Guidance

Great crested newts: district level licensing schemes for developers and ecologists

Apply to join a district level licensing scheme to develop land that may affect great crested newts and supply any survey data you collect.

From:
Natural England and Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
Published
25 July 2022
Last updated
3011 JanuaryDecember 2023 — See all updates

Applies to England

Documents

How to join the great crested newt district level licensing scheme

HTML

District level licensing enquiry form

PDF, 706 KB, 7 pages

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email defra.helpline@defra.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

District level licensing application form

PDF, 323 KB, 7 pages

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email defra.helpline@defra.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Ecologists: how to provide pond and waterbody data for district level licensing

HTML

Details

Guidance for:

  • developers on how to join a district level licensing scheme to develop land that may affect great crested newts
  • ecologists on how to supply data from site surveys

If a district level licensing scheme does not operate in your area, you must apply for a mitigation licence to carry out work that affects great crested newts.

Guidance is also available on district level licensing schemes for local planning authorities.

For more information, email Natural England.

Email: gcndll@naturalengland.org.uk

Published 25 July 2022
Last updated 3011 JanuaryDecember 2023 + show all updates

  1. Added Hertfordshire to the list of Natural England district level licensing scheme areas and Hampshire and West Sussex to the list of NatureSpace district level licensing scheme areas on 'How to join the great crested newt district level licensing scheme'.

  2. Under NatureSpace district level licensing scheme: removed Elmbridge from the list of exclusions in Surrey as the scheme now operates in this area.

  3. Uploaded an updated version of the enquiry form and added Cumbria to the list of Natural England-led schemes.

  4. Uploaded updated versions of the application and enquiry forms.

  5. Updated title, subheading and details to reflect the new guidance added for ecologists. Added new guidance for ecologists on supplying survey data. Updated the guidance 'Developers: how to join the great crested newt district level licensing scheme' - included a link to what to include in your GIS polygon shapefile.

  6. Updated how to renew your licence. You must request renewal of your licence at least 1 month before it expires.