Birmingham’s Green Belt is a precious resource that is under pressure from development proposals that the Council maintain are ‘necessary to house our future generations', the leader of Birmingham council has said. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) is explicit when it says that when considering any planning application, local planning authorities should ensure that substantial weight is given to any harm to the Green Belt.  

As part of their Local Plan preparations, Birmingham City Council considered growth options in the northern Green Belt areas around Sutton Coldfield. This land is characterised by rolling countryside, woodlands, hedgerows, streams, intimate field patterns and areas of rough pasture. In other words, a place which harbours important populations of plants and animals that are not found elsewhere in the City’s administrative boundary. 

  

The Council instructed Lepus to undertake a strategic ecological review of desktop evidence supported by fieldwork data collected during February. The large scale survey identified more than 38 target notes across the research area, recording conspicuous bird species and habitat types. The project also carefully considered the landscape ecology of the Green Belt advising the Council about the biodiversity resource and the spatial configuration of the landscape in terms of existing features and opportunities for enhancement.

Principal habitats recorded during the survey included mature hedgerows, as well as younger enclosure hedges, native and mixed deciduous woodland (including ancient woodland), carr woodland dominated by alder and willow species, lakes and streams. Mature standard trees featured as important components of the wider landscape at all locations, typically Pendunculate Oak, Holly or Scots Pine, Ash, Sycamore, Silver Birch and Deciduous Larch. Horse Chestnut, Beech and Lime were recorded in lower numbers. Veteran trees occurred sporadically and represented an important habitat, supporting birds, mammals and invertebrates. A total of 30 bird species were recorded including . This included eight Amber Status species: Green Woodpecker, Grey Wagtail, Kestrel, Mistle Thrush, Corn Bunting, Fieldfare, and Yellowhammer.