Overview
Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS) were introduced by the Environment Act 2021, with 48 strategies covering all of England.
Local Nature Recovery Strategies are regional strategies for how nature recovery should be prioritised in each region, which are outlined by the ‘Statement of Biodiversity Priorities’ document. These priorities are also mapped by accompanying ‘Local Habitat Maps’ which will be online resources that are fully interactive. Each Local Nature Recovery Strategy will also detail what opportunities for nature recovery are available in non-priority areas.
Our region’s Local Nature Recovery Strategies will help the North East Combined Authority and our constituent local authorities to incorporate nature recovery objectives into policy and planning decisions. They will help landowners and land managers with nature recovery actions in their areas and can be a tool to deliver Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) in the most desirable places for nature recovery to happen.
Local Nature Recovery Strategies are not prescriptive – they don’t require landowners or land managers to do anything with their land. They are simply regional and landscape-scale strategies that show a region’s ambitions for nature across a large area.
Within the North East region, there are three Local Nature Recovery Strategies:
- North of Tyne Local Nature Recovery Strategy – covering Newcastle, North Tyneside, and Northumberland
- South of Tyne and Wear Local Nature Recovery Strategy – covering Gateshead, South Tyneside, and Sunderland
- Durham Local Nature Recovery Strategy – covering County Durham
The North East Combined Authority is the Responsible Authority for the North of Tyne Local Nature Recovery Strategy, and is a Supporting Authority for South of Tyne and Wear Local Nature Recovery Strategy (led by Gateshead Council), and Durham Local Nature Recovery Strategy (led by Durham County Council).
Public Consultation
All three Local Nature Recovery Strategies are currently preparing for public consultation, aiming to begin consultation in November 2025. When their consultation platforms are available, we will provide a link to them here.
North of Tyne Local Nature Recovery Strategy
Public consultation for the Draft North of Tyne LNRS has begun, and is running from Friday 14 November 2025, until 5pm on Friday 9 January 2026.
This is being led by Northumberland County Council, and both the Draft LNRS documents and maps, and the consultation platform are available via the link.
Durham Local Nature Recovery Strategy
For the latest news on the Durham LNRS, which is expected to go to public consultation later this month, please refer to Durham County Council’s website.
South of Tyne and Wear Local Nature Recovery Strategy
For the latest news on the South of Tyne and Wear LNRS, which is also expected to go to public consultation later this month, please refer to NaturePlan – the dedicated website for this LNRS.
Supporting nature recovery across our region
Nature recovery doesn’t just support biodiversity – enhancing nature has a positive impact upon communities and has vast opportunities to improve our climate resilience.
Access to green and blue spaces close to home is linked to better physical and mental health by providing recreational spaces at the same time as enhancing biodiversity. Meanwhile, landscape-scale nature recovery can reduce flooding risks, and purify our air and water. Nature recovery is in everyone’s interest.
The North East Combined Authority has committed funding to support nature recovery through our Corporate Plan, which states:
“We’ll provide a compelling net zero vision that provides many more jobs and opportunities for our communities, creating better places for people to live, work and play, and which protects and restores our unique North East nature and landscapes”.
We will not only prioritise nature recovery, but also explore links with delivering on climate adaptation, and health and wellbeing benefits paired with nature recovery.
Once all of our region’s Local Nature Recovery Strategies are launched, the North East Combined Authority will publish detailed plans to support nature recovery across the region, including details of funds that will be available.
Carbon and Nature Marketplace
Our Carbon and Nature Marketplace, launched by Mayor Kim McGuinness in June 2025, is the perfect place to list nature recovery projects – we welcome any projects of any size to be listed where nature recovery is the primary aim. Examples currently listed on the Marketplace include landscape recovery schemes, woodland creation, urban tree planting, and community gardens.
At the launch event, Mayor Kim McGuinness recognised the importance of nature recovery, and how our Marketplace can play a role. Mayor Kim McGuinness said:
“Launching our own North East Carbon and Nature Marketplace means organisations based here in the region can now support green projects right on their doorsteps. The Marketplace will not only improve the environments where we live and work, but it will also support social value projects all over the region and create new habitats where nature and wildlife can thrive.”
