Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust discuss the Government’s Planning & Infrastructure Bill

Residents, farmers, landowners and organisations are being encouraged to continue to play their part in helping to shape the future of nature's recovery in Nottinghamshire, writes Erin McDaid of the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust.

With concern growing that proposed changes to the national planning system via the Government’s Planning & Infrastructure Bill could seriously undermine wildlife protections, the current consultation on the draft Nottinghamshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy is welcome, positive opportunity for county residents to help shape local policy to drive nature's recovery.

Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRSs) are a new system of spatial strategies established by the Environment Act 2021. The main aim of LNRSs is to agree priorities for nature recovery and identify suitable locations where habitat can be created or improved to help reverse nature's long-term decline.

Delivery of local strategies will contribute towards the national Nature Recovery Network and the LNRSs will also help inform delivery of mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) linked to new development. They will also help shape local planning policy for nature recovery – which could become even more important if national protections are undermined.

Across England there are 48 LNRSs. Here in Nottinghamshire, Nottinghamshire County Council was appointed by DEFRA (Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) to be what is known as the Responsible Authority to lead on the development of the LNRS for Nottinghamshire and the City of Nottingham.

Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust has worked closely with Nottinghamshire County Council and other partners on the development of Nottinghamshire’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy and we are delighted to be a key stakeholder and to have had a hand in shaping the draft. But, it is now vital that farmers and other landowners and the wider public have their say to help ensure it delivers for communities as well as nature.

Work on the strategy in Nottinghamshire began in late 2023. Once agreed, it will set out vital actions for nature recovery which can be taken by Local Planning Authorities, partner organisations and the people of Nottinghamshire.

A formal, six-week public consultation on the draft strategy was launched last month - inviting residents, farmers, landowners and organisations to comment on the draft LNRS document.

We know that nature and the wider environment mean a lot to people, and we are encouraging everyone to who values our county’s wildlife and natural habitats and cares about their future to find out more about the opportunities presented by the LNRS and to have their say.

With public support, Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust and others have helped protect and enhance some of the most important places for nature in our county, but the scale of the ecological and climate crises means we must take a more radical and urgent approach.

Nature has been squeezed out and it is no longer enough to protect what wildlife we have left. We must create much more space for wildlife to thrive. Local Nature Recovery Strategies are vital tools to helping secure nature recovery at scale.

We depend on the natural world for our survival and increasingly need people to act for wildlife as well as be inspired by it. Helping to shape the Local Nature Recovery Strategy is a great way to act for nature here in Nottinghamshire and an important step to helping secure a wilder future for everyone.

Residents, farmers, landowners and organisations can put forward their views via an online consultation system. Further details about the LNRS and the consultation can be found on the Nottinghamshire County Council website.

The consultation will close on Monday June 16 – so make sure you have your say. The final LNRS will go through the required approval processes at the county council before publication, which is anticipated in autumn 2025.

To have your say visit nottinghamshire.gov.uk/planning-and-environment/countryside-and-green-spaces/local-nature-recovery-strategy-for-nottinghamshire

There is still time to sign up to benefit from 30 Days Wild. As well as being beautiful and inspiring, we know that nature is good for us in so many ways. Whilst 30 Days Wild, the UKs biggest nature challenge, is now underway, there’s still time to take part through the rest of June. For more information and to receive resources to make your June wild visit nottinghamshirewildlife.org/30-days-wild