Heather and grass burning in England – have your say

First published15 April 2025

Environment and climate
Heather on a hill

Photograph: Adrien Olichon/Unsplash

The NFU will be responding to the government's consultation on proposals to extend the ban on burning heather and grass on deep peat. Fill in our online form by 2 May to make your voice heard.

The government has opened a consultation on the proposals, which it has said would be extended to an extra 146,000 hectares, covered by the regulations banning heather and grass burning.

The area falling within the proposed regulations will be areas of deep peat, over 30cm deep in Less Favoured Areas. This replaces the existing focus on Sites of Special Scientific Interest that are also Special Areas of Conservation and/or Special Protection Areas. The peat depth was over 40cm deep.

The proposals are:

  • Change the boundaries of the Regulations to Less Favoured Areas from Sites of Special Scientific Interest that are also Special Areas of Conservation and/or Special Protection Areas.
  • Change the prohibition of burning on peat over 40cm deep to peat over 30cm deep.
  • Remove ‘because the specified vegetation is inaccessible to mechanical cutting equipment and any other method of management is impracticable’ as a reason to burn and therefore apply for a licence.
  • Make it compulsory to follow a revised heather and grass management code rather than advisable.
  • Requirement to complete an accredited training course prior to burning under a licence.

Fill in our form below to feed into the NFU’s consultation response.

Fill out my online form.

11 April 2025

Government opens consultation on amendments to The Heather and Grass etc. Burning (England) Regulations

The consultation seeks to make to amendments to The Heather and Grass etc. Burning (England) Regulations 2021.

It is considering extending the regulations to a broader area of upland peat.

Any prescribed burning would need to be done under a strict licence which the government has said will be issued where there is a ‘clear need’, citing reducing wildfire risk as an example.

The licensing system would require applicants to ‘successfully explain’ why alternative methods have not, or would not, work and show how they intend to move the land away from the need to burn in future in order to receive a licence.

It’s also been proposed that one or more people carrying out a burn under the regulations must have completed a mandatory training course.

The consultation is being supported by evidence provided by Natural England. The England Peat Map, a detailed, open-access map of England’s peatlands, covering extent, depth, and condition, is being developed by Natural England and will be published later in the spring.

The NFU will be responding to the consultation and seeking members’ views to inform its response. You can read more about the consultation on GOV.UK | Heather and Grass Burning in England.

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