Professor Jane Stout:

I thank Deputy Devlin. It would be a matter for both development plans and local area plans, in addition to any other tools that are available.

This sort of nature first thinking needs to come into all urban developments. There is the huge increase in housing developments on a lot of greenfield sites and the loss of hedgerows. As Dr. Lysaght mentioned earlier, hedgerows are not only important as arteries for biodiversity they also capture and store carbon. So we are removing these elements that can be positive for biodiversity and climate yet they do not seem to be given the consideration in these plans. Whatever mechanisms that can be used to bring a nature first thinking into development are really important, especially in urban areas as they expand.