by westoncompliance | Feb 16, 2026 | Biodiversity, Conservation, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), HMSO, Marine, UK
The Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Act 2026 is the UK legislation that implements the United Nations “BBNJ” Agreement on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction (the high seas). It gives UK...
by westoncompliance | Apr 16, 2025 | BEIS, Conservation, DESNZ, OPRED, UK, Wildlife
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning (OPRED) and Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) have added additional guidance documents to the section entitled...
by westoncompliance | Mar 11, 2025 | Conservation, Decommissioning, Environment, JNCC, Licensing, Surveying, UK, Wildlife
The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) has updated its webpage regarding the Discretionary Advice Service (DAS).The DAS allows developers to engage JNCC early in the licensing process. This ensures appropriate consideration is given to environmental impacts at...
by westoncompliance | Aug 28, 2024 | Conservation, Crown Estate, Defra, DESNZ, Net Zero, Offshore wind, Renewables, UK
The Crown Estate has published the third annual report for the Offshore Wind Evidence and Change Programme, in partnership with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).The Crown...
by westoncompliance | Aug 23, 2024 | Conservation, JNCC, Onshore, UK, Wildlife
The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), Natural England, Natural Resources Wales, NatureScot and Northern Ireland Environment Agency, have today published a joint statement on improving the approach to protected areas in the UK.The principles state that...
by westoncompliance | Aug 21, 2024 | Carbon Capture and Storage, Conservation, Explosives, Habitat, Marine Mammals, MMO, Noise, Offshore Installation, OPRED, Surveying
The Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning (OPRED), in conjunction with the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) request that oil and gas, CCS or gas storage operators who are or may be planning to undertake any impulsive noise activities...
by westoncompliance | Aug 16, 2024 | Conservation, JNCC, Offshore wind, UK, Wildlife
The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) published new guidance which provides updated advice to help the offshore wind industry in assessing the risk of seabird collision with wind turbines.Joint advice note from the Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies (SNCBs)...
by westoncompliance | May 23, 2024 | Conservation, Environment, MMO, Renewables, UK
Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has prioritised six ecologically significant inshore marine protected areas (MPAs) for assessment and management over the next year.Read more…Source: MMO.
by westoncompliance | May 17, 2024 | Conservation, Environment
Given the need to establish rules for the operation and administration of the Environmental Conservation Areas, this Decree’s objective is to regulate Law 8/20, of 16 April – the Environmental Conservation Areas Law, regarding the rules for the creation,...
by westoncompliance | May 17, 2024 | Conservation, Environment, Fees
The present Decree approves the Fees for Access and Use of Environmental Conservation Areas, in accordance with paragraph 1 of Article 12 of Law 7/11, of 16 February, the General Framework for Fees, combined with subparagraph b) of paragraph 2 of Article 8 of Law...
by westoncompliance | Mar 5, 2024 | Conservation, Defra, Environment, Habitat, Natural England, Onshore, UK
If Natural England serves you with a management notice for works on a site of special scientific interest (SSSI), the address for appeals has changed to: Protected Sites TeamDefraFirst FloorSeacole Block2 Marsham StreetLondonSW1 4DF Read more… Source: Department...
by westoncompliance | Feb 16, 2024 | Conservation, Environment, Habitat, Marine, MMO, Planning, Policy, Surveying, UK
The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has published a summary of marine plan monitoring surveys that were carried out between the 5th January and the 7th March 2022 for the North East, North West, East, South, South East and South West Marine Plans. It has...
by westoncompliance | Feb 13, 2024 | Conservation, Crown Estate, Development, Environment, Habitat, Offshore wind, Renewables, UK
The Crown Estate has published the Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) which covers the three Project Development Areas (PDAs) that are being made available through the Round 5 leasing process. These will see commercial-scale floating wind farms established in the...
by westoncompliance | Feb 12, 2024 | Biodiversity, Conservation, Consultation, Defra, Environment, Habitat, Marine, Net Zero, UK
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is seeking feedback on policies to update guidance on Marine Protected Area (MPA) assessments. In July 2021, Defra consulted on best practice guidance for developing compensatory measures concerning...
by westoncompliance | Dec 12, 2023 | Conservation, Consultation, Defra, Habitat, Marine, Policy, UK
The government has published their response to this consultation, which ran from 9:30am on 7 June 2022 to 11:45pm on 13 September 2022. The consultation sets out Defra’s proposals and sought views on the principles of marine net gain. This was to inform the...
by westoncompliance | Dec 8, 2023 | Conservation, Construction, Defra, Development, Environment, Environment Agency, Habitat, Natural England, Onshore, UK, Wildlife
The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Environment Agency (EA) along with Natural England, Welsh Government, and Natural Resources Wales (NRW) have published an update to the Impact Risk Zones for SSSIs to several of...
by westoncompliance | Nov 16, 2023 | Conservation, Consultation, Environment, Habitat, OPRED, Regulatory Process, UK
As part of its regulatory requirements in respect to the Offshore Petroleum Activities (Conservation of Habitats) Regulations 2001 (as amended), OPRED is required to undertake a periodic post implementation review of the Regulations. As part of this review, we are...
by westoncompliance | Oct 27, 2023 | Conservation, Defra, Environment, Natural England, Onshore, Regulatory Process
The Natural England and the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) have published guidance on how to assess a planning application when there are protected species on or near a proposed development site. This guidance has new...
by westoncompliance | Oct 17, 2023 | Conservation, Environment, Natural England, UK
Natural England has published an update to its conservation advice package. The advice gives information on the sites and supplementary advice on designated features and operations. This six-monthly update includes the addition of 2 new sites with draft status –...
by westoncompliance | Jul 6, 2023 | Conservation, Defra, Environment, Habitat, Marine, UK, Wildlife
Following the government’s announcement in February, Allonby Bay, North East of Farnes Deep and Dolphin Head have received the highest level of protection for marine habitats and species as their designations came into effect on 5th July. This will help protect...
