This 2024/25 District Level Licensing Annual Monitoring Report (AMR) is part of the wider District Level Licensing (DLL) Monitoring and Evaluation Framework that was adopted in April 2024. The results from each AMR will feed into a 5-yearly National Fixed-Point Evaluation report (to be published in early 2026). This is the first of the AMRs and covers the financial year 1st April 2024 to 31st March 2025.
Each year, the AMR will provide the annual monitoring information detailing the ecological and environmental outcomes as well as DLL licence and financial records.
The following topics have been reported on in this AMR:
- Uptake of the DLL Scheme
- Compensation pond delivery
- Licensed and projected development impacts on ponds
- Compensation pond monitoring results
- Turnaround time from DLL licence application to licence issue
- Staffing requirements to operate the DLL scheme
- Income and expenditure of DLL
Overall, this AMR highlights the success in the delivery of DLL ponds since the launch of DLL and the high suitability of DLL ponds for GCN, which are created/restored in line with best practice guidance. There has been an overall net gain in the number of suitable GCN ponds and in the number of occupied ponds as a result of the scheme. The licence records show the progression of applications through the DLL process, and the efficient turnaround time from application to issue. The DLL income and expenditure is broken down to show how the developer fees are used to cover the costs of the scheme, including the management and maintenance of the ponds for 25-years.
This report is written with the assumption that the reader has a general understanding of wildlife licensing. As a result, it does not detail the specific licensing requirements for great crested newts. To support adequate background knowledge, readers are encouraged to review the two sources listed below before proceeding, particularly regarding wildlife licensing and, more specifically, DLL.
District Level Licensing for great crested newts – our story
Developers: how to join the great crested newt district level licensing scheme – GOV.UK