01 Aug 2023

The government has published indicative guide prices and information on calculating costs for developers buying statutory credits. They start at £42,000 per credit for a low distinctiveness habitat, up to £650,000 for high distinctiveness habitats (lakes). Defra notes that buying statutory biodiversity credits is a last resort option for developers unable to use on-site or off-site units […]

01 Aug 2023

Six new landscape scale projects will support nature recovery in England and improve habitats for wildlife. The projects will be supported with £7.4 million funding from the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). The projects will also help manage flood risk, improve access to nature, and protect endangered species. The nature recovery projects […]

25 Jul 2023

Six new landscape-scale nature recovery projects are launched by Natural England and the UK Government. The multi-partnership collaborative projects covering 176,000 hectares of land across England – from the Tees Estuary to the South Downs – will create improved and better-connected habitats for wildlife and improve public access to nature. The projects will strengthen the […]

18 Jul 2023

Defra has released six Fisheries Management Plans for consultation alongside a raft of other measures. In its press release Defra said that ‘the UK is introducing a world class system of fisheries management. This draws on the best available science and the expertise of our fishermen to ensure our fish stocks are healthy and sustainable long […]

13 Jul 2023

Those that pollute the environment will face unlimited penalties under new legislation announced by the government. The current limit of £250,000 on variable monetary penalties that the Environment Agency and Natural England can impose directly on operators will be lifted, following a government consultation which received widespread public support. This will offer regulators a quicker method of […]

05 Jul 2023

The government has updated its guidance for applying for bathing water designation in England. The guidance on applying to de-designate existing bathing waters has also been updated. The updates mean that the application process is now easier to follow and ensures the criteria for designation are clearly set out. Defra will use the updated guidance to […]

28 Jun 2023

The Government have confirmed that the new Sustainable Farming Incentive will start accepting applications in a controlled rollout from August, which will offer farmers additional actions and more flexibility to choose the actions they want to get paid for. Farmers will be paid for any action they take that supports food production and improves farm […]

14 Jun 2023

The UK government is consulting on the expansion of the Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan to cover coastal and estuarine waters. Defra wants to know what you think about these changes, including: expanding the targets in the Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan to cover coastal and estuarine waters developing an ecological standard for coastal and […]