Reflections from Neil Hornby, Chief Executive of Natural England
Neil Hornby. Credit: Natural England.In this blog, Neil Hornby marks their first day as Chief Executive of Natural England with a visit to Kent to see how housing development and nature recovery can work hand in hand. Reflecting on a new Operational Statement that lets Natural England focus its planning advice where it matters most, and on early progress through the Nature Restoration Fund and the Norfolk Environmental Delivery Plan, Neil sets out a vision for an organisation that is ambitious for nature, pragmatic in its approach, and genuinely collaborative with developers, farmers and communities alike.
I wanted my first day as Chief Executive of Natural England to begin not behind a desk, but out on the ground with colleagues and partners. So today I will visit Kent to meet with Barratt Redrow and see their Conningbrook development – where I will see first-hand how homes, infrastructure and nature recovery can be planned and delivered together. I will also visit a partner’s environmental works, to look at how mitigation for nutrient pollution can be developed.
As Chief Executive, I want Natural England to be ambitious in its efforts to recover nature and be straightforward in the way it works: an organisation that protects and restores nature, uses the best available science and evidence, listens to its customers and partners and delivers effectively. I don’t want us to just be known for identifying environmental risks and issues, but for helping people find solutions that are a win-win for nature and people.
I know I am stepping into a critically important role at a vital time. As we face the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change - in one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world - our work to recover nature and improve access to it has never been more important or more urgent.
Too much of the wildlife that inspired my love of nature as a child has been lost and too many people have become disconnected from the natural world. And that’s why I am committed to this important task.
At Conningbrook, I will see a growing community alongside a 3.2 hectare nutrient mitigation wetland. The site is a practical example of development working with nature: early engagement from both the developer and our teams, a clear understanding of environmental pressures and partnership working have helped create space for new homes, green space and addressed impacts on the internationally important Stodmarsh wetland site.
A clear purpose and a focused way of working
That is the approach I want us to build on. Today, Natural England are also publishing a new Operational Statement allowing us to prioritise our planning advice more strategically to have the greatest impact for nature and people. This follows recent changes in the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025.
Previously, Natural England was required to provide advice on every request relating to development under the Town and Country Planning Act. This meant specialist expertise was spread across a high volume of consultations, including routine cases where established guidance already existed. The amended duty brings our role more closely in line with other statutory consultees.
In practice, this means engaging earlier with local authorities in developing plans and strategic solutions, providing clearer standing advice, standard guidance and evidence for routine or lower-risk proposals, and reserving bespoke input for the most complex cases and those presenting the greatest risks or opportunities for nature. This approach is intended to provide greater certainty and consistency for local planning authorities and developers while ensuring specialist advice is focused where it can add the greatest value for nature and people.
Statutory consultation requirements remain unchanged, as do the protections for important habitats, species and designated sites. We will continue to fulfil our legal responsibilities and provide responses where planning and environmental legislation requires it.
The new approach will be carefully introduced through a phased approach with partners.
From site-by-site mitigation to work at scale
This focus on strategic engagement and larger scale solutions is already reflected in our work on the Nature Restoration Fund, where developers can make a levy payment towards a coordinated programme of conservation measures, rather than commissioning fragmented mitigation site by site.
Our first draft Environmental Delivery Plan for Norfolk, published for consultation in the last fortnight, builds on our previous work on providing strategic solutions to tackle the impacts of pollution and support the recovery of protected species.
The first plan is intended to help unlock up to 15,780 homes while raising more than £30 million for large-scale improvements to rivers and wetlands, including the Norfolk Broads. We welcome your feedback on this plan as we seek to roll out this important scheme.
My vision for Natural England
Natural England’s core purpose - to achieve nature recovery - is clear and non-negotiable. I’m clear that our strategy, Recovering Nature for Growth, Health and Security, provides the blueprint for the outcomes we seek and how we will achieve them. We must deliver successful nature recovery at scale and across all parts of our country. This will mean developing new approaches and building strong partnerships to ensure that nature’s essential contribution to our economy, health and national security is fully valued.
I want to be relentlessly focused on how Natural England can deliver for nature in a way that is customer focused, collaborative and pragmatic. That means making our advice timely and practical, setting expectations clearly and focusing our expertise where it can achieve the greatest impact. And it means Natural England working in genuine partnership with infrastructure developers, housebuilders, farmers, land managers, businesses, local authorities and communities to deliver shared objectives on growth, clean energy, food security, health and nature recovery together.
Over the coming weeks and months, I look forward to hearing from colleagues, customers and partners about our work together and to exploring opportunities to do more to deliver for people and nature.
seen at 11:40, 1 October in Natural England.