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| Local Nature Reserve (or LNR)
is a statutory designation made under Section 21 of the National Parks
and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 by principal local authorities.
Parish and Town Councils can also declare LNRs but they must have
the powers to do so delegated to them by a principal local authority. |
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To establish an LNR, the declaring local authority
must first have a legal interest in the land concerned. This means owning the freehold,
leasing it or having a nature reserve agreement with the owner. |
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The land need not lie within the area which the
declaring authority controls but if it does not, the authority within whose jurisdiction
the land falls must be in agreement. |
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| The process of selecting,
acquiring, declaring and managing LNRs can be made easier if local
authorities use the expertise and advice offered by Natural England. |
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| If a local authority has,
or knows of, any area of land which it thinks would make a good LNR,
they should contact their Natural England regional team and discuss the proposal informally. The area
team will be able to advise whether they consider the land to be suitable
and, if so, the sort of management it might require. The team can also
provide help on how to go about making the declaration. |
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| The local authority should
also consult local communities and voluntary conservation bodies such
as the county Wildlife Trust and put together outline management proposals
for the site, making it clear what the long term objectives are. Thought
should be given as to how the desired management of the site could be
funded and any other costs involved. |
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| The local authority then needs to write formally to
the Natural England regional team to the effect that it intends to make the LNR declaration. |
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| The following steps should then be taken: |
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a formal declaration document should be
drawn up (this need only be on one side of A4 paper) accompanied by a
map at a scale which accurately shows the LNR boundary. |
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the declaration should be agreed by the
relevant local authority committees. |
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a public notice announcing the declaration
should be placed in a local paper and copies of the declaration and map
made available for the public to inspect free of charge. |
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the local authority should formally notify the Natural England regional
team of the LNR declaration in writing and send them a copy of the declaration, together with maps and any
other details required about the reserve. Natural England will advise on what these are. |
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| An official opening ceremony can be
held after the above formalities have been completed, so allowing time
to plan events and carry out initial management and interpretative work. |
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| Natural England's publication Local Nature Reserves in England - a guide to their selection and declaration gives further detailed information. |
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| Parish and Town Councils |
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Both Parish and Town Councils are defined as local authorities by the
Local Government Act 1972. See, respectively, Sections 270 and 245(6). |
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Under Section 101 of the Local Government Act 1972, a principal
local authority (i.e. a county or district) can, with the agreement of both parties, delegate
its powers to declare an LNR either to a Parish or a Town Council. |
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