Nottinghamshire County Council will confirm approval for the designation of five new Local Nature Reserves across the county, with three sites set to move forward immediately and two to follow at a later stage, subject to funding and other requirements.
A report to the Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment on 23 February 2026 seeks reconfirmation to proceed with the formal designation process, following earlier approval in January 2023 to bring forward five new reserves on council-managed green spaces. The renewed approval is required due to the time that has elapsed and a change in administration.
Local Nature Reserves are statutory designations made under Section 21 of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 by principal local authorities. They are intended to protect areas with wildlife or geological features of local importance, while also providing opportunities for people to enjoy, study and learn about nature. In Nottinghamshire there are currently 69 Local Nature Reserves, six of which are owned by the County Council.
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The five proposed sites are Kimberley Green and the Great North Railway Path in Kimberley, which would form a single reserve; Dob Park in Hucknall; Newstead Old Coal Stocking Yard, Freckland Wood and the Linby Trail, which would together form the Linby to Newstead Local Nature Reserve; Moor Pond Woods in Papplewick; and Cotgrave Country Park and Cotgrave Greenway.
Of these, three are ready to proceed to designation: Kimberley Green and the Great North Railway Path; Dob Park; and the combined Linby to Newstead site. The remaining two sites will be brought forward once outstanding issues are resolved and management plans are in place.
Moor Pond Woods is not owned by the County Council but is held under a management agreement, meaning landowner permission will be required before designation can proceed. Cotgrave Country Park and the Greenway will only be progressed once issues relating to the Greenway embankment have been resolved. In both cases, additional funding will also be required to produce the necessary site management plans.
To prepare the first three sites, £8,000 was secured from the Council’s Green Investment Fund to produce detailed management plans. These plans are required before designation and must set out how long the site will remain protected, land ownership, biodiversity objectives, community access arrangements, visitor management, and funding and cost implications. The recommended minimum protection period is 21 years.
Although public consultation is not a statutory requirement, visitor surveys were carried out as a matter of best practice for the three sites being progressed. A total of 37 responses were received for Newstead Old Coal Stocking Yard, Freckland Wood and the Linby Trail; 21 for Dob Park; and 15 for Kimberley Green and the Great North Railway Path. Feedback was generally positive, with respondents highlighting wildlife value, tranquillity and benefits to physical and mental wellbeing. Concerns raised included path surfacing following heavy rainfall and instances of anti-social behaviour or dog fouling.
Designation requires pre-declaration consultation with Natural England, submission of a signed declaration, publication of a notice in a local newspaper and public inspection of the declaration and boundary map. Once confirmed, the sites will be added to Natural England’s Designated Sites View database.
The council states that the new reserves will be created on existing Green Spaces sites that are already managed for public access and wildlife, and it does not anticipate significant additional ongoing resource implications. Ongoing management costs are met from the council’s conservation budget, currently £1.20 million per year. The remaining sites will be brought forward once funding is secured for their management plans.
The report notes that designation supports the council’s enhanced Biodiversity Duty, priorities in the Local Nature Recovery Strategy for Nottinghamshire and Nottingham, and commitments within the Council Plan 2025–2029 under themes relating to healthier, happier lives and a vibrant local environment. It also highlights a potential risk linked to Local Government Reorganisation, with the possibility that future management arrangements could change; designation and formal management plans are intended to strengthen long-term protection.
In addition, Dewberry Hill in Radcliffe on Trent has been put forward for potential designation by the parish council, which leases and manages the site from the County Council. A separate report will be brought forward at the appropriate stage.
If the Cabinet Member confirms approval, the Green Spaces service will proceed with the formal designation process for the three initial sites. The remaining two will follow once the required permissions, funding and preparatory work have been completed.
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