Small Sites Metric assessments for planning

Not necessarily. The SSM must be completed by a competent person who can identify the habitats and use the tool correctly. They must also recognise when a site does not qualify or needs specialist advice.

For example, uncertainty about priority habitat or protected species should be resolved before selecting the metric. Simplified inputs do not make an uncertain habitat identification reliable. ACP can review the available evidence and confirm whether an SSM assessment or further ecological work is appropriate.

A site visit will often be needed to establish reliable habitat evidence. However, the scope depends on the quality, coverage and age of the information already available. An existing survey may be useful if it covers the whole development boundary and remains representative.

Send any habitat plans, ecological reports and dated photographs with your enquiry. We can identify gaps and explain what fieldwork is needed. Photographs alone may not show every relevant feature or resolve questions about habitat type, protected species or eligibility.

Yes. Send the editable SSM workbook together with the plans and habitat evidence used to prepare it. Include council comments, the application reference and any changes made since the original calculation.

We can scope a review of eligibility, habitat entries, measurements, assumptions and results. If the drawings and workbook use different layouts, they may need updating together. We will explain whether a targeted correction is sufficient or whether additional evidence and a more substantial revision are needed.

Yes. Early habitat information and an initial calculation can help the design team compare layouts before key decisions are fixed. For example, reviewing access and building positions may reveal opportunities to retain habitats that would otherwise be lost.

The initial results depend on the assumptions and drawings used. As the layout and landscape proposals develop, relevant habitat measurements and workbook entries need updating. Agree the number of design iterations in the scope, and keep a clear record of which drawing revision supports each calculation.

Potentially, where the development meets the SSM criteria and enough information is available to support the calculation. Unknown dwelling numbers, the site area and the scope of the outline proposal all need checking before eligibility can be confirmed.

Some design details may remain unresolved, so assumptions should be clearly recorded and revisited as proposals develop. Do not assume that all biodiversity information can wait until reserved matters. Discuss the application requirements with the planning authority, especially where the permission allows phased development.

Review which habitats, measurements and proposals are affected, then update the relevant plans and workbook together. A change to the boundary, building footprint, access or landscaping can alter the biodiversity result and may affect SSM eligibility.

If a Biodiversity Gain Plan has already been approved, check the effect on that approval and any associated conditions or legal agreements. Send ACP the revised drawings and a summary of the changes. We can identify the assessment work needed and the planning matters to discuss with your adviser or authority.