This EPIC webinar will introduce the Local Soils Model Policy & Guide, a new blueprint to help local authorities across England protect and sustainably manage soils during construction and development.

Launched in May this year, this resource was created by a task force led by Lancaster University, in collaboration with Lancaster City Council, Cornwall Council, and stakeholders from planning, construction, engineering, and environmental sectors. The guide outlines how councils can integrate effective soil management policies into their Local Plans to safeguard this vital, non-renewable resource, which plays a crucial role in environmental health, water management, and climate change mitigation. During the webinar, we’ll explore how the guide recommends embedding soil stewardship at every stage of development - from establishing a Soil Quality Baseline Report, to implementing a Construction Phase Soil Management Plan, and ensuring long-term protection through a Post-Construction Soil Management and Monitoring Strategy.

The event is free to attend and open to all.

Speakers

Paul Hatch, Service Manager – Planning & Housing Strategy, Lancaster City Council

Paul has over 20 years of experience working on local plans and planning policy within local planning authorities across the North West of England. Paul has been involved in the delivery of a range of local plans, development plan documents and supplementary planning documents which have dealt with a wide range of planning policy topics. Paul is a member of the ‘Soils Taskforce’, a collaborative public / private sector partnership which seeks to promote and enhance the important role that soils management can play in both the planning and construction phases of development. The Soils Taskforce have published a range of guidance on the subject, most recently publishing a model planning policy for soils management in new Local Plans.

Susanna Dart, Principal Climate Policy Officer - Planning and Housing Strategy, Lancaster City Council

Susanna Dart is the Principal Climate Policy Officer at Lancaster City Council in the Planning and Housing Strategy Team. Her work covers the policies, projects, and priorities of the council in addressing the climate emergency and meeting the challenge of net zero. This work is focused on planning policy particularly on holistically integrating climate mitigation, adaptation, and resilience into new developments from design stage on. She has a background in environmental chemistry including the critical role that soils play in environmental health. 

About the Environmental Policy Implementation Community (EPIC)

The event is hosted by the Environmental Policy Implementation Community (EPIC) at the IES. You can join EPIC here. Please note that all environmental professionals working in local authorities can join EPIC for free.

This webinar is open and free for all to attend, but if you are interested you can find out more about joining the IES.