Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Local Nature Recovery Strategy

We have been selected by the government to lead on the production of a Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) for Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin, with the support of Natural England and Telford & Wrekin Council.

We'll work together with partners, stakeholders and the public to develop and produce a LNRS which will pull together data to show where our most valuable areas for nature currently are, and explore the opportunities to restore, enhance, create and link wildlife throughout the area.

Our LNRS will provide the overarching plan of priorities to restore nature in our area and where this is best to happen, whilst also delivering wider environmental benefits such as better water quality and resilience to flooding. Organisations and individuals can then use the strategy to join together to deliver the overall plan in a coherent way.

The LNRS will help to direct government funding streams including for farmers and landowners as well as feeding into Local Plan development and informing where biodiversity net gain would be best placed.

Biodiversity net gain is a new requirement for most planning applications to ensure habitat for wildlife is in a better state than it was before development.

There will be opportunities for public engagement at various stages through the process which will be widely publicised.

Progress

Late June 2023: DEFRA announced Shropshire Council as the responsible body to lead the preparation of a Local Nature Recovery Strategy for Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin.

Current position: A Steering Group has been convened and terms of reference agreed. Members of the Steering Group are:

• Shropshire Council (the Responsible Authority)
  
• Natural England (Supporting Authority)
  
• Telford and Wrekin Council (Supporting Authority)
  
• Country Land and Business Association
  
• Environment Agency
  
• Forestry Commission
  
• National Farmers Union
  
• Shropshire Hills AONB
  
• Shropshire Wildlife Trust
  

Work has nearly completed on pulling together relevant environmental information to map existing areas of particular importance for biodiversity, which is the first stage in the production of a local habitat map.

Work will begin shortly with stakeholders on a description of the strategy area.

Links have been made with neighbouring Responsible Authorities.

Please look out for updates on this webpage as we will be publishing further details about progress with the strategy and how to get involved in the near future.

Contact

The preparation of the Local Nature Recovery Strategy is being led by the Ecology and Biodiversity Team within Shropshire Council. They can be contacted by email LNRS@shropshire.gov.uk.

Page last updated 10 October 2023.