Local Nature Recovery Strategy
The Greater London Authority is responsible for preparing a Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) for London.
The LNRS is a new system of spatial biodiversity strategies in England, required by law under the Environment Act 2021. London is one of the 48 regions tasked with creating this strategy. All the regions will work together to restore, create, and connect habitat.
We will involve all 33 of the London Boroughs (including the City of London), as well as working closely with our six neighbouring counties (Hertfordshire, Kent, Essex, Buckinghamshire, Surrey, and Berkshire).
Our aim is for London’s ecological network to be bigger, better, and more joined up.
About London's Local Nature Recovery Strategy
The London LNRS will include:
• a statement of London’s strategic biodiversity priorities
• a fully updated and comprehensive spatial habitat map with London’s strategic Nature Recovery Network.
The LNRS will produce a robust evidence base for the next London Plan and London Environment Strategy, using our amazing network of over 1,600 designated Wildlife Spaces, known as Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINCs).
It will provide the foundation for London to improve the quality, size and connectivity of these existing wildlife spaces, and opportunity areas for further expansion in and around London.
It will also coordinate the valuable environmental and community partnerships across London, to direct and support local policy, and enable more access to high quality nature conservation space. It will also tackle climate change by strategically focusing funding into the natural environment.
We are currently developing a plan for preparing the LNRS, including our governance model and stakeholder plan. Our aim is for the strategy to be completed by 2025.
The London Plan lays the groundwork for biodiversity net gain (BNG) requirements and goes further by requiring developments to use the Urban Greening Factor to make sure there is greening on site.
The green infrastructure maps and tools show where green infrastructure and parks are needed to make them more accessible and deliver climate aims. The Mayor of London has also invested almost £30m through grant funding to boroughs, community groups and others to create and improve green spaces, plant trees and enhance nature.
LNRS’s across England, will not be ready for the start of mandatory biodiversity net gain.
The current London and Local Plans should be referenced to inform current decision making in the meantime.
Get in touch
If you have any questions about the Local Nature Recovery Strategy, please email [email protected].
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