Biodiversity book and seminar

As you know, I am a great fan of Bath Publishing, who continue to expand their planning and environment law list, in addition to the other areas of the law that they cover.

Tom Graham is a practising lawyer with many years of experience in environment and planning law, and is an established legal author whose book, A Practical Guide to Planning, Highways and Development is a ‘must have’ title from Bath Publishing’s catalogue. Bath Publishing will shortly be launching Tom’s latest book, The Environment Act 2021: A Guide for Planners and Developers. This book could hardly be more topical, and will be published almost before the ink has had time to dry on the new Act. So it will be one of the first books available to provide a comprehensive overview of the Act specifically for the planning sector.

This new book answers the questions that planners and advisers will need to consider such as:

• The interpretation of the Environment Act
• Conservation biology and the planning system
• What is Biodiversity Net Gain and how will it interact with the planning system?
• What is the "precautionary principle" and how is this to be reflected in the planning process?
• Can local planning authorities push a "green agenda"?
• Section 106 agreements, conservation covenants, planning conditions and ecology
• How will local planning committees get to grips with the complexities of the Act?
• How will the act impact on developers? Is it a benefit or a problem?

As well as practical commentary, the book includes the relevant sections of the Act, annotated by the author, so you will have the sources you need in one, handy volume. Due for publication shortly after Royal Assent is granted in the Autumn, it will be the essential, practical guide to help navigate the new regime efficiently and profitably.

• Paperback
• 200 pages approx
• £40 inc free digital edition if you pre-order
• ISBN 978-1-9163023-1-0

In order to launch this important new book, Bath Publishing have organised a seminar in London later this month, which will also be available online.

Attend the seminar and get the book free! This seminar, Biodiversity for Planners & Developers: The New Law, is being held on Thursday 25 November 2021. You can attend in person or online and you'll get a free book as part of the package. The event is being held at One Great George Street, London SW1P 3AA between 10am and 1pm, and I am honoured to have been invited to chair this event. The speakers will be Tom Graham, Dr Nick White and Alistair Mills, all of whom are experts in this area of law and practice.

As a special offer to readers of this blog, the ‘early bird’ offer for seminar bookings, giving you access to the seminar (with book included) of £150 + VAT has been extended to 12 November 2021. (The price will be £175 + VAT if booked after 12 November). So readers of this blog have just one week to snap up this generous offer, and save £25! [To get this discount, you will need to quote this code: BDMG1121 ]

I should mention that the availability of 'in-person' tickets is now limited (due to a rapid take-up of bookings). There is a need to keep the numbers fairly limited in order to minimise covid risks, so far as possible. Bath Publishing is offering everyone the option to swap to remote attendance if preferred.

UPDATE (17 November) : As readers are no doubt aware, it took the government until 9 November to get the Environment Bill through its final stages in parliament, and it became the Environment Act 2021 on that day. Tom Graham's book is now at an advanced stage of preparation, but it could not be finalised until after Royal Assent had been achieved (because important changes to the Bill were in the offing right up to the last minute). So, through no fault of Tom's, the book will not be ready as soon as everyone had hoped. The seminar on 25 November will nevertheless be a valuable opportunity to learn about the new Act and the way it will affect the way we do development in future. Attendees will, of course, be entitled to a copy of the book when it is published, and in the meantime they will find the seminar very helpful as a timely introduction to this important new legislation.

MARTIN H GOODALL