About the Village
Protection of the Natural Environment
This page outlines the measures that are in place to protect the natural environment of the village and surrounding area.
The village of Dersingham is low lying and virtually surrounded by farmland. The landscape to the south, west and north of the village is deemed to be of national importance and is designated by Natural England as the Norfolk Coast National Landscape. The old name for this area was the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The Wash, which lies to the west of the village is also heavily protected nationally and internationally.
The main protection to trees of amenity or landscape value within the village is that provided under the Town & Country Planning Acts, either by virtue of Tree Preservation Orders or as trees within the Dersingham Conservation Area. Please refer to our protected trees page for further details and links to the Borough Council website and interactive map.
Our recreation ground in the centre of the village is protected by virtue of being a designated Recreation Ground, Village Green, Designated Public Open Space and a Field in Trust. Various other parcels of land including The Warren are designates as public open spaces.
On the southern edge of the village we have Dersingham Common, which is Registered as Common Land under the Countryside & Rights of Way Act 2000. A section of Dersingham Common is also part of the Dersingham Bog National Nature Reserve. Abutting the National Nature Reserve, and partly within the Parish we have Sandringham Country Park.
Dersingham Bog National Nature Reserve is heavily protected both Nationally and Internationally. It is designated as a RAMSAR site, a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and is part of the Roydon Common and Dersingham Bog Special Area of Conservation.
The interactive map below shows the areas of designations referred to above. Please note that not all of the layers are initially switched on as the various designations overlap.
NATURAL ENGLAND DESIGNATIONS INTERACTIVE MAP
You may find the following explanations and links to external websites useful.
National Landscape
A National Landscape is the new name for areas previously designated Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Natural England determines which areas within England meet the requirements for the designation. Each National Landscape has a small team of staff, and their work is governed by a Joint Advisory Committee or Executive Board representing local authorities, landowners and partner organisations.
NORFOLK COAST NATIONAL LANDSCAPE WEBSITE
National Nature Reserve
Please see the link below for information on the Dersingham Bog National Nature Reserve.
GOVERNMENT LISTING FOR DERSINGHAM BOG NNR
RAMSAR
RAMSAR is a convention on wetlands of international importance. It is an intergovernmental treaty that promotes the conservation and wise use of wetlands, especially those that provide habitat for wildfowl or contain rare or wetland types of biodiversity. RAMSAR sites are wetlands that have been designated under the convention’s criteria and are added to the List of Wetlands of international importance.
DERSINGHAM BOG RAMSAR SITE LISTING
Special Area of Conservation
For information on Roydon Common & Dersingham Bog Special Area of Conservation please see the listing on Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) website.
DERSINGHAM BOG LISTING ON JNCC WEBSITE
Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)
The advice given to land owners wishing to do work on land within a SSSI illustrates the constraints the designation imposes. This advice can be found on the following HM Government web page.
GOVERNMENT ADVICE FOR MANAGEMENT OF LAND IN SSSI’S
Fields in Trust
Fields in Trust are a UK charity working to secure legal protection for all parks and green spaces. In practice, this means they can never be sold off for development and will be retained as a public park, playing field or recreation ground forever. Working with the land owner, a binding legal commitment (called a Deed of Dedication) is signed that means the green space will be protected for the benefit of local community and nature forever.
More information about the work of the Fields in Trust charity can be found on their website.