Communities and nature across England will benefit from improved environmental outcomes and faster delivery of homes through the Nature Restoration Fund, as the Planning and Infrastructure Bill becomes law.
The Nature Restoration Fund offers an alternative to the current system that too often has blocked vital houses being built whilst nature continues to decline. Going forward developers’ contributions into the Fund will pay towards action that restores protected habitats and species.
An Implementation Plan published today (18 December 2025) sets out the pathway to rolling out the Nature Restoration Fund, culminating in the delivery of the first Environmental Delivery Plans (EDPs) in 2026.
Under the new approach, Natural England will work with public bodies, environmental organisations, private markets and developers to create an EDP for specific areas, outlining conservation measures that address impacts of development on protected sites and species.
Where an EDP is in place, developers can make a payment into the Nature Restoration Fund, rather than implementing individual mitigation measures. Natural England will pool these payments to deliver improvements at a larger scale — for example, cleaning rivers, restoring wetlands and creating accessible green spaces where communities can enjoy nature.
The first EDPs will launch in 2026 and initially focus on addressing blockages caused by nutrient pollution in rivers, lakes and estuaries.
Posted On: 19/12/2025
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