Resources and Downloads

IW Interactive Local Habitat Map

IW LNRS Part 1: Description of Strategy Area

IW LNRS Part 2: Priorities and Measures

IW LNRS Part 3: Priority Species

Download Priority Species List

Download IW Priorities and Measures List

Guidance for Planners, Ecologists and Developers 

This guide supports the use and application of the Isle of Wight Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS), for ecologists, architects, planners and developers.

What is the LNRS?

The LNRS is a new spatial strategy required across all county areas in England under the Environment Act (2021). Sitting alongside policy measures such as Biodiversity Net Gain, it is an important tool to help the UK meet national and international biodiversity targets and reverse declines in nature, habitats and species.

What is the Isle of Wight LNRS?

Published in May 2025 and the fourth published in the country, the Isle of Wight LNRS is the result of two years of Island-wide engagement, data analysis and expert consultation. Regarded as a ‘National Exemplar’ by Natural England, it captures local knowledge to map opportunities for nature recovery and identify priority species needing support.

Why do we need an LNRS?

LNRSs are required to deliver:

  • National and International UK Government environmental targets

  • Reversal of species decline and extinction

  • Recovery and enhancement of habitats

  • Improved access and engagement with nature

  • A mechanism to attract green finance to the right places locally

  • Spatial coordination of activity across a local area

All local authorities have a duty to ‘have regard’ to the LNRS under Section 40 (2A) of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act (2006). In addition, the Planning and Infrastructure Bill 2024-25, as placed before Parliament, would require a spatial development strategy and Environmental Delivery Plans to ‘take account’ of the LNRS.

The LNRS provides the mechanism to adhere to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). Section 15 (paras 187–201) identifies several ways in which the LNRS and the Local Habitat Map should inform plan-making and decision-making, including: allocated sites (para 188); identification and safeguarding of areas for habitat management, restoration and creation in Local Plans (para 192a); policies to support, conserve and enhance priority habitats and rare and threatened species (para 192b); and promoting biodiversity net gain using the Local Habitat Map (para 192b). Additional guidance is available.

Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) and LNRS

BNG and the LNRS closely interact, with the LNRS identifying evidence-based, locally agreed important sites for BNG delivery. Mapped LNRS areas provide a ‘strategic significance’ multiplier in the BNG metric, resulting in a 15% uplift where actions align with mapped measures. This encourages BNG delivery in areas identified locally as important for nature recovery.

When assessing a site for BNG and completing the metric, created and enhanced habitats must be evaluated for their strategic significance. Previously this required reviewing multiple local policies; now, with the publication of the LNRS, it requires reviewing only the LNRS Local Habitat Map to identify qualifying areas.

Whether you are a developer looking for sites to deliver on-site or off-site BNG, a landowner looking to sell BNG units, an ecologist providing BNG metric assessments for planning, or a local planning authority reviewing these plans, the LNRS is a key component of the decision making.

Using LNRS measures in BNG

The LNRS contains two types of measures:

1) Unmapped measures:

These are general Island-wide measures within the LNRS that are not mapped to specific locations.

Unmapped measures cannot be considered when assigning strategic significance within the metric.

However, applicants are encouraged to incorporate them into proposals where possible and reference them within planning submissions (e.g. ecology reports, landscaping proposals, planning statements).

2) Mapped measures:

These measures are mapped to particular locations (shown in different colours on the online map) and together form the green Areas that Could become Important for Biodiversity (ACB) layer in the Local Habitat Map. Development sites should therefore be assessed against these mapped areas and measures.

If habitats are created or enhanced within the ACB layer, and the intervention aligns with the mapped measure for that area, a 15% uplift applies through the strategic significance multiplier in the metric.

Refer to the Statutory Biodiversity Metric User Guide for more detail on applying strategic significance.

Use the Statement for Biodiversity Priorities Part 2: Priorities and Measures, in combination with the Local Habitat Map and the Statement of Biodiversity Priorities Part 3: Priority Species and Assemblages, to inform these enhancements.

The Isle of Wight County Ecologist will review applications to ensure they align with the LNRS.

Worked Example: Using the Isle of Wight LNRS for BNG

  1. To check what measures fall within a development site or off-site BNG delivery area, go to the IW LNRS Local Habitat Map and zoom to your site.

  2. Using the Spatial Filter tool, click the polygon symbol to draw the red-line boundary (or blue-line boundary for off-site BNG).

  3. Then click “Apply” to generate a full list of measures relevant to your site.

Both mapped and unmapped measures will be shown in the list. See above for guidance on how to apply each type.

For more details on each measure, refer to the LNRS document Part 2: Priorities and Measures. For more information on species-specific interventions, refer to document Part 3: Priority Species.

For more detail on each measure, refer to LNRS Part 2: Priorities and Measures. For species-specific interventions, refer to Part 3: Priority Species.