The proposed Sefton Recreation Mitigation Scheme
Sefton Council has a new Recreation Mitigation Scheme to help prevent or reduce the impact of housing developments on the protected nature sites on the Sefton Coast. The Scheme is endorsed by Natural England.
The Council is seeking public comment on this Scheme, as below.
The Scheme follows joint work with Natural England, Merseyside Environmental Advisory Service, the other Liverpool City Region local authorities, the Mayoral Combined Authority, West Lancashire Council and the National Trust.
It is already a legal requirement for developers to demonstrate how they have mitigated and managed recreation pressure on the Sefton Coast arising from new housing in Sefton.
The proposed Sefton Recreation Mitigation Scheme will create an ‘opt in’ process for developers to contribute financially towards projects that help reduce the impact of increased visitors to Sefton’s coastline. This includes projects on the Sefton Coast but also allows for investment into alternative greenspaces and green links in the Borough.
The scheme will apply to development of 10 or more new homes in Sefton. For each development of 1- or more new homes a contribution will be required of:
- £299 for each new home, in the area closest to the Coast (including Bootle, Crosby, Formby and Southport)
- £63 for each new home, in the area further from the Coast (most of Sefton East).
(These are 2021-22 prices which will be adjusted each year in line with inflation). For 2022-23 they are £314 and £66 respectively.
Developers must also provide a leaflet setting out the nature importance of the Sefton Coast for all first-time occupiers of these new homes.
Where applicants for planning permission do not want to ‘opt in’ to the Sefton Recreation Mitigation Scheme, instead they will need to complete more detailed site-based impact assessments, consult and agree mitigation packages with Sefton Council on a bespoke basis. This will need to take place before a decision is made on whether planning permission can be granted.
Information on the Recreation Mitigation Scheme is set out in the Draft Information Note: Managing and mitigating the impact of recreation pressure on the Sefton Coast - Sefton’s Interim Approach (please note that this does not show the updated 2022-23 prices):
| Draft Information Note |  (pdf 830KB) |
How can I comment on the Scheme?
The Draft Information Note is available for public comment until Friday 25th February 2022.
Please comment:
- by email to spd@sefton.gov.uk
or:
- by post to Planning Services, Sefton Council, Ground Floor Magdalen House, Trinity Road, Bootle L20 3NJ.
All comments must be received by Sefton Council no later than Friday 25th February 2022.
Data Protection
- All comments, including personal details, received will be logged securely.
- Comments from private individuals will be published online, usually in summary form. Names may be published online unless a specific request to remain anonymous is made.
- Comments from groups, organisations and companies will be published online, usually in summary form, giving name of group, organisation and company only.
- No contact details will be published online, including home address, email or telephone number
- The Council may need to contact you to request further information or clarification in relation to the comment(s) made.
- Personal details will be used for the purposes of SPD and Information Note production only.
For full data protection rights in planning please see: www.sefton.gov.uk/PlanningGDPR