05 Apr 2023

The Data Services Platform is provided by the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and its agencies. It supports open access to environmental data for: the public partner organisations, their staff and contractors The platform provides: open data feeds application programming interfaces (APIs), built on linked data, which are aimed at system and […]

28 Mar 2023

Defra and the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) have released reports which review progress made in meeting the aims of the East Inshore and Offshore Marine Plans and the UK Marine Policy Statement. The East Marine Plans’ inshore area has a coastline that stretches from Flamborough Head in Yorkshire to Felixstowe town in Suffolk. The offshore area covers from […]

21 Mar 2023

The MP for Middlesbrough, Andy McDonald, posed a question to the Defra Environment Minister regarding the recent conclusions of the Expert Panel on crustacean deaths in the North East of England. Mr McDonald said: ‘ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the report by the Chief Executive of […]

15 Mar 2023

Defra announced last week that four swimming areas in England have progressed to public consultation stage to be considered for bathing water designation. They are Sykes Lane bathing beach and Whitwell Creek at Rutland Water, Firestone Bay in Plymouth, and a section of the River Deben at Waldringfield, Suffolk. Read more and access the consultation, […]

14 Mar 2023

Defra are launching a competition with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to enhance the resilience, health and wellbeing of UK coastal communities and seas. The objectives are to: Apply place-based approaches seeking to transform our understanding of climatic, environmental, health, economic, social, and cultural factors affecting coastal communities and seas; Support the resilient management of […]

08 Mar 2023

The government has published its response to last January’s consultation on biodiversity net gain (BNG) this month. The consultation response confirms that developers will be required to deliver 10% BNG on most sites from November, with requirement for small sites introduced from April 2024. The government also announced £16 million funding for Local Planning Authorities […]

08 Mar 2023

The government is consulting until 5th April on the approach to the fourth round of reporting under the Adaptation Reporting Power (ARP4 Strategy). We want to gather views from infrastructure operators and public bodies. We are asking about: the usefulness of reporting how to improve on this for future rounds what should be contained in […]

08 Mar 2023

Help inform the delivery of high-quality SuDS and the implementation of Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act. WSP, CIWEM and CIRIA on behalf of Defra are undertaking a review of the skills and training needed, following Government’s acceptance of the recommendation to make SuDS mandatory in new developments. A survey has been […]