Local Nature Recovery Strategy update for the South West

Local Nature Recovery Strategies are currently in development across England on a county-by-county basis and are intended to identify opportunities for nature restoration which will be made available to planners and promoters on both paper and plans.

Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) will also contribute towards halting the decline in nature through the creation of new nature friendly habitats and to this end, land mapped within an LNRS will benefit from a more lucrative multiplier meaning landowners can deliver more BNG units on a lesser area.

The CLA has been engaging via stakeholder groups on the LNRS in each county since last year. As well as attending regular stakeholder meetings and workshops to make sure that landowner viewpoints are represented, we have also shared details of these schemes via our email newsletters and social media.

Getting ready

The reason for publishing this blog now, is to alert members to the fact that many county LNRS teams are getting ready to consult on their proposed nature recovery strategy, having now drafted and refined this following feedback from the engagement sessions/workshops which took place earlier this year.

This may therefore be your last chance to input on the LNRS in your county before it gets adopted, and so we would encourage all members with land to at least take a look at (and ideally respond to) any LNRS consultations that apply. Bearing in mind if you farm across a county border there may be more than one strategy you need to keep an eye on.

You may find your holding is currently being considered as an area of importance for nature recovery, and if you disagree with this, or would rather your holding were excluded from the plans, you need to let the LNRS team in your area know sooner rather than later.

County-by-county at a glance

Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

Cornwall and Isles of Scilly has become the third authority to publish its Local Nature Recovery Strategy. They want to use the the strategy as a catalyst for even concerted action on the ground, embedding the strategy into its delivery plans and a guide for projects and actions however large and small. They are planning a Nature Recovery publicity campaign through late May to end of June, following the local elections to properly publicise the strategy's publication.

Devon

Mark Burton sits for the CLA on the Devon LNRS Farming Working Group. He has used this position to educate policymakers on the importance of conventional arable farming, among other matters.

The LNRS is near to a draft stage and the latest updates can be found here.

Dorset

We have seen strong engagement from Dorset from very early in the drafting process, and there is CLA representation on the county’s steering group as well as its dedicated farming subcommittee. The LNRS is now is in its official pre-consultation phase.

Gloucestershire

Gloucestershire County Council view the Local Nature Recovery Strategy as a strategy which will inform local planning processes. A draft  version of the LNRS is due to be circulated for consultation in May 2025, lasting for 6 weeks. The pre-publication approval and cabinet adoption process will then start from September 2025 onwards. You can find out more about how you can have your say on the strategy here.

Somerset

Somerset Council in collaboration with the Somerset Local Nature Partnership, have been working closely with numerous stakeholders and engaging with communities, farmers and landholders to help shape the development of Somerset’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy. It aims to publish the Somerset Local Nature Recovery Strategy in Spring 2025.

Wiltshire and Swindon

Wiltshire Council recently completed its formal public consultation on the Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS), inviting residents, landowners, and organisations to help shape the future of nature's recovery across Wiltshire and Swindon. Wiltshire Council will review all feedback and refine the draft strategy. The updated document will be considered by the Environment Select Committee and Cabinet, before then going to Full Council for adoption.

West of England

West of England LNRS is one of the most advanced in England and have involved land owners and managers throughout, launching at the beginning of November. They recognised the importance of farmers and landowners in the delivery of the strategy and have developed a toolkit to assist them in identifying areas of potential for their land and businesses.

CLA support

Your regional advisers will continue to represent landowners throughout the LNRS process, identifying possible opportunities and concerns as the details are finalised. If, following this update you have any questions or concerns, please contact us on 01249 599059.