Development

Balancing Nature and Development: The Humber Estuary Protected Site Strategy Pilot 

By Katharine Carson,Senior Officer, Sustainable Development, Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire Area Team When you think of the Humber Estuary, you might picture big stretches of mudflats full of wading birds like curlew and lapwing. Or maybe you think of the busy docks and industrial …

Building Homes, Restoring Nature: How District Level Licensing has streamlined development 

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Development, Growth, Natural England, Nature

By Mike Burke, Sustainable Development Portfolio Director Nature underpins our nation's growth, health, and security. Natural England's job is to recover nature whilst enabling our partners in the development sector to build the vital homes this country needs.  Our approach is to …

A Biodiversity Net Gain Solution for a High Value Brownfield Site

By David Feige, Northumberland County Council In this guest blog, David Feige, County Ecologist for Northumberland, explains the approach taken to approve a major new industrial development on a brownfield site at Cambois. The site contained a significant amount of …

Royal Assent: Natural England and the Planning and Infrastructure Act 

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Development, Growth, Monitoring, Natural England

By Marian Spain, Chief Executive, Natural England The Planning and Infrastructure Bill received Royal Assent today. The new Act is central to the government's Plan for Change, representing one of the most significant planning reforms in a generation. The Act also represents a milestone for Natural England, giving more opportunities to to …

Natural England’s Chief Scientist reflects on the Science, Evidence and Analysis for nature recovery

By Professor Sallie Bailey, FICFOR, BES On 4 December, the Royal Armouries in Leeds hosted some leading voices in nature recovery. Thought leaders and innovators from environmental NGOs, academia, finance, infrastructure and local government joined Natural England at our Science, …

Rethinking how we approach the design of reservoirs

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Climate change, Development, Evidence, Green Infrastructure, Growth, Landscape, Natural England
Photo of Wimbleball Lake with landscape scenery around

By Jacqui Jobbins, Landscape Senior Specialist, Natural England As our climate changes and demand for water grows, water companies across the country are planning new reservoirs and expanding existing ones. But these projects aren’t just about storing water – they’re …

Landscape Recovery and growth: building the foundations for critical nature infrastructure 

Ock-and-Thames-Landscape-Recovery-Project.-Credit-Freshwater-Habitats-Trust.jpg

By Chris Davis, Natural England’s Deputy Director for Landscape Recovery and Schemes Development At a time when the UK is facing serious environmental challenges such as climate change and loss of wildlife, restoring and protecting our natural capital is one …

How nature and nuclear can co-exist

Sizewell B nuclear power plant in the distance behind natural landscape

By Sean Mahoney, Sizewell C Project Manager and Senior Officer, Major Planning Casework A collaborative approach has delivered environmental protections alongside energy security at Sizewell C nuclear power station. Natural England has worked closely with Sizewell C and environmental stakeholders …

Building Britain's Future: Why Nature and Growth Go Hand in Hand

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Development, Green Infrastructure, Growth, Natural England

By Tony Juniper CBE, Chair of Natural England It’s obvious isn’t it. Britain can either build the homes, infrastructure and clean energy systems our growing economy needs, or we can protect our natural environment for future generations. This apparent choice …

Growing stronger together: community action for nature

Children in school uniforms help with planting outside of a school. An adult and child are kneeling in the foreground, digging at the base of a young tree, while another child stands with a watering can.

By David Drake, Director for People and Nature, Natural England The Nature Towns and Cities Partnership established by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the National Trust and Natural England, brings together organisations across the UK with a shared vision for …