Will this change be any more successful in halting the clear declines in biodiversity or will Natural England simply be toothless and without a voice?

Natural England’s new strategy indicates a retreat away from enforcement, with less use of regulatory levers, more reliance on partnership working and a “fundamental change” in how its teams are organised. There will be a focus on outcomes and the organisation will put “people at the heart of the environment”. NE ‘The government’s ambition is for England to be a great place to live, with a healthy natural environment on land and at sea that benefits people and the economy. This strategy sets out Natural England’s thinking about what we need to do differently and how we need to work with others, to better deliver this shared ambition.

The strategy’s 3 guiding principles are to:

• create resilient landscapes and seas
• put people at the heart of the environment
• grow natural capital