Protected Sites Strategies

What are Protected Sites, how and why are Local Authorities Involved. 

Protected Sites are areas within our land and sea that have been identified as having our ‘best’ nature and wildlife within them.  

Even with these protections we are one of the most ‘nature depleted’ countries in the world, nature is vital for our wellbeing, so we need to support it to flourish again. Protecting and looking after what we have in these areas is vital for our biodiversity and because they support wider nature recovery across our land and sea. 

These protected sites also need our help as many are in unfavourable condition and are experiencing added pressures from outside their site boundaries including climate change, pollution, coastal squeeze to name a few. The Environment Act recognises the need to help out these precious areas and Protected Site Strategies- PSS is the mechanism to do this.

We have a practitioner network for local authority officers interested in PSS, which meets every 6-8 weeks and for which we host an online discussion forum. Please fill out this (Microsoft form) if you would like to join.

Natural England – Protected Areas of Countryside 

Natural England has the power to prepare, produce and report on these strategies and recognises local authorities are crucial to the design and delivery of PSS. 

Protected sites and areas: how to review planning applications 

Guidance for Protected Sites on gov.uk

Thanks to Dave Mitchell, Lead Adviser – Northumbria Team, Natural England for compiling this list:

SSSI
SSSI – general page (condition assessment, consents, appeals, enforcement)  https://www.gov.uk/guidance/protected-areas-sites-of-special-scientific-interest

SSSIs – how NE makes a decision https://www.gov.uk/guidance/protected-areas-sites-of-special-scientific-interest

SSSI – public body responsibilities  https://www.gov.uk/guidance/sites-of-special-scientific-interest-public-body-responsibilities

European Sites
General descriptions of SAC and SPA features  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sac-features-and-spa-supporting-habitats-general-descriptions

Guidance on Duty to protect, conserve and restore European sites
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/duty-to-protect-conserve-and-restore-european-sites

Guidance: Habitats regulations assessments: protecting a European site
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/habitats-regulations-assessments-protecting-a-european-site#screening

Guidance: Appropriate assessment - Guidance on the use of Habitats Regulations Assessment Appropriate assessment - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

External Defra guidance on the HRA process is on the Gov.uk website:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/conservation-objectives-for-land-based-protected-sites-in-england-how-to-use-the-site-advice

DEFRA HRA Guidance Feb 2021
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/habitats-regulations-assessments-protecting-a-european-site

Derogation notice template for competent authorities to use (2021)
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/habitats-regulations-assessment-derogation-notice

Guidance Protected sites and areas: how to review planning applications
 https://www.gov.uk/guidance/protected-sites-and-areas-how-to-review-planning-applications#assess-planning-proposals

"The Impact Risk Zones (IRZs) are a GIS tool developed by Natural England to make a rapid initial assessment of the potential risks posed by development proposals to: SSSIs, SACs, SPAs and Ramsar sites." i.e. the protected sites covered in the definition of a PSS. 

Elsewhere on the PAS website: 

How does BNG work for developments on sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs)? find in decision making section

Can off-site BNG be used to enhance SSSIs? find in additionality, stacking & natural capital section

Nature Recovery for Local Authorities