Local Nature Recovery Strategy through a Blue Lens

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Why is the project relevant to you?

Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS’s), introduced in the Environment Act 2021, are new strategies to help reverse biodiversity loss and meet England's nature targets. They map out action needed to restore nature and involve local stakeholders like farmers, to provide the best environmental outcomes. This project worked with a 'responsible authority' to include water environment considerations via a data led approach. The spatial land use planning system will likely be a key delivery method, knowing these priorities can help you design your planning applications to support nature recovery.

Key messages for Developers and infrastructure providers

This project's results give important water data to help make land use decisions, balancing environmental goals with food production, housing, and development. Many LNRS will use digital mapping layers, and you might be able to overlay your own maps with identified environmental needs and opportunities, if licensing allows.

Call to action

LNRS recognise the important role of nature-based solutions in nature recovery. These solutions can be effective in various water areas, but it's also important to remember that traditional engineering methods still have a role in environmental solutions.

Call to action

This project tested a data-driven method to map and prioritise opportunities to support and improve the water environment. It's a great starting point to identify the best priorities for your site. Since it's desk-based, expert on-the-ground investigation is needed to see if the measures are feasible.

Call to action

As local nature recovery strategies develop, you'll see how proposed measures can shape site-specific policies, design, biodiversity net gain requirements, and open space management to support broader nature recovery through planning.

Call to action