Biodiversity Action Plan 2025-2026
The aims for this strategy are:
- supporting the Nature Recovery Declaration 2024 Aims
- delivering on the Resident Survey 2026 top priorities and actions
- biodiversity loss due to habitat destruction
Key Priorities
Nature recovery
Protecting, expanding, connecting, and restoring habitats is vital in ensuring the health and diversity of our ecosystems. Supporting our most threatened species and minimising environmental harm are essential in delivering the Council’s strategic priority: A High Quality Place, Adapted for Climate Change.
Climate resilience
Assessing risks and vulnerabilities of the Borough in the face of climate change and mitigating those risks through adaptation measures and nature-based solutions, ensuring a focus on equitable outcomes for communities. Creating resilient systems in this way is essential for delivering on the Council’s strategic priority: A High Quality Place, Adapted for Climate Change.
Biodiversity action plan
A) Nature recovery, council land
Planning
A1. Include Kent & Medway Local Nature Recovery Strategy potential measures where suitable within management plans.
A2. Expand conservation designation and accreditation actions.
2026 Budget: £32,000
Delivery
A3. Deliver actions within the Rights of Nature Framework for each subset: Trees, Rivers and Wildlife.
A4. Continue to deliver the Parks and Open Spaces Plan and Biodiversity Delivery Plan.
A5. Create new wetlands / scrapes within Maidstone’s parks and open spaces and support improvements to waterways in the Borough.
A6. Expand food forests or community orchards within MBC open space.
A7. Extend No Mow May / naturalisation mowing initiative across other open spaces and parks with installation of interpretation boards to explain benefits and encourage others to follow the initiative.
A8. Deliver phase 2 of the Town Centre greening project with design and installation of pocket park(s) incorporating sustainable underground drainage.
2026 Budget: £220,000
A) Nature recovery, borough land
Engagement
A9. Provide, promote and monitor the Nature Recovery Fund to support communities delivering projects to protect and restore habitats and wildlife across the Borough.
A10. Promote reduction of pesticide use (including glyphosate) within Borough.
A11. Promote peat-free practice within Borough
2026 Budget: £100,000
Collaboration
A12. Partner with other agencies, landowners, specialist organisations and groups to identify opportunities for rewilding, flood protections and habitat restoration projects.
A13. Work to extend Dark Skies messaging within the Borough
2026 Budget: £50,000
Regulation
A14. Measure and enforce BNG in new developments to the adopted 20% standard, accessing our planning ecologist as required.
2026 Budget: £0
B) Climate resilience, council land
Planning
B1. Identify opportunities to mitigate heat hotspots through greening projects.
B2. Continue soil improvement actions through planting projects.
2026 Budget: £50,000
Delivery
B3. Promote expansion of grazing project to other sites.
B4. Assess suitability of expanding rainwater harvesting at MBC sites to reduce mains reliance and spend.
2026 Budget: £10,000
B) Climate resilience, borough land
Engagement
B5. Ensure campaigns are accessible to vulnerable groups to improve inclusivity in green space activities.
B6. Actively participate in catchment-wide working groups to address and discuss water quality and flood mitigation actions.
B7. Expand on rollout of rainwater harvesting in the Borough.
2026 Budget: £30,000
Collaboration
B8. Work in partnership to deliver local projects focused on climate mitigation in the Borough.
B9. Identify flood plain restoration projects and opportunities to slow river flow, and work with partner agencies to secure funding for implementation.
2026 Budget: £2,000
Regulation
B10. Apply MBC corporate climate change risk profile to planning guidance and decisions.
B11. Update Development Plans to include consideration for predicted climate change impacts and provide sustainability guidance as required and make planning policy decisions based on Emergency Planning and Resilience Climate Impact Assessments.
2026 Budget: £0
Progress Reports
2025 - 2026 (year in progress)