and and carry out the work - you’ll have to pay for the work
- get a compulsory purchase order to force you to sell your land to them (as a last resort)
You can appeal to Defra against a management notice. You have 2 months to appeal.
You may be able to resolve the problem without a formal appeal by speaking to Natural England.
Natural England will take enforcement action on you or others who:
- intentionally or recklessly damage the SSSI
- destroy any of the features of special interest
- disturb wildlife for which the site was notified
- carry out listed operations without consent
Where possible, Natural England will work with you to avoid legal proceedings. Read the section on enforcement undertakings to find out more. Natural England will use enforcement measures as a last resort.
New SSSI notifications
Natural England identifies and protects SSSIs in England under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended).
Natural England will select and notify an area as a new SSSI when it believes the land’s wildlife, geology or landform is of special interest. When land becomes an SSSI, it does not give the public the right to access your land. Natural England will ‘notify’ (or designate) the land as a site of special scientific interest (SSSI).
Find out how Natural England uses its statutory power to protect SSSIs.
Sites are selected using the:
Natural England will write to you and tell you if it believes your land has special conservation value. Natural England is likely to call you to discuss this before sending a notification letter.
The letter will explain the legal implications of the notification by including:
- the reasons for designation
- a statement of Natural England’s views on the management of the SSSI
- a list of operations requiring Natural England’s consent
- a map showing the SSSI
- your legal responsibilities
- how to give your opinions or object to the designation
The letter will give you details of an adviser who can help you. They’ll be able to explain:
- what the designation means for you
- what help is available to help you manage your land, such as applying for a grant scheme
Natural England must also tell:
- the local planning authority
- the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
- public bodies, such as the Environment Agency, water and sewerage companies and internal drainage boards
Further information on notifying SSSIs can be found on Natural England’s designations programme for areas, sites and trails.
Give your opinion or object to a new notification
You have 4 months to write to Natural England to tell them what you think or to object to the designation of your land as an SSSI.
The Natural England board decides whether to confirm or withdraw a notification. It has a 4-month consultation period to look at the objections and issues raised.
The Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs appoints members of the board. They are independent of Natural England staff and the executive board.
Changes and de-notification
If the special interest of the SSSI is not adequately protected by the existing notification, Natural England can:
- extend an existing SSSI if nearby land is also of special interest
- add features of special interest to an SSSI record if they’re found on the land
- update the list of operations for which you’ll need Natural England’s consent
- withdraw the designation of an SSSI, known as ‘de-notification’
Natural England will consult with you in a similar way as a new notification if it makes a change to an existing notification.
Natural England will only de-notify a SSSI in exceptional cases. For example, if the site’s special interest is lost and cannot be restored as a result of:
- natural causes
- granting planning permission for development
It’s an offence to deliberately or recklessly damage the special features of an SSSI. Sites that have been illegally damaged, or suffered from neglect, will not be de-notified.
You have the opportunity to repair the damage using the enforcement undertaking process.