Issue - meetings

To consider the Essex Coast Recreational Disturbance Avoidance & Mitigation Strategy (RAMS) report.

No decision was made. The item remains undetermined.

The Director – Public Services summarised the report which said that Natural England had identified the need for a strategic approach to understand the likely increased recreational impacts on scientific assets in Essex coastal areas, and to identify effective avoidance and mitigation measures. Eleven Essex Local Planning Authorities that were wholly or partly within the impact zone had worked with Natural England in preparing the Essex RAMS Strategy which aimed to mitigate bird and habitat disturbance from recreational activities. The implementation costs would be recovered through the planning process by applying a mechanism to secure developer contributions to fund measures identified in the Strategy.

In response to a question from Councillor Barker, the Chair said the scheme would only be relevant to the south of the district, primarily Felsted. 

In response to a question from Councillor Barker, the Director – Public Services said a similar scheme could only apply to those sites which had been granted European status. Hatfield Forest and the Flitch Way had not be granted European status but Natural England were looking at the potential for a similar scheme to be applied to Hatfield Forest.

The Chair proposed to accept the recommendations.

A seconder was not found. The scheme was not adopted.