Lepus were appointed by the London Borough of Enfield to prepare the SANG Strategy to inform Enfield’s new Local Plan. Lepus’ assessment has been produced in accordance with guidance and advice from Natural England as well as case law and best practice to enable the Borough to meet its duties as a competent authority under the Habitats Regulations 2017.

Throughout this project Lepus Consulting engaged closely with relevant statutory bodies and other stakeholders, collaborating with consultants undertaking associated workstreams.

The key aims identified at the projects inception include:

• Analysing existing green space improvement schemes - Assessing the suitability of schemes for SANGs
• Quantify the need for SANGs
• Quantify the extent to which pipeline projects can meet this need
• Identify the need for any further projects

Our study is building on work which has already been undertaken as part of the Blue and Green Infrastructure Audit 2020 which details all of Enfield's green and blue assets. Our SANG strategy is also being designed alongside the imminent introduction of BNG and is therefore being designed to incorporate the borough wide approach to BNG.

Key stages of this project include:

• Reviewing evidence of recreational impacts on the Epping Forest SAC
• GIS mapping of existing proposals for green space access enhancements and improvements, including Enfield rewilding project
• GIS analysis of catchment areas for green spaces
• Undertaking initial calculations to quantify required SANGs and evidence the proposed rate of SANGs per 1,000 population