Detailed consultation reports published
A 6-week consultation on the draft Local Nature Recovery Strategies covering West Sussex, East Sussex and Brighton & Hove closed on the 26th November 2025. Thank you to everyone who took part. An snapshot of feedback received through this was published here in December 2025. Now, detailed reports are available.
What’s in the consultation reports:
- A summary of what we heard through each feedback channel, which organisations and groups responded and how the consultation was carried out.
- Our response to, and any actions being taken in relation to key themes of feedback. This provides answers to general feedback (such as about the length of the documents), very specific comments (e.g. amends to the Description of the LNRS area or additions to the Priority Species list), as well as to questions about the next stage in the LNRS process such as its implementation and how delivery will be funded and monitored.
Read the reports:
Why has it taken so long to produce these reports?
- The reports have not been done in isolation, but at the same time as making the amends to documents and map. While the core content and intent of each LNRS remains unchanged from their draft versions, the large number of responses resulted in many minor changes that needed to tracked through, with amends made where justified and explained if not. This proved more labour intensive than originally anticipated.
- In a number of cases, consultees were asked to provide additional evidence or clarification to support requested changes (particularly to mapping), and some information was slow to come forward.
- Additionally, there were ongoing discussions with Natural England, who revised their position on the treatment of SSSIs within the LNRS during this period.
What happens next?
The consultation reports, along with the amended documents and Local Habitat Map were sent to the Sussex Supporting Authorities for a second 28-day statutory review on 11th May 2026.
Following their approval, the West Sussex LNRS and the East Sussex and Brighton & Hove LNRS are expected to be formally published in June 2026.
