Impact Risk Zones for Sites of Special Scientific Interest
For local planning authorities to determine if a proposed development is likely to affect a terrestrial Site of Special Scientific Interest and when to consult Natural England.
For local planning authorities to determine if a proposed development is likely to affect a terrestrial Site of Special Scientific Interest and when to consult Natural England.
Send your consultation to: consultations@naturalengland.org.uk
The Impact Risk Zones for Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI IRZs) indicate that at the location selected, there is potential for all proposed developments to have a harmful effect on terrestrial Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and those Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), Special Protection Areas (SPAs) or Ramsar sites that they underpin.
Therefore, you should consult Natural England for advice on the nature of the potential impacts and how these might be avoided or mitigated.
Send your consultation to: consultations@naturalengland.org.uk
The Impact Risk Zones for Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI IRZs) indicate that at the location selected, there is potential for the proposed development to have a harmful effect on terrestrial Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and those Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), Special Protection Areas (SPAs) or Ramsar sites that they underpin.
Therefore, you should consult Natural England for advice on the nature of the potential impacts and how these might be avoided or mitigated.
Natural England may provide pre-application advice on the nature of the potential impacts and how these might be avoided or mitigated. Developers Get Environmental Advice - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) provides information on Natural England’s pre-application discretionary advice service (DAS).
The SSSI IRZs seek to guide consultations relating to the likely impacts of development on terrestrial SSSIs under Schedule 4 (w) of The Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015 and section 28I of The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. They do not alter or remove any other statutory requirements to consult Natural England.
The SSSI IRZs only indicate Natural England’s assessment of likely risk to the notified features of terrestrial SSSIs and those SACs, SPAs or Ramsar sites that they underpin. There are other sites designated for nature conservation in the coastal and marine environment that are not underpinned by terrestrial SSSIs. This includes SPAs, SACs, Ramsar sites and Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs). You should consult Natural England on any coastal or marine proposal that might impact those sites.
Where the SSSI IRZs indicate a risk is unlikely, this does not mean that there are no potential impacts on biodiversity or the wider natural environment and there may be a requirement to consult Natural England as a statutory consultee on other matters.
Local Planning Authorities Get Environmental Advice - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) provides more information on when you must consult Natural England when considering development proposals including Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) (NSIPs).