Open Consultations
-
Open access restriction at Kingstanding Training Facility (case number 2009030025)
Natural England is seeking views on proposals that will restrict public access to open access land at this site. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CROW Act) gives a public right of access to land mapped as ‘open country’ (mountain, moor, heath and down) or registered common land. These...
Closes 28 February 2025
-
Open access restriction at Sandy Point Nature Reserve (case number 2009030024)
Natural England is seeking views on proposals that will restrict public access to open access land at this site. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CROW Act) gives a public right of access to land mapped as ‘open country’ (mountain, moor, heath and down) or registered common land. These...
Closes 28 February 2025
-
Open access restriction at Bickerley Common (case number 2007020060)
Natural England is seeking views on proposals that will restrict public access to open access land at this site. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CROW Act) gives a public right of access to land mapped as ‘open country’ (mountain, moor, heath and down) or registered common land. These...
Closes 28 February 2025
-
Open access restriction at Hook Links (Hook Links & Warsash LNR) case number 2004090138
Natural England is seeking views on proposals that will restrict public access to open access land at this site. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CROW Act) gives a public right of access to land mapped as ‘open country’ (mountain, moor, heath and down) or registered common land. These...
Closes 28 February 2025
-
Open access restriction at Hawks Stones (case number 2010065572)
Natural England is seeking views on proposals that will restrict public access to open access land at this site. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CROW Act) gives a public right of access to land mapped as ‘open country’ (mountain, moor, heath and down) or registered common land. These...
Closes 5 March 2025
-
Open access restriction at Woodley Down (case number 2008090037)
Natural England is seeking views on proposals that will restrict public access to open access land at this site. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CROW Act) gives a public right of access to land mapped as ‘open country’ (mountain, moor, heath and down) or registered common land. These...
Closes 14 March 2025
-
Open access restriction at Quarry Bottom (case number 2008020070)
Natural England is seeking views on proposals that will restrict public access to open access land at this site. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CROW Act) gives a public right of access to land mapped as ‘open country’ (mountain, moor, heath and down) or registered common land. These...
Closes 14 March 2025
-
Open access restriction at Gurston Down (case number 2008090036)
Natural England is seeking views on proposals that will restrict public access to open access land at this site. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CROW Act) gives a public right of access to land mapped as ‘open country’ (mountain, moor, heath and down) or registered common land. These...
Closes 14 March 2025
-
Open access restriction at Top Field - Pasture Wood (case number 2014117473)
The Peak District National Park Authority is seeking views on proposals that will restrict public access to open access land at this site. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CROW Act) gives a public right of access to land mapped as ‘open country’ (mountain, moor, heath and down) or...
Closes 28 March 2025
Closed Consultations
-
Open access restriction at Derwent Gorge and Muggleswick Woods NNR (case numbers 2015107941 & 2019018802)
Natural England is seeking views on proposals that will restrict public access to open access land at this site. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CROW Act) gives a public right of access to land mapped as ‘open country’ (mountain, moor, heath and down) or registered common land. These...
Closed 4 February 2025
-
Open access restriction at Stanbury Moor (case number 2004110039 )
Natural England is seeking views on proposals that will restrict public access to open access land at this site. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CROW Act) gives a public right of access to land mapped as ‘open country’ (mountain, moor, heath and down) or registered common land. These...
Closed 27 January 2025
-
Open access restriction at Angram Moor (case number 2004120083)
Natural England is seeking views on proposals that will restrict public access to open access land at this site. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CROW Act) gives a public right of access to land mapped as ‘open country’ (mountain, moor, heath and down) or registered common land. These...
Closed 27 January 2025
-
Consultation on the proposed Queen Scallop Fisheries Management Plan
The purpose of this consultation is to seek your views on the proposed queen scallop Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) in English waters, its policies and proposed measures. We are also seeking your views on the likely environmental effects of the FMP, as set out in the environmental report. ...
Closed 19 January 2025
-
Consultation on the proposed Southern North Sea and Channel Skates and Rays Fisheries Management Plan
The purpose of this consultation is to seek your views on the proposed Southern North Sea and Channel skates and rays Fisheries Management Plan (FMP), its policies and proposed actions and measures. We are also seeking your views on the likely environmental effects of the FMP, as set out in the...
Closed 19 January 2025
We Asked, You Said, We Did
Here are some of the issues we have consulted on and their outcomes. See all outcomes
We asked
Between 6 Feb and 18 March 2024, Natural England consulted on a proposal to change the fees levied under the Wildlife Licence Charges (England) order 2018.
We asked your views on proposed updates to survey and mitigation licence charges. We also asked for your views on priorities for improving the licensing service.
The changes are required because of HM Treasury principles that mean Natural England must ensure full cost recovery. We also need to introduce charges for new licensing routes, and fund improvements to the licensing service.
You said
Most consultees did not support the proposed charges for bat mitigation licence fees.
However, most of you did support the proposed charges for survey licences fees, and mitigation licence fees for species other than bat.
On improving the licensing service, you said that improving species protection was the most important issue. Second and third most important were improving certainty around when a licence will be issued, and speed of licence issue.
We did
In response, we have reduced the proposed fees for some bat mitigation licences. For other licences, we propose to keep the fees as listed in the consultation.
We have published a consultation response. This has an analysis of the results, addresses your comments, and outlines our next steps. Our first action will be to seek ministerial approval for the proposed charges. If approved by a minister, we will work with Defra to get parliamentary approval for a new Statutory Instrument.
We asked
To start the process of replacing the East Marine Plans, as agreed by the Secretary of State in April 2023, and approval to consult on the East Marine Plan Draft Statemnet of Public Particiaption. The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) held a formal consultation between 15 January 2024 and 12 February 2024.
Four engagement events were held during the consultation period, which were attended by a wide range of stakeholders from various sectors.
You said
The consensus from the consultation was that the Statement of Public Particiaption generally meets the requirements of stakeholders. No changes were required to the Draft East Marine Plan Statement of Public Participation directly however, minor changes have been made to the corresponding gov.uk webpages to reflect the representations made by stakeholders.
We did
Following the consultation on the East Marine Plan Draft Statement of Public Participation, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has agreed to publish the East Marine Plan Statement of Public Participation.
You can review the East marine Plan Statement of Public Participation and learn more about the process of replacing the East Marine Plan on the marine planning webpages.
We asked
Defra consulted on establishing permitting regimes for the recreational targeting of bluefin tuna (BFT) in UK waters.
You said
Of the 167 responses, the vast majority of respondents (139, 83%), across all interested groups, broadly supported the proposed design for the new UK permitting regimes for the recreational targeting of BFT.
Of those respondents not in favour, the vast majority supported the concept of recreational BFT fisheries but had specific concerns about the proposed design.
We did
On the basis of the strong support to the consultation for new UK permitting regimes for the recreational targeting of BFT, Defra will bring forward the necessary legislation.
Each UK fisheries administration (FA) will determine if, and when, to introduce a BFT catch and release recreational fishery (CRRF) in its waters. We intend to open a BFT CRRF in English waters in 2024.
Our full Government response is available on GOV.UK.