ensure public authorities 'take account of' any relevant LNRS. As such, from adoption, the Norfolk LNRS is a material consideration in the assessment of planning applications and is being utilised as an important source of information in relation to finding where off-site provision of biodiversity gain would be most beneficial in circumstances where it cannot be fully met on-site.

3.7.4Further work on the LNRS will seek to develop and facilitate projects and initiatives that support the objectives. This will be ongoing over several years, with different projects operating on their own timelines. In conjunction with its implementation, outcomes will be monitored on a periodic basis in order to review the strategy's effectiveness.

3.8Norfolk Green Infrastructure and Recreational Avoidance Mitigation Strategy

3.8.1The Norfolk GIRAMS strategy is a strategic approach that enables growth in the borough by implementing the required mitigation to address adverse effects on the integrity of Habitats Sites arising from recreational disturbance caused by an increased level of recreational use on internationally designated habitat sites, particularly European sites, through growth from all qualifying development. This should be read alongside the Norfolk RAMS Action Plan, which builds on the approach established in the GIRAMS and sets out detailed actions relating to mitigation measures, including an updated fee for new proposals.

3.9Norfolk Coast Partnership

With the support of Natural England the Norfolk Coast Partnership carries out work on behalf of local authorities that share responsibility for the Norfolk Coast National Landscape, including Great Yarmouth Borough Council. The draft Norfolk Coast National Landscape Management Plan details a range of goals and targets including:

• nature recovery - restore or create at least 1,300 hectares of wildlife-rich habitats outside protected sites by 2030 (from a 2022 baseline)
• climate adaptation and mitigation - increase the number of trees outside of woodland and woodland planted around The Wash and Norfolk coast, on an appropriate scale and in appropriate locations

3.10Norfolk Climate Change Partnership

3.10.1The Norfolk Climate Change Partnership is an ongoing county‑wide collaboration established in 2020, bringing together local authorities and key organisations to coordinate action on climate mitigation and adaptation across Norfolk. The Partnership focuses on three strategic priorities: developing a sustainable energy plan to decarbonise the county's energy supply; reducing energy demand through building retrofit, behaviour change and improved energy efficiency; and enabling greener, more sustainable transport solutions. Through this shared approach, the Partnership supports the transition to a low‑carbon, climate‑resilient Norfolk, with co‑benefits for biodiversity, air quality and community wellbeing.

Delivered Actions for Biodiversity

3.11Trees for cities

3.11.1The Trees for Cities initiative in Great Yarmouth has delivered a major programme of urban greening, planting over 500 semi‑mature trees across the town as part of the national Forgotten Places: Greening Coastal Towns and Cities programme, between January 2022 and Spring 2023. The first phase saw more than 80 trees planted at locations including St John's Church, Deneside, St George's Park and Trafalgar Road, with the remainder scheduled over subsequent winters to maximise establishment and resilience.

3.11.2The project was funded through the Green Recovery Challenge Fund and managed locally, aiming to expand species‑rich canopy cover, strengthen biodiversity, and increase resilience to climate impacts such as heat and flooding.

3.11.3Alongside tree planting, the project has created volunteering, training and green skills opportunities for residents, including tree‑identification workshops and practical education sessions.

3.12Conservation of Council owned green spaces

3.12.1Each year, the Council identifies selected areas of Council-owned open space where grass cutting is paused during the growing season to enhance biodiversity across the Borough.

3.12.2These programmes are designed to support the return of pollinators, such as bees, by allowing native wildflowers to flourish, providing valuable habitat and ecological benefits for local wildlife.

3.12.3Locations where managed regrowth has been implemented include Pasteur Road in Great Yarmouth, the area between Shakespeare Road and North Drive in Great Yarmouth, Elm Avenue in Gorleston, and Primrose Way in Bradwell.

3.13Tree Preservation Orders

3.13.1Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) remain an important tool for safeguarding trees that contribute to the Borough's landscape character and ecological value. Since 2022, the Council has made 64 new TPOs and continues to assess opportunities for further designations in response to development pressures and requests from residents. By protecting mature and high‑value trees, the Council helps to maintain important habitats, support species diversity and strengthen the Borough's wider green infrastructure network.