 it to another person
- someone else gets the right to use the land (known as ‘an easement’)
Manage SSSI land effectively
You must manage land within a SSSI effectively and appropriately to conserve the special features of the site, such as:
- grazing animals at particular times of the year
- managing woodland
- controlling water levels
- managing scrub on species-rich grassland
You must check if you need consent before you start work to:
- carry out management tasks
- change an existing management regime
Check if you need consent
There are certain things you cannot do on SSSI land without consulting Natural England and getting consent first. For example, you might want to change the way you manage woodland or change a grazing regime.
Each SSSI has a list of activities, known as ‘operations’, which need Natural England’s consent.
Find out about your land within a SSSI
Use the designated sites system (DSS) to search for a SSSI to:
- get the list of ‘operations requiring Natural England’s consent’ (the ORNEC list) - you can download a list for each SSSI
- get a map of the site’s boundary
- find out why the site was designated
- get Natural England’s ‘views about management’ report for its steer on how to manage land effectively
- find out the condition of the site
You must get written consent from Natural England if you intend to carry out a listed operation within the boundary of the SSSI. Read the section Get consent to carry out operations on your land for guidance on how to do this.
If you do not have Natural England’s permission, you could:
- get an unlimited fine if you - or you allow someone else to - carry out a listed operation
- have to pay to repair any damage to the site
When operations do not need consent
You do not need consent for:
- emergency work, for example to protect livestock during a flood (you must tell Natural England as soon as possible afterwards)
- operations with permission from a public body or local authority (they must have consulted Natural England before they granted permission)
- an operation which is not on the ORNEC list for that site
Get free advice from Natural England
Get advice from Natural England before submitting your proposal. This is likely to reduce delays to Natural England’s consent process.
You can get free advice from Natural England:
- to check if your proposal will significantly affect a SSSI
- on what you should include with your proposal
- about routine and repeated operations on the SSSI, including routine agricultural activities
- on their views about management of your site to reach favourable or recovering condition
- about management measures specific to your site’s notified features
- on potential sources of funding
- about the law on protecting the SSSI
In all cases you’ll get an initial free consultation from Natural England.
Pay for standard advice
You can pay for extra advice from Natural England if what you want to do is more complicated. Natural England can:
- help you review your survey results
- advise on your mitigation strategies to reduce damage to the environment
- advise on drafting your consent application
- help if you need advice quickly (in less than 28 working days)
- help if you need complex advice to meet a defined deadline
Contact Natural England as soon as possible if you need advice quickly.
If you want Natural England’s advice you must ask for it before you submit your notice for consent.
How much you might pay depends on:
- the amount of advice you need from Natural England and how complex your proposal is
- whether or not a Natural England adviser needs to visit your site
- how quickly you need advice
If you want advice on how to avoid damage to protected sites or species, you’ll pay £110 per hour.
If you want a meeting, you’ll pay:
- £500 per adviser for a 90 minute meeting: at your site, a Natural England office or using a conference call
- £110 per hour per adviser for each additional hour
If you want an adviser to travel to your site, you’ll pay the adviser’s:
- travel costs at 45p per mile
- public transport, tolls and expenses over 