More information about Nature Recovery Hampshire

Local Nature Recovery Strategies

Introduced by the Environment Act 2021, Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS) are plans for nature recovery covering the whole of England. They are a key mechanism for planning and delivering the National Nature Recovery Network and consist of:

a map of the most valuable areas for wildlife
opportunities to improve nature in the future
local priorities

How the Strategy will be used

The Strategy is intended to:

guide investment into local priorities for protection and enhancement
help shape how future funding for farming and land management such as the Environment Land Management schemes will be used
map areas of opportunity for the use of 'nature-based solutions' to wider environmental problems like flooding, climate change mitigation and adaptation or poor water quality
guide mandatory biodiversity net gain (BNG) investments
provide a source of evidence for local planning authorities, helping to understand locations important for conserving and restoring biodiversity

The LNRS does not mandate any changes to local landowners.

How the Strategy was prepared

Defra appointed Hampshire County Council as the Responsible Authority for the Hampshire area. We worked closely with the Supporting Authorities of Portsmouth and Southampton City Councils, local planning authorities in Hampshire, the New Forest National Park Authority, South Downs National Park Authority and Natural England through a Steering Group and Working Group set up for the project.

The production of the Local Nature Recovery Strategy took approximately 18 months, with public engagement starting in January 2024, a public consultation on the draft Strategy taking place in May 2025 and the final Strategy being adopted by all of the Hampshire authorities and Natural England in October and November 2025.

The following Government guidance is available in relation to the LNRS:

These set out the process that each responsible authority must follow and what each strategy should include.

The area that the Hampshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) will cover

There is a single Strategy to cover the whole of Hampshire including the two cities of Portsmouth and Southampton, and the two National Parks of the New Forest and South Downs.

What the LNRS does

The LNRS will guide how nature recovery will take place in Hampshire and will have a particularly important role in guiding how Biodiversity Net Gain is delivered across the Strategy area. It sets out the priorities for achieving the best outcomes for nature recovery, while providing options and opportunities which will support the wider strategies of the County Council and partner authorities.

What the LNRS does not do

The LNRS does not dictate how land is used or be used, nor is it intended to be used as a way of limiting the choices land managers have on their land. The maps will provide a range of options and help people and organisations make evidence-based decisions.

While the Strategy will set out priorities for nature recovery, it is not an action plan and therefore these will be recommendations and not commitments for delivery. The delivery of the Strategy will involve a range of organisations, community and special interest groups, residents, landowners and communities, and therefore cannot be delivered by the County Council alone. It is hoped, however, that the LNRS will enable partners to take advantage of funding opportunities to work together to deliver the priorities identified.

Organisations involved in the preparation of the Strategy

The LNRS Steering Group was established which comprises representatives of the following key partner organisations

Southampton City Council
Portsmouth City Council
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust
A representative of the Local Planning Authorities
South Downs National Park Authority
New Forest National Park Authority
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Local Nature Partnership
Natural England
National Farmers Union
Country Business and Land Association
Environment Agency
Forestry Commission

The Steering Group is continuing to meet in relation to delivery and implementation of the Strategy.

Engagement with local city, borough and district councils

Hampshire’s local councils had an important role to play in the development of the Strategy. A Local Planning Authority Working Group was established to enable them to help shape the Strategy with the benefit of their local knowledge. This group is continuing to meet in relation to delivery and implementation of the Strategy.

The relationship between the LNRS and Planning

National Planning Practice Guidance paragraphs 46 – 48 explain the relationship between LNRS and planning.

The LNRS is intended to support local planning authorities in preparing local plans that conserve and enhance biodiversity and the natural environment, and local planning authorities have a legal duty to have regard to the relevant strategy for their area. Local planning authorities should consider the priorities set out in the LNRS when determining how their local plan should contribute to and enhance the local and natural environment.

The LNRS is an evidence base which contains information that may be a ‘material consideration’ in the planning system, especially where development plan documents for an area pre-date the publication of the LNRS. It is for the decision-maker to determine what is a relevant material consideration based on the individual circumstances of the case.

The relationship between the LNRS and Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG)

The LNRS identifies areas where habitat creation, restoration or enhancement would be most beneficial for nature recovery and wider environmental outcomes. It plays a critical role in supporting offsite gains to be delivered in a way that maximises biodiversity benefits, when these are required to achieve a development’s biodiversity gain objective. This can help to support bigger and more joined-up areas in which our wildlife can thrive.

The areas identified within the Potential Measures layer of the Local Habitat Map carry strategic significance in the BNG metric and therefore are worth more than BNG delivered outside of the mapped areas. This helps to focus where BNG is delivered to ensure the best outcomes for nature.