HRA Handbook Access
As explained in our email to all subscriber on the 8th January access to the HRA Handbook was terminated on 30th January 2026. Following 12 years of service to HRA practitioners across the UK (and Ireland) we have reluctantly, but realistically, made the inevitable decision that the updatable HRA Handbook and the HRA Journal is no longer a practical or viable offer from DTA Publications. Sweeping legislative reform across England during 2025 has introduced increasing complexity, with many individual sectors each having their own way of avoiding or adapting the HRA process, whilst the Regulations themselves are retained, with or without amendments, for other sectors who have no bespoke solutions. With further reform anticipated in 2026 it is no longer a viable proposition for us to adapt and maintain the Handbook to adequately navigate you through all the relevant processes in England. Sadly, we have had to conclude that to maintain the Handbook for Wales alone, which may escape some of the legislative turbulence, would not be feasible.
We would like to take this opportunity to pass on our sincere thanks to our loyal base of users of and contributors to the Handbook and Journal. It has been a privilege and a pleasure to be of service. We hope that the Handbook and Journal have been a valued asset over the last 12 years.
" David Tyldesley & Associates have a long experience of involvement in the application of the Habitats Regulations Assessment process and this product usefully draws together the current state of collective understanding"
Janette Ward (Director Regulation, Natural England)
"Accessible, up to date and expertly written - this is a very useful source of guidance for competent authorities and others involved in assessing both projects and plans"
Adam Cole-King (Senior International Sites Adviser, Natural Resources Wales)
"This HRA Handbook brings a 20th century piece of legislation into the 21st century for everyone to understand"
Craig Rockliffe (Permitting and Conservation Team Leader, Environment Agency)
"This Handbook provides a useful guide to HRA application and case law in English territorial waters"
Lisa Chilton (Head of Offshore Industries Advice, Joint Nature Conservation Committee)
"The MMO is committed to enabling sustainable growth in making decisions about developoments at sea. We use the HRA Handbook to gain an overview of case law and help ensure consistency in our decision making"
Dickon Howell (Head of Licensing, Marine Management Organisation)
"A timely and much needed publication from the recognised and respected HRA experts"
Wyn Jones (Convenor of the Nature Conservation Working Group for the UK Environmental Law Association)
"We welcome this detailed guidance and informed discussion on what is a critically important and often complex area of European conservation legislation"
John Box (CEnv FCIEEM) (President of the Chartered Institute for Ecology and Environmental Management)
News
The Handbook content has been updated to take account of all recent judgments in the CJEU and the EU Exit amendment Regulations (4 January 2021).
We have advised the CIEEM In Practice editor that the approach described in the recent article on ‘A novel approach to quantify and mitigate for biodiversity loss caused by Nitrogen deposition’ is inappropriate. We believe that what is described as mitigation – offsite buffer area for habitat creation and improvement – is actually compensation for the harm to the habitats in the designated SAC. We advise that this approach should not be adopted without taking legal advice and consulting Natural England HRA and air quality specialists (12th January 2021).