When you click the link to the mapping you will first see a pop up box providing some initial information on the mapping, its purpose, how to use it and where to get further information. Click the enter box to close the pop up. If you select ‘Don’t show this again’ you will not get that pop up when you access the mapping at a later time.  

This pop up can be accessed at any time by clicking the info icon near the centre of the orange banner at the top of the map.  

This pop up explains some functionality such as how to turn on / off layers and how to dock the features pop up boxes that appear when clicking a location in the map. We recommend reading the pop up carefully before using the mapping.  

Two layers are already turned on when you first access the map.  

Core Local Nature Sites – these are the statutory Areas of Particular Importance for Biodiversity. These are statutory (protected under UK, EU and International Law) and non-statutory (recognised in local planning policy as being of importance in the local area51) designated sites and irreplaceable habitats. These are the most important sites for nature, core areas of our ecological network and the foundation of our nature network, that we need to protect, restore, improve, connect and expand. 

Opportunity Areas for nature recovery which were created using a nature first approach. The map was created using ecological network modelling that looked at the resistance to species movement in the landscape (e.g. transport and infrastructure effects). Alongside this, the Ecoservr model was used to assess where modelled areas achieved the best ecosystems services score to help focus areas for potential nature recovery, deliverable in the next ten years which also achieve wider environmental benefits. (See Appendix 4 for further technical detail). 

The panel on the right hand side of the screen provides the functionality to switch on / off different layers of mapped information in the LHM.  

Please note that to view other layers faster, the Core Local Nature Sites and Opportunity Areas for Nature Recovery layer should be switched off by simply unticking the orange tick boxes next to those two layers on the panel. Please see further sections below to understand how to navigate and use the layers. 

The panel can be minimised to view  more of the map by clicking on the double upward pointing arrows at the top of the panel. You can also use the Map Layers icon at the top of the screen to toggle the panel on and off.  

To get the most out of this map, we have provided a layer information list within the map layers panel, detailing all the specific, mapped practical actions for nature recovery and their associated Priority and action reference numbers (see Local Nature Recovery Strategy for further information).

You can turn on actions layers as follows:

1. Turn off the Core Local Nature Sites and Opportunity Areas for Nature Recovery by unticking the orange boxes
2. Tick the box next to the section of mapped actions you want to view (e.g. Watercourses) – patience is needed whilst the layer loads (Note that if you do not tick the main Mapped Actions box theme title then none of the actions underneath that title will be displayed).

3. To view all the actions in that layer that are mapped please click on the right facing arrow next to the Action title (See icon beside title above – Mapped actions – explanation and functionality).

4. To select specific actions to view the mapping for a single or two actions then leave only your items orange ticked – turn layers on and off to see functionality at a broad scale.

You can move a Mapped Actions section or mapped actions within a section up and down the list on the Map Layers panel by clicking and dragging the layer via the six dots  to the left of each item. A four cross pointer will appear when you do so. This allows you to prioritise mapped actions when looking at several layers in the mapping.  

You can turn the view of each Action’s legend (coloured symbol) on and off by toggling the right hand icon next to each action.

Where sites are being looked at for planning purposes it should be noted that the mapped actions will enable strategic significance uplift in the Defra Metric for Biodiversity Net Gain.  

National Planning Practice Guidance requires planning departments and applicants to have regard to the LNRS which includes both mapped and unmapped actions [sometimes referred to as measures]. Unmapped actions in the LNRS are applicable wherever relevant in an LNRS area, so users should also review the full list of actions in the main document or Appendix 7  (which supports delivery of LNRS) to ensure all actions are considered for planning sites.