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East Devon is rich and varied in terms of the habitats it hosts and the wildlife that it supports. Planning has a critical role in conserving and enhancing our wildlife. There are five sites in East Devon that fall in the highest tier of European importance, Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas) and a great many sites that are of national and local importance.  More information will be added to this page as it is developed.

South east Devon European Site Mitigation Strategy

The Exe Estuary (in East Devon, Exeter and Teignbridge), the Pebblebed Heaths (in East Devon) and Dawlish Warren (in Teignbridge) fall in the highest tier of designated wildlife sites in the country.  These sites all show signs of damage as a result of human activity; if unchecked the integrity of these sites could be undermined.  Under the Habitat Regulations a legal responsibility rests on all three councils, as competent statutory planning authorities, to ensure that adverse unacceptable impacts will not arise from development and that appropriate mitigation is secured through the planning process. Measures are being put in place to ensure that effective mitigation, that is supported by robust evidence and applied on a consistent basis, is established across the three local authority areas of East Devon, Exeter and Teignbridge. The Development Management pages on the council website will provide more details of the obligations that will rest with developers as part of the planning application process.  To inform overall works a mitigation strategy has been produced.  South East Devon European Site Mitigation Strategy.