Biodiversity and Nature Recovery Supplementary Planning Guidance

This survey is now closed.


The Wirral Local Plan was adopted in March 2025. The Local Plan includes a range of policies, which conform to national planning policy, to shape the future of Wirral. It sets out how new development will be managed in the period from 2022 to 2040, encouraging urban regeneration, sustainable development and economic growth.

The Council is preparing a Biodiversity and Nature Recovery Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) to supplement adopted planning policies in the Wirral Local Plan for all planning applications. SPDs give more detailed guidance on the application of policies in the adopted Wirral Local Plan 2022-2040, Joint Waste Local Plan for Merseyside and Halton and ‘made’ (i.e. adopted) Neighbourhood Plans. SPDs also need to be consistent with the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and Planning Practice Guidance (PPG). The SPD will not create new planning policies but expand on existing ones.

The SPD will replace existing Supplementary Planning Documents and former Supplementary Guidance Notes related to policies in the now withdrawn Unitary Development Plan. The coverage of the SPD will be Borough-wide.

The SPD will contain guidance on achieving development solutions that could be permitted under the terms of adopted Local Plan policies. This will cover design aspects including placemaking principles, suitable locations, site appraisal, best practice and Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) to indicate how new development can contribute to improving the quality and character of the area, making the most out of the biodiversity component, and integrating with the wider green infrastructure of the borough.

The scope of the Biodiversity and Nature Recovery SPD is in the Documents section of this page for review. To have your say on the SPD scope please complete the online survey below.

If you wish to submit any supporting documents as part of your response, please email these to localplan@wirral.gov.uk

This survey is now closed.


The Wirral Local Plan was adopted in March 2025. The Local Plan includes a range of policies, which conform to national planning policy, to shape the future of Wirral. It sets out how new development will be managed in the period from 2022 to 2040, encouraging urban regeneration, sustainable development and economic growth.

The Council is preparing a Biodiversity and Nature Recovery Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) to supplement adopted planning policies in the Wirral Local Plan for all planning applications. SPDs give more detailed guidance on the application of policies in the adopted Wirral Local Plan 2022-2040, Joint Waste Local Plan for Merseyside and Halton and ‘made’ (i.e. adopted) Neighbourhood Plans. SPDs also need to be consistent with the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and Planning Practice Guidance (PPG). The SPD will not create new planning policies but expand on existing ones.

The SPD will replace existing Supplementary Planning Documents and former Supplementary Guidance Notes related to policies in the now withdrawn Unitary Development Plan. The coverage of the SPD will be Borough-wide.

The SPD will contain guidance on achieving development solutions that could be permitted under the terms of adopted Local Plan policies. This will cover design aspects including placemaking principles, suitable locations, site appraisal, best practice and Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) to indicate how new development can contribute to improving the quality and character of the area, making the most out of the biodiversity component, and integrating with the wider green infrastructure of the borough.

The scope of the Biodiversity and Nature Recovery SPD is in the Documents section of this page for review. To have your say on the SPD scope please complete the online survey below.

If you wish to submit any supporting documents as part of your response, please email these to localplan@wirral.gov.uk

Page last updated: 17 Mar 2026, 11:37 AM