Penwith Moors SSSI

Closed 7 Feb 2023

Opened 7 Oct 2022

Contact

Mark Beard

(Senior Adviser)

Devon, Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Team

07917 183498

penwithmoorscornwall@naturalengland.org.uk

Feedback updated 4 Jul 2023

We asked

Natural England consulted with owners, occupiers and interested parties on the notification of Penwith Moors Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) on 7 October 2022.

Consultations closed on 7 February 2023.

You said

Following consideration of representations and objections at its meeting on 28 June 2023, the Board of Natural England approved the confirmation of the notification of the West Penwith Moors and Downs SSSI with modifications to the description of the special interest, boundary map, Views about Management (VAM) and list of operations requiring Natural England’s consent (ORNEC). I therefore enclose revised versions of those documents.

We did

The site has 270 owners and occupiers. The notification was the subject of 170 unresolved objections and 6 objections that were resolved with modifications to the boundary. A further 87 representations were received in support of the notification. The grounds for the objections and representations had been carefully considered by officers of Natural England and after further investigation a number of modifications were recommended to the Board of Natural England of which were approved.

Natural England confirmed West Penwith Moors and Downs SSSI under section 28 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 on 4 July 2023 with the following changes:

•       the boundary, removed 41 areas of land (total area of 107.72 ha) which were not considered to be of special scientific interest;

•       the citation, to reflect the change in site name to ‘West Penwith Moors and Downs (Halow ha Gonyow Pennwydh West) SSSI’, removal of one lichen species, taxonomical changes, correction of typographical errors, a revised paragraph summarising the site history and updated area figure (3,045.04 ha);

•       the statement of Natural England’s views about management (VAM) of the SSSI, to reflect the change in site name; and clarify management recommendations; and

•       the list of operations requiring Natural England’s consent (ORNEC), to reflect the change in site name.

In accordance with Natural England’s policy on freedom of information, details of the Board’s decision will be available on Natural England’s website in due course: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/natural-england/about/our-governance.

If you have any questions or require further information, please email penwithmoorscornwall@naturalengland.org.uk.

Results updated 3 Jul 2024

West Penwith Moors and Downs Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) was confirmed on 4 July 2023.

Files:

Overview

Penwith Moors is an extensive (c.3,000 ha) area of heathland, wetland and acid grassland in Cornwall.  It is of special interest for the following nationally important features:

  • Lowland heathland
  • Fens
  • Lowland dry acid grassland
  • Four species of vascular plants
  • An assemblage of invertebrates associated with scrub-heath and moorland
  • An assemblage of lichens associated with acid non-montane rock
  • Breeding Dartford warbler 

Penwith Moors is notified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) on 7 October 2022.

Further information about this notification including maps is available in the related documents section below.

 

Why your views matter

This consultation has now closed and if you have made representations on the notification of Penwith Moors SSSI these will be collated and presented to the Board of Natural England on 28 June which will be held in Plymouth.

 

What happens next

We are now assessing the responses to the consultation and will be making a recommendation to the Board of Natural England on 28 June which will be held in Plymouth. Natural England has to make a decision to either confirm or withdraw this notification by 6 July 2023 or the notification will cease to exist. We will widely promote Natural England's decision.

Audiences

  • Charities/Voluntary Organisations
  • Government Agencies
  • Local Authorities
  • Walkers
  • Farmers
  • Tenant Farmers
  • Agricultural Landlords
  • Land Agents
  • Public Bodies
  • Consultants

Interests

  • Natural environment
  • Biodiversity
  • Conservation
  • Land management
  • Environmental Stewardship
  • Uplands
  • Protecting wildlife