Local authorities must ensure they have up to date local plans and environmental and climate planning policies. When combined, all local plans and policies should satisfy national environmental targets, allowing for flexibility as to how they meet these targets between areas, in reflection of unique and local environmental characteristics. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, should work together to audit all lo...

Local authorities must ensure they have up to date local plans and environmental and climate planning policies. When combined, all local plans and policies should satisfy national environmental targets, allowing for flexibility as to how they meet these targets between areas, in reflection of unique and local environmental characteristics. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, should work together to audit all local plans once produced to ensure that, collectively, they add up to meet national house building and biodiversity targets. (Recommendation, Paragraph 59 Type: conclusion | Number: 10 | Response status: under_consideration Government response: 33. The Government and Natural England recognise the importance of avoiding any perception of conflict of interest, and will continue to ensure that Natural England’s advisory and regulatory functions are objective and delivered with high degree of integrit