Planning Circular 06/05 with Planning Policy Statement number 9 (PPS9) on biological and geological diversity cover Development Plans too.

The wide-ranging PPS9 has rapidly been assimilated into the planning system. Few people involved in any change of use of land remain unaware of the need to take wildlife and nature conservation matters into account during the planning application process. Anyone who does ignore PPS9 is at serious risk of having their scheme refused or at least seriously delayed.

The recent ruling of the European Court of Justice, the ECJ, has confirmed that the requirements of the Habitats Directive must also apply to the assessment of Development Plans and to Regional Spatial Strategies, and not just planning applications as the UK Government had originally suggested. The text of the Circular will therefore now be updated to make this clear.