We are not opposed to any of the three options in principle. In line with the Lawton principles, it is important that new green infrastructure created as part of development links up with existing areas of GI to form an integrated and well planned network and that it contains areas of natural greenspace, such as woodland, so as to enhance biodiversity. It can be particularly beneficial to create new woodland by natural regeneration, adjacent to existing ancient woods, as this allows migration of species over time into the new woodland.

The Woodland Trust's Emergency Tree Plan, which is available on the publications section of our website at www.woodlandtrust.org.uk set out how trees and woods can make an important contribution to tackling the climate emergency, through both mitigation and adaptation, and the biodiversity emergency. New development offers an opportunity for planting of new trees and woods as part of GI and we would like to see your Local Plan set a target for a minimum of 30% tree canopy cover on any development site. A number of councils have set ambitious tree canopy cover targets, including Bedford and Central Bedfordshire who have gone for 30% and the former Wycombe Council (now part of Bucks unitary council) who went for 25%.

An alternative method of calculating the need for trees and woods is to use an access standard, such as the Woodland Trust's Accesss to Woodland Standard, which aspires that everyone should have a small wood of at least 2ha in size within 500m of their home and a larger wood of at least 20ha within 4km of their home. This standard is designed to be complementary to Natural England's Natural Greenspace Standard and natural greenspace does, of course, include woodland.

We would like to see tree and woodland cover in new development include both small areas of new woodland, where appropriate, and also individual trees or groups of trees in streets and on areas of greenspace in new housing estates. The Government has stated its intention to legislate to require that all streets in new housing developments should be tree lined, recognising the wide range of benefits which street trees can provide to local people.