Managing urban development for biodiversity: a cross-country analysis of local planning practices

Biodiversity conservation is gaining prominence in urban and regional planning, yet limited attention has been paid to how local authorities translate high-level biodiversity policies into effective practices. This paper examines how urban development is managed to prevent biodiversity loss and enhance ecosystem services through a comparative analysis of planning practices in Manchester (England), Bologna (Italy), Calgary (Canada), Frankfurt (Germany), and Ghent (Belgium). The study explores how biodiversity is integrated into planning across three governance levels: national/regional, city, and project. It reveals that while all five cities demonstrate a commitment to biodiversity, their strategies differ according to governance structures, planning cultures, and legal frameworks. Regulatory systems, such as those in Germany and Italy, provide prescriptive, plan-led approaches, whereas discretionary systems, like England’s, allow for more flexibility during project appraisal. However, these distinctions are not always clear-cut. Ghent, despite operating in a regulatory framework, adopts discretionary practices at the project level, resembling Manchester’s approach. Conversely, Frankfurt, Bologna, and Calgary emphasise early-stage integration of biodiversity through zoning and city planning. The findings offer insights into the advantages and limitations of both regulatory and discretionary approaches and highlight the importance of aligning biodiversity strategies across governance levels to improve ecological outcomes in urban development.