DLL (District Level Licensing) takes a landscape approach to the conservation of great crested newts - moving away from traditional site-by-site mitigation. Instead of creating isolated ponds within construction sites, developers contribute to a wider network of breeding and foraging habitats.
If you’re planning a development where great crested newts may be found, you may not have to carry out your own surveys, build mitigation ponds or arrange for the newts to moved to an alternative location. Instead, you may be able pay to join a district level licensing scheme if there is one in that area.
Schemes are operated by:
- Natural England
- NatureSpace Partnership
- a local planning authority (LPA)
Where Natural England district level licensing schemes operate
You can currently (November 2025) apply to join a Natural England-led scheme if you have a development proposal in:
- Cambridgeshire
- Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester
- Cumbria
- Derbyshire
- Essex
- Greater Manchester
- Halton
- Hertfordshire
- Kent and Medway
- Lancashire
- Leicestershire county (all districts except Blaby), Leicester city, Rutland, Rushcliffe and South Kesteven
- Norfolk and Suffolk
- North Lincolnshire
- North Somerset and South Gloucestershire - excluding Bristol
- Northumberland, Durham, Tees Valley (Darlington, Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees only) and Tyne and Wear (Newcastle upon Tyne and North Tyneside only)
- Shropshire
- Somerset - excluding the former West Somerset district and Exmoor National Park
- Swindon and Wiltshire
- Warrington
- Yorkshire - excluding Calderdale, City of Bradford and Kirklees
NatureSpace district level licensing scheme
You can apply to join a NatureSpace Partnership-led scheme if you have a development proposal in:
- Bedfordshire
- Berkshire
- Buckinghamshire
- East Sussex
- Gloucestershire
- Hampshire
- Milton Keynes
- Northamptonshire
- Oxfordshire
- Staffordshire – excluding Cannock Chase, Stoke-on-Trent and the Peak District National Park
- Surrey – excluding Runnymede, Spelthorne, Surrey Heath, Waverley and Woking
- West Sussex
Local planning authority-led district level licensing schemes
If your development proposal is in one of these areas, you can apply to join their schemes:
More information on District Licensing Schemes as an alternative to full GCN surveys can be found on our recent blog: A Developer’s Guide to Great Crested Newts: Full GCN Surveys vs The District Licensing Scheme
For further advice or to discuss a specific project, get in touch at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 01865 893346
