Natural England - Opportunities and optimum sitings
Home
Our work
Farming and land stewardship
Funding for land management
Energy Crops Scheme
Opportunities and optimum sitings
-
Opportunities and optimum sitings for energy crops within the East of England region
The maps below refer to the East of England region. Please remember that the maps are indicative. Refer to the guidance regarding their use before accessing. These are large files and may take a couple of minutes to download.
-
Opportunities and optimum sitings for energy crops within the East Midlands region
The maps below refer to the East Midlands region. Please remember that the maps are indicative. Refer to the guidance regarding their use before accessing. These are large files and may take a couple of minutes to download
-
Environmental planning of short rotation coppice and miscanthus
The guidance below must be referred to when assessing opportunities and optimum sitings of SRC and miscanthus. The information provided outlines a number of environmental issues that should be considered when applying for an energy crop grant
-
Existing energy crop locations
The aim of the existing energy crop locations maps is to identify where SRC and miscanthus have been established within England. The maps may be used to assess opportunities to develop new biomass projects and energy supply chains.
The guidance below must be referred to when using the ‘existing locations of energy crops’ maps for assessing opportunities and optimum sitings of short rotation coppice (SRC) and miscanthus. Information about the data used to produce the maps is provided below.
-
Environmental designations and features
The aim of the environmental designations maps is to identify areas where special care is needed to avoid damaging the environment.
The guidance below must be referred to when using these maps for assessing opportunities and optimum sitings of energy crops. Information regarding the use of these maps is provided below
-
5 pdf maps have been produced for each English region along with associated guidance
-
Opportunities and optimum sitings for energy crops
The Government recognises that the impacts of energy crops can vary at a local level. In 2005, Defra set up a working group that comprised representatives from English Nature, Countryside Agency, Rural Development Services, Forestry Commission, English Heritage, Environment Agency, Government Offices and the Rural Development Agencies to develop and produce a set of regional maps identifying opportunities and optimum sitings for energy crops (short rotation coppice (SRC) and miscanthus). This work was referred to in the Government’s Response to the Biomass Task Force and completed at the end of 2006.
-
Opportunities and optimum sitings for energy crops within the North East region
The maps below refer to the North East region. Please remember that the maps are indicative. Refer to the guidance regarding their use before accessing. These are large files and may take a couple of minutes to download.
-
Opportunities and optimum sitings for energy crops within the North West region
The maps below refer to the North West region. Please remember that the maps are indicative. Refer to the guidance regarding their use before accessing. These are large files and may take a couple of minutes to download
-
Opportunities and optimum sitings for energy crops within the South East region
The maps below refer to the South East region. Please remember that the maps are indicative. Refer to the guidance regarding their use before accessing. These are large files and may take a couple of minutes to download
-
Opportunities and optimum sitings for energy crops within the South West region
The maps below refer to the South West region. Please remember that the maps are indicative. Refer to the guidance regarding their use before accessing. These are large files and may take a couple of minutes to download
-
Opportunities and optimum sitings for energy crops within the West Midlands region
The maps below refer to the West Midlands region. Please remember that the maps are indicative. Refer to the guidance regarding their use before accessing. These are large files and may take a couple of minutes to download.
-
Opportunities and optimum sitings for energy crops within the Yorkshire and Humber region
The maps below refer to the Yorkshire and Humber region. Please remember that the maps are indicative. Refer to the guidance regarding their use before accessing. These are large files and may take a couple of minutes to download.
-
How to interpret the short rotation coppice (src) yield maps
The aim of these regional yield maps is to identify potential SRC yields within England.
-
How to interpret the miscanthus yield maps
The aim of these regional yield maps is to identify potential miscanthus yields within England.
The guidance below must be referred to when using the yield maps for assessing opportunities and optimum sitings of miscanthus. Information about how the maps have been generated is provided below along with the limitations of the model.
IMPORTANT - The information supplied by the miscanthus yield maps is for guidance only and is not intended to fully substitute for professional agricultural advice. Each new planting proposal should be considered on a case by case basis. The user is responsible for any commercial decisions taken based on information presented in the maps
-
How to use the environmental designations maps
The guidance below must be referred to before using the environmental designations maps for assessing opportunities and optimum sitings of energy crops. As these maps slightly differ to the other maps e.g. ones indicating potential yields, instructions are provided below outlining how to use them.
In addition, you must also refer to the ‘Environmental Designations’ guidance which provides the information necessary to interpret the maps
-
Energy crops and landscape character
The aim of both the joint character assessment maps and accompanying tables is to ensure that landscape considerations are taken into account when planning short rotation coppice (SRC) and miscanthus plantings, and to see how they can blend in with the rest of the landscape thereby ensuring that change and development does not undermine whatever is characteristic or valued about any particular landscape.
The guidance below must be referred to when using both the maps and tables for assessing opportunities and optimum sitings of energy crops. Background information regarding both the maps and tables is provided below as well as information about how to interpret the tables.