What we provide
DELIVERING FASTER DEVELOPMENT ALONGSIDE NATURE RECOVERY
In 2013, DEFRA published a review of the standard licensing system for great crested newts in England. It wasn’t optimistic – not only were developers being held-up, but millions of pounds were being spent on on-site mitigation with no evidence of conservation success (and often evidence of the contrary). We recognised the need to help the planning system deliver long-term, meaningful conservation for great crested newts, and NatureSpace was born. Regulated by Natural England, for the past 7 years we have been delivering strategic licensing that’s faster for developers, easier for planners and, most importantly, better for newts.
In 2018, the NatureSpace District Licensing Scheme was launched, set up in partnership with expert freshwater and amphibian NGOs (The Amphibian and Reptile Conservation and Freshwater Habitats Trust) as well as seven pioneering local planning authorities across the South Midlands.
The scheme has since grown from strength to strength and now operates across over 68 planning authorities throughout England as well as almost the whole Network Rail region. Since 2018, hundreds of developers have been approved to use the local planning authorities’ District Licences – meaning over £7.1 million has been put directly into creating or restoring hundreds of clean water ponds and terrestrial habitat.
Sectors we’ve worked in
About us
What is District Licensing?
District Licensing is a Natural-England approved alternative to the standard licensing system where licences are held by local planning authorities instead of individual developers. Our District Licence Scheme is a quick, easy and simple alternative to newt licensing: no surveys, reduced delays, and no unexpected costs.
A licence designed for your works
We design a unique solution tailored to your needs, eliminating the need for you to apply to Natural England every time you need to deal with newts. Once the licence is set up, you are covered for all works that you undertake – such as for utilities, rail or road networks. It is a solution to cover a huge range of operational needs, from specific strategic-level projects to maintenance activities.
Whilst each Licence will meet its Organisation’s unique needs, all our schemes embed our core conservation principles, provide a year-round licensing route with no need for surveys, and offer full support from us every step of the way.
Our Social Mission
Together with our partners we have developed a long-term, landscape scale conservation strategy for great crested newts, fully funded by our schemes. The compensatory habitats created are in strategic locations for newts, away from the pressures of development. The scheme also funds management and monitoring of these aquatic and terrestrial habitats for at least 20 years, ensuring a sustainable future for newts.