The human version (we wrote this, not the council)
This section explains the background to the Local Nature Recovery Strategy policy. The strategy was introduced by the Environment Act 2021 and prepared by Warwickshire County Council to identify the best places for creating and restoring habitats. It is not a planning designation and adds no new constraints, but councils must have regard to it. Developers can show compliance through green infrastructure design, aligning Biodiversity Net Gain with strategy priorities, and using its mapping data. Local habitats and species such as calcareous grassland, Eurasian curlews and lesser horseshoe bats get special consideration.
An unofficial plain English summary. The official wording below is
what counts at examination; check it before you rely on anything here.
What the plan says
The text below is extracted automatically from the official PDF and may
contain artefacts; the PDF is authoritative.
BN.2
Local Nature Recovery Strategies
Development proposals must demonstrate how they have had
regard to the Warwickshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS),
including its overarching themes, priorities, measures, spatial
opportunities and Local Habitat Map.
Development should support the delivery of the LNRS by:
a. maintaining, restoring or creating habitats identified in the LNRS;
b. strengthening ecological networks and improving habitat connectivity; and
c. supporting the recovery of species prioritised in the LNRS.
Where development includes biodiversity or wider environmental enhancement
measures, these should align with LNRS priorities and opportunity areas.
Policy Justification
7.1.7 The Environment Act 2021 introduced Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS)
to provide a statutory, evidence-based framework for restoring nature across England
and support the delivery of the national Environmental Improvement Plan. The
Warwickshire LNRS, prepared by Warwickshire County Council as the Responsible
Authority, identifies existing habitats, biodiversity priorities, and the most effective
locations for habitat creation, enhancement and restoration.
7.1.8 The LNRS is not a planning designation and does not introduce new
development constraints. Instead, it provides a spatial framework to guide where nature
recovery actions will deliver the greatest benefits, including strengthening ecological
networks, restoring degraded habitats, and supporting priority species. Under current
legislation, local authorities must ‘have regard’ to the Warwickshire LNRS. Proposed
changes in the Levelling-Up and Regeneration Act 2023 will strengthen this duty,
requiring authorities to ‘take account’ of the LNRS. Further guidance from DEFRA is
expected once the requirement is enacted. Where the LNRS is updated during the plan
period, the most up-to-date version will be used in decision-making. The policy
requests developers and decision-makers to demonstrate that proposals have had
regard to the LNRS. This can be demonstrated in the following ways:
• Designing green and blue infrastructure, nature-based solutions, or ecological
enhancements that align with LNRS priorities and measures;
• Aligning Biodiversity Net Gain proposals with LNRS strategic priorities and
opportunity areas;
• Offsetting environmental impacts using measures identified within the LNRS;
and
• Using spatial data (such as Areas of Particular Importance for Biodiversity (APIB)
and Areas that Could become of particular importance for Biodiversity (ACB)
layers) to inform site layout, landscape design, and ecological interventions.
7.1.9 The Warwickshire LNRS should be considered alongside other local and
regional plans to guide strategic land use planning. It helps identify site-based and
landscape-scale opportunities for nature recovery. Developers are encouraged to
use these opportunities when designing proposals, including for Biodiversity Net
Gain, to maximise ecological, social, and climate benefits.
7.1.10 Special consideration will be given to habitats and species predominately
found in South Warwickshire, such as calcareous grassland, Eurasian curlews, and
lesser horseshoe bats, ensuring that development contributes