Eden Planning was appointed to support Natural England’s investment programme to deliver high-quality, energy-efficient reserve base buildings across five sites in England. The programme played an important role in supporting the management, protection, and enjoyment of nationally important natural environments.

Eden’s role included providing strategic planning advice, preparing detailed pre-application submissions, and engaging closely with local planning authorities. Eden also coordinated and submitted planning applications, including the preparation of robust “very special circumstances” cases where development was proposed in protected locations.

Each site presented distinct environmental and landscape challenges, with locations in or adjacent to sensitive designations such as Green Belt land, National Nature Reserves, Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), and national parks including the Peak District National Park and the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Careful assessment, mitigation, and negotiation were central to securing positive outcomes.

Eden successfully secured planning permission for a new reserve base at Lower Derwent within the York Green Belt, with officers accepting the “very special circumstances” case. Consent was also granted for a new bird hide to support visitor engagement. Prior approval was obtained for an agricultural building at Middle Hay in the Peak District National Park. An application was also progressed to enhance the reserve base at Ingleborough within the Yorkshire Dales National Park.