You must apply to become a registered user of this licence and notify Natural England when you use it.

As a registered user you can interfere with badger setts under this licence to carry out development work or stop badgers causing serious damage by:

• monitoring setts using ‘soft-blocking’ techniques (temporary blocking with loose soil or vegetation) or inserting inspection equipment
• evicting and excluding badgers from setts using one-way gates
• destroying setts

This class licence replaces the need to apply for an individual licence each time you need to interfere with badger setts.

You can carry out works 5 working days after submitting a site notification, unless you hear from Natural England to say you can’t. You must submit:

• a report form of your actions 14 working days after completing works
• an annual report form to stay registered to use this licence

Natural England will make the licence, site notification form and report form available to you once you’ve registered to use this licence. The licence is free of charge.

Criteria to get registered

You can apply to be a registered user of this licence if you’ve:

• held at least 4 licences to close badger setts within the last 5 years (‘eligible licences’)
• successfully excluded badgers from 4 different sites, which include a main sett at 2 of the sites
• proven experience from previous licences of using one-way gates to exclude badgers from setts
• designed competent schemes in your method statements to show you can exclude badgers from setts without causing harm
• met the deadlines for submitting licence return forms with full details of action you’ve taken under licence
• had no enforcement action taken against you for any wildlife licences you’ve held
• had no convictions of wildlife-related or animal welfare offences in the last 5 years
• evidence that you’re a full member of a professional body (or an associate member for at least 3 years) such as the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM) or Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) with authority to handle misconduct

You can still apply even if you:

• don’t hold the required number of badger licences
• aren’t a member of a professional body

You’ll need to provide alternative evidence which meets the criteria. If you’re not a member of a professional body you’ll need to show how an appropriate third party would investigate malpractice.

Disability consideration

Email Natural England at badgerclnotifications@naturalengland.org.uk if you have a disability that makes it difficult for you to meet these criteria. Natural England will consider your request on its merits.

Apply to register

You can apply to register using the application form on this page. There’s no charge to apply.

To be eligible to apply you must provide Natural England with the reference numbers of 4 eligible licences you’ve held in the last 5 years. Two of these must be for main setts.

For each licence you’ve held you must have completed a method statement and return form.

You must send your completed application form by email to Natural England badgerclnotifications@naturalengland.org.uk.

Natural England will review the information you’ve submitted. You’ll get an email within 30 working days to tell you if you’re registered to use this licence.

If your formal application failed

You can re-apply for registration to use the badger class licence CL35 if you failed to meet the criteria the first time round.

You can choose to apply for an individual licence to interfere with badger setts for development purposes or to prevent serious damage.

This document explains how the Environment Agency is investigating ways to offer flood protection to 30 properties in Wilton, Wiltshire, which are at risk of flooding from the River Wylye.

The Environment Agency has been praised for an ambitious restoration project on Hampshire’s famous River Avon.

The agency’s ‘whole river approach’ to restoration and natural flood management impressed judges who voted it the best entry in the ‘catchment category’ of the 2017 UK River Prize, a national competition that celebrates the most innovative and successful river projects across England, Scotland and Wales.

As category winner, the Hampshire Avon project automatically qualifies as a finalist. The Environment Agency is up against three other finalists – each winners of separate categories – vying for the top UK River Prize. The overall winner will be announced at a special ceremony in Brighton next month and presented with a trophy and cash prize.

Russell Spencer for the Environment Agency:

This is well earned recognition for the efforts of many people and organisations working together to help realise the vision for the Avon catchment – and a great springboard for the next phase of the programme, where we would like many more to be involved.

The River Avon Restoration Project was set up to restore the River Avon Special Area of Conservation (SAC) to a natural river system supporting chalk stream habitats and wildlife to meet the government’s obligations under the EU Water Framework and Habitats Directive.

The aim of the project was to restore reaches of the river most damaged in the past by man-made physical changes including the straightening or dredging of the river channel and construction of weirs and sluices. Various methods have been used to improve habitats and restore natural flows and functions including the removal, modification and bypassing of structures and re-alignment of the river to more natural positions in the floodplain.

Led by the Environment Agency, the project is supported by a number of organisations including Natural England, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, Wessex Chalk Streams and Rivers Trust, Wessex Water, Wiltshire Fishery Association, National Farmers Union and Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust.

The restoration started in 2012 and will culminate in the completion of Phase 1 of the project later this year. Further work is needed to restore the remaining 185km of river and enable the catchment to respond and adapt to climate change.

Notes to Editor:

The UK River Prize celebrates the achievements of individuals and organisations who improve the health of our rivers and catchments and recognise the importance of healthy rivers and the benefits they bring to society. It is run by the The River Restoration Centre who will announce the overall winner of the UK River Prize at its annual dinner and conference in Brighton on April 4.

In 2009, the need for a strategic approach to catchment river restoration was identified by the European LIFE funded Strategic Restoration and Management (STREAM) partnership. This led to the creation of the River Avon Restoration Programme (RARP).