The first ever five-year evaluations of strategic licensing for great crested newts have just been published. This blog, written with NatureSpace Partnership, explores the successes so far and shows that the schemes are creating high‑quality habitat for great crested newts, while giving developers more certainty and speeding up planning decisions. Through the schemes more than 70,000 new homes have been enabled and over 4,800 ponds created or restored. Overall it proves that development and nature recovery can successfully work hand-in-hand.
Good news for newts, developers and local planning authorities
By Stephanie Bird-Halton, Director - National Delivery at Natural England and Dr Jennifer Crees, Senior Evaluation Officer, at NatureSpace Partnership
In England great crested newts, known for their striking orange and black spotted bellies and the male's wavy crest along his back are very important in our pond landscape. In the last century, though, there has been a sharp decline in the species mainly due to pond loss and intensive agriculture. It’s considered the number of great crested newts have declined by over 40% since the turn of the 20th century and there has been a loss of around two thirds of ponds in our landscapes.
This has led to great crested newts being protected, with environmental regulations put in place to support their long-term future. To enable developers to more efficiently and effectively meet these regulations and to facilitate nature recovery across entire landscapes, strategic licensing for great crested newts was launched.
Male great crested newt (Triturus cristatus) Image licensed via Adobe StockToday the first five-year evaluations of strategic licensing for great crested newts have been published. These show that the approach is supporting nature recovery while giving developers greater certainty and helping local planning authorities (LPAs) progress planning applications more quickly.
The evaluations cover April 2020 to March 2025 and include findings from Natural England’s District Level Licensing (DLL) scheme and NatureSpace Partnership’s District Licensing (DL) scheme. General information about the schemes - Natural England’s DLL and NatureSpace Partnership’s DL.
Strategic licensing for great crested newts provides an alternative to the traditional site‑by‑site approach. Instead of surveying and protecting newts on site, developers can offset the evidence based predicted harm of their development by funding the creation of new ponds in places where newts are most likely to thrive, and the monitoring and maintenance of these for 25 years.
Both schemes aim to:
create more high‑quality habitat and support thriving newt populations provide a more efficient and cost-effective licensing system for developers provide a more efficient and effective licensing system for LPAsSo far, the schemes have licensed over 2,045 developments, supporting the delivery of over 70,000 new homes. For every pond lost to development that was used by newts, developers pay for four new ponds to be created in carefully selected ecologically suitable locations, improving both habitat availability and the likelihood of colonisation.
A pond created by the DLL scheme in North East Essex Credit J McNaughton FWAG EastNew high‑quality habitat for newts
By March 2026 more than 4,800 new ponds had been created through the schemes. The evaluation showed:
High pond quality: over 75% of ponds surveyed in 2024 were assessed as high quality for great crested newts. Newts using the ponds: over 37% of ponds have been used by great crested newts at least once in the last five years, rising to as high as 69% for mature, established ponds A clear net increase: The schemes have delivered a net increase of over 1,000 ponds across licensed developments.These results are exciting and extremely encouraging given most of the ponds created through the schemes are still relatively young. Extensive monitoring funded by the schemes shows that pond use increases as ponds mature. It takes time for the vegetation, required by newts to lay their eggs on, to establish in the pond and for the newts to naturally migrate across the landscape to find the new ponds. In most areas, ponds delivered through the schemes are already seeing higher rates of newt presence than existing ponds in the surrounding landscape, and we only expect these results to improve with time.
More certainty and time efficiency for developers
Strategic licensing has quickly become the preferred approach for many developers. Despite a very small minority of planning applications having any potential impact on great crested newts, DLL/DL provide a streamlined licensing solution when developers need it. Almost all (more than 95%) of developers surveyed in a feedback questionnaire have said they’d use the schemes again. The survey also shows developers value:
Quicker licence turnaround times, with no seasonal survey restrictions and no need to provide on‑site mitigation, helping projects start sooner. Greater certainty of securing a licence, reducing risks and delays post planning. Clear and predictable costs, with many developers reporting that DLL/DL costs are the same as, or lower than, standard mitigation licensing.Local planning authorities are seeing increased efficiencies and support
LPAs reported via feedback surveys that strategic licensing is helping to speed up planning decisions. Respondents said DLL/DL reduces administration and supports smoother progress through the planning system, enabling developers to get on site quicker.
Both schemes provide strategic mapping tools, including “risk zones” showing where newts are most likely to be found, that LPAs can use to assess development impact risk and for their own strategic planning. Nearly half of LPA respondents are already using these tools to inform policies, including local plans, site allocations and Local Nature Recovery Strategies.
Under the NatureSpace DL model, LPAs confirmed the additional support provided to facilitate the organisational licence is invaluable. As a result, 85% of LPA respondents said they feel confident advising planning applicants on strategic licensing.
One LPA partner stated: "The integration of planning and licensing makes it so much easier to quickly but properly account for impacts, and the scheme contributes to local nature recovery targets. The specialist support for LPAs ensures we can deliver licences without delays."
A successful approach for nature, development and planning
These five‑year evaluations demonstrate that strategic licensing is delivering measurable benefits for nature, developers and planning authorities alike. Thousands of new, high‑quality ponds are helping great crested newts recover across the landscape, while developers and LPAs are experiencing faster decisions, clearer processes and stronger support.
As Tom Tew CEO, NatureSpace Partnership reflects: “this first in‑depth evaluation demonstrates the extent to which this approach is working on all fronts. We are excited by the ecological outcomes and delighted by how the scheme is used by and supports Local Planning Authorities and developers,” noting that the lessons learned are already helping to strengthen delivery.
Marian Spain, CEO Natural England underscores the importance of the model, saying: “the success of this approach reflects the strength of our partnership working and shows how well‑designed, evidence‑based strategic solutions can support both nature recovery and responsible development.”
Together their reflections highlight how strategic licensing is proving that development and nature recovery can genuinely go hand-in-hand.
seen at 14:59, 25 March in Natural England.