Simplifying complex processes through digitisation
Natural England’s District Level Licensing (DLL) Scheme is a strategic approach to licensing that compensates for impacts on Great Crested Newts during development projects. Previously reliant on complex manual processes the scheme has been digitally transformed through an ArcGIS Online solution, creating a seamless and streamlined user experience for DLL staff, partner organisations and developers engaging with the scheme.
Accurate field data collection has resulted in 85% reduction in data mining
Increased trust and confidence in spatial data is informing more accurate, reliable and timely decision-making
A previous data audit requiring 75 working days has been reduced to just five working days
The Challenge
Natural England’s DLL Scheme faced digital challenges; from the outset, supporting teams had to collect, report and submit data – manually – for over 3,000 ponds, each pond requiring multiple Excel spreadsheets to assess ecological impact.
This lengthy, manual approach, involving over 10,000 spreadsheets by mid-2024, was managed by multiple partner organisations as well as internal staff, often leading to data duplication, typos and inconsistencies. On occasion, data would not be submitted for weeks after partners had visited and recorded information about a pond. Pond reports could be duplicated or sometimes even missed. This lack of integration made it challenging to track changes or ensure data accuracy, undermining confidence in reporting and potential validity of the data.
Regular audits were required to check data integrity. A 2023 audit revealed the extent of the issue: four months of manual review were required to identify and correct errors, with onward reporting stretching to 1,000 lines just to clean the data. This growing complexity became a turning point, prompting Natural England to seek a scalable, digital solution.
“The DLL Pond Data System is making a huge difference in terms of the quality of data we collect, and how we manage it. Simply put, it’s been revolutionary for our work.”
Laura Scott, Principal Officer, Natural England
The Solution
As an executive non-departmental public body sponsored by DEFRA, Natural England already had access to the ArcGIS System. After establishing clear criteria for their requirements, the organisation engaged Esri UK to explore how GIS technology could support its work. Esri UK’s Professional Services team then spent ten days developing a proof of concept, showcasing the potential of ArcGIS Survey123 and ArcGIS Online to support Natural England’s DLL Scheme.
Work on the full solution began in June 2024 and was completed within 10 to 12 weeks. The result was the DLL Pond Data System - a tailored suite of tools empowering the DLL team to spatially review data, conduct robust data analysis, streamline reporting, maintain data quality and enhance collaboration with delivery partners. These capabilities have led to significant time savings and improved operational efficiency.
Survey123 is used by field surveyors during initial site visits, with each new pond being registered and assigned a unique ID, preventing duplication. On subsequent visits such as monitoring surveys, partners use ArcGIS Field Maps to upload new data, allowing multiple records for a single pond to be captured seamlessly.
DEFRA’s contracted partners are issued sub-contractor licenses, ensuring all parties operate on the same technology platform. Data is visualised through two interactive dashboards: the General Dashboard, accessible to partners, provides status updates on all ponds, while the Invoicing Dashboard tracks financial information and clarifies invoicing status.The integration of multiple ArcGIS products into a unified, user-friendly system has been a major success. The DLL Pond Data System not only improves data collection and management but also supports significantly more efficient collaboration across stakeholders. The project’s success was further recognised internally, with the primary contact at Natural England receiving an award for outstanding delivery.
“Our new digitised system has significantly reduced delays dealing with developers, a key step in supporting the Government’s commitment to accelerating house building.”
Jarod Benton, Principal Officer, Natural England
Benefits
Accurate Data Reporting
Moving from manual field data collection to mobile digital apps, ArcGIS Survey123 and ArcGIS Field Maps, has significantly improved accuracy and timeliness of data reporting. Data mining efforts have been reduced by 85 per cent allowing the team to quickly access the information they need to undertake their jobs more efficiently and present stakeholders with high-quality actionable intelligence.
Confidence in Data
Increased trust and confidence in spatial data is informing more accurate, reliable and timely decision-making. With less time required for data cleansing, the team can spend more time using other tools including Microsoft Power BI, to perform deeper data interrogation and undertake more sophisticated data analysis. This enables the production of more insightful and accurate reports.
Increased operational efficiency
A previous data audit, undertaken over four months and requiring 75 working days to complete, has now been reduced to just one working day. Transitioning from manual data reporting to a fully digitised process is driving major improvements in operational efficiency, enabling team members to develop new digital skills and take on more value-add tasks, transforming the nature of their roles and positively contributing to overall team capability and satisfaction.
Better stakeholder collaboration
Relationships with partners and developers are improving and previous, often convoluted processes have been simplified leading to a smoother working experience for all parties. Delays with issuing licences to developers are minimised helping to speed up the housing development process, a key tenet of the Government’s commitment to accelerating house building.
