Natural England has just published important new guidance to Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) on district level licensing for great crested newts – and specific guidance for those LPAs who hold their own District Licence operated by NatureSpace Partnership. If you’d like to know more you can access this document here. We warmly welcome the new guidance as a great step forward!
Our aim at NatureSpace, working alongside our LPA and NGO partners, is to ensure a sustainable future for great crested newts across the landscape, and to provide a simpler, more certain and therefore a more cost-effective route for developers and environmental consultants.
The NatureSpace scheme allows LPAs to hold their own ‘District Licence’ for great crested newts and to authorise developers through the planning system. The scheme brings licensing and planning together, giving applicants a streamlined approach and delivering huge conservation gains for great crested newts.
Adrian Duffield, Head of Planning from South Oxfordshire District Council and Vale of the White Horse District Council, two of the scheme’s original Local Authority partners, notes that,
“The NatureSpace great crested newt district licence scheme is an excellent additional tool for councils to assist the development process, while having benefits to the local natural environment. To date, the scheme has funded the creation and ongoing maintenance of over 20 high quality ponds across both South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse districts for the benefit of wildlife. The integrated planning and licencing process offered by the NatureSpace scheme allows councils to issue planning decisions more quickly, while ensuring the statutory obligations regarding protected species are met.”
How can I find out more?
If your Local Authority might be interested in joining our scheme, or you work as a planner or as a planning agent and wish to find out more about how this process can support great crested newts and help deliver sustainable development in your area, please contact us or check out our Local Authority information page.
