Natural England Moves SSSI Requests Online: What This Means for Moorland Managers
- Rob Beeson
- 4 hours ago
- 3 min read
✅ KEY TAKEAWAY: As of 20 April 2026, moorland managers must use the new Defra Forms portal for SSSI consents and advice requests, hopefully streamlining applications to secure faster decisions from Natural England.
On 20 April 2026, Natural England changed how you apply for permissions to carry out work on Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs).
The traditional system of emails, letters, and informal chats is being replaced by Defra Forms, a brand new online portal.
If you manage or own moorland with an SSSI designation, this means you will now need to submit your routine consent applications, requests for advice, and project details through this single digital hub. The goal of this shift is to streamline the paperwork, make the rules clearer, and speed up the time it takes to get an answer so you can get on with managing your land.
What the new portal covers
Natural England has designed the Defra Forms system to handle the bulk of everyday interactions you have regarding protected sites. You will use the new portal for three main types of requests:
SSSI Consents: If you need permission for planned work on SSSI land - such as vegetation clearance, drainage, or general changes to how you manage the land - you will apply through the new structured online form.
Public Body Assents: If you represent or work alongside a public authority carrying out operations that might impact an SSSI, you will use the portal to submit your assent request.
Advice Requests: If you want early guidance from Natural England before you put together a formal plan or spend time on an application, you can use the "Ask Natural England a Question or Get Advice" form.
How this hopefully benefits moorland managers
We know from experience that waiting on permissions can delay vital, time-sensitive management work on the ground. Moving to a structured digital system is meant to remove a lot of the frustrating back-and-forth. The core benefits to applicants include:
Faster Processing: The forms prompt you for exactly what Natural England needs right away. Providing complete information upfront reduces the need for follow-up queries, leading to quicker decisions.
Clearer Guidance: The portal walks you through the requirements step-by-step, taking the guesswork out of what documents or details you need to provide.
Better Tracking: You will receive an immediate confirmation when your request goes through, giving you peace of mind that your application hasn't been lost in an inbox.
What you need to do next
For any new projects or management plans you are drafting, you should begin using the new Defra Forms portal.
However, Natural England has made a couple of important exceptions to ensure a smooth transition:
Already prepared a Notice of Proposal? If you have already put the work into preparing a Notice of Proposal under the old system and it is ready to send, you do not need to start over. You can still submit it via the existing email route.
Can't access the online forms? Natural England understands that digital portals do not work for everyone, especially in rural areas with poor connectivity. If you cannot access the online system, you can contact their enquiries team directly at enquiries@naturalengland.org.uk to arrange an alternative way to submit your application.
We will be keeping a close eye on how this new system performs in practice for our members. If you run into any hurdles with the new portal, please let us know at rbeeson@moorlandassociation.org so we can feed that back to Natural England.
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