Planning Process

• Data Requests
• Public Information Service
• Services for Local Authorities

We provide high quality environmental data to inform decisions about the potential impact of proposed developments as part of the planning process. Our services are available to anyone involved, including homeowners, landowners, members of the public, developers and consultants, as well the local planners and council ecologists. We also work closely with the local authorities to develop biodiversity strategies for the county, which include the Local Biodiversity Action Plans (LBAPs) and Local Sites System.

Under the terms of the service level agreements (SLAs) with the district councils and the county council, SERC provides species records and site data for the assessment of planning applications against ecological and geological considerations. The same information is available to individuals, organisations and businesses through our data enquiries service.

Planning Applications

The planning authorities have a duty to consider the conservation of biodiversity and geological features when determining a planning application, in line with relevant legislation. When submitting an application consideration should be given by the applicant to the potential impacts the development could have on the environment.

SERC provide information about protected and biodiversity priority species, priority habitats and designated sites in relation to the proposed development to inform this assessment. For further information refer to the guidance notes produced by the Somerset Nature Officers Group.

Data Requests

Requests for data from homeowners, landowners, developers and their agents in relation to proposed developments are treated by SERC as commercial enquiries, and are subject to charges to cover processing costs. Refer to our data search section for details.

We can advise you which of our data search options would best suit your requirements, and provide details of the coverage and scope of our data holdings in relation to the application. Assessment of the potential impact of a particular development is beyond the scope of the data enquires service. Advice can be sought from the local authority planners or ecologists, and from ecological consultants.

As part of our consultancy service we can undertake ecological impact assessment and protected species survey, which may be required as part of the application process.

Public Information Service

Members of the public and local groups can request data from us to help them investigate the potential impacts of proposed planning applications. Concerns about proposed developments should be addressed to the relevant local authority planners or ecologists, advice can also be sought from Somerset Wildlife Trust and from some of the local specialist groups.

Services for Local Authorities

We support the local authorities through the provision of ecological and geological data for assessing the potential impacts of proposed developments.

To deliver this service we’ve developed the planning application screening programme ‘BioPlan’, one of SERC’s specialist pieces of software for managing environmental data.

• BioPlan searches for relevant information both at the application site and within a 1 km radius, such as records of legally protected species and designated sites.
• The process takes into consideration the kind of works being proposed and produces a report alerting planners of any potentially negative impacts on the environment.