The consultation focused on opinions on the sale of peat for horticultural use and whether this should continue or be restricted. We also asked whether there should be any exemptions and what these might be.
The response was clear with over 95% of responses calling for a ban on the sale of peat. There was some valid concern in the responses for the use of peat in industry.
The government in England is committed to banning the sale of peat and peat containing products by 2024.
Natural England consulted with owners, occupiers and interested parties on the notification of Dearne Valley Wetlands Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) on 13 May 2021.
Consultations closed on 13 September 2021.
Following consideration of representations and objections at its meeting on 19 January 2022, the Board of Natural England approved the confirmation of the notification of the Dearne Valley Wetlands SSSI with modifications to the description of the special interest (area figure amendment) and boundary map. Natural England consulted with owners, occupiers and interested parties on the notification of Dearne Valley Wetlands Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) on 13 May 2021.
Consultations closed on 13 September 2021.
Natural England confirmed Dearne Valley Wetlands SSSI under section 28 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 on 4 February 2022.
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 ProtectedSites@naturalengland.org.uk.
Natural England consulted with owners, occupiers and interested parties on the notification of Swanscombe Peninsula Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) on 11 March 2021.
Consultations closed on 12 July 2021.
Following consideration of representations and objections at its meeting on 10 November 2021, the Board of Natural England approved the confirmation of the notification of the Swanscombe Peninsula SSSI with modifications to the description of the special interest (area figure amendment), boundary map and Views about Management (VAM).
Natural England confirmed Swanscombe Peninsula SSSI under section 28C of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 on 19 November 2021.
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 ProtectedSites@naturalengland.org.uk.
Natural England consulted with owners, occupiers and interested parties on the notification of Cotswold Water Park Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) on 7 January 2021 and the proposal to de-notify parts of the previously notified Cotswold Water Park SSSI that are not considered to be of special interest.
Consultations closed on 7 June 2021.
Following consideration of representations and objections at its meeting on 15 September and resumed meeting of 29 September 2021, the Board of Natural England approved the confirmation of the notification of the Cotswold Water Park SSSI with modifications to the description of the special interest (area figure amendment and the addition of little grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis to the citation), boundary map and Views about Management (VAM).
No representations or objections were received to the proposal dated 7 January 2021 to remove the SSSI notification (known as ‘de-notification’) from parts of the previously notified Cotswold Water Park SSSI that are not considered to be of special interest. The proposed denotification has been confirmed without modification. The denotified land (as shown on the maps that formed part of the notification document of 7 January 2021 is no longer subject to the effects of notification as an SSSI.
Natural England confirmed the enlarged Cotswold Water Park SSSI under section 28C of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and
de-notified the areas no longer of Special Scientific Interest under section 28D of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 on 1 October 2021.
Natural England consulted with owners, occupiers and interested parties on the notification of Pinkworthy and Driver Farm Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) on 7 January 2021.
No objections have been received relating to Pinkworthy and Driver Farm SSSI notification under Section 28 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
There have been two representations of support received to the notification, one from RSPB and one from Citizen Space.
Natural England confirmed the notification of Pinkworthy and Driver Farm SSSI on 2 July 2021 without modification.
Natural England consulted with owners, occupiers and interested parties on the notification of Reigate Heath Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) on 30 October 2020.
Reigate Heath SSSI Consultation closed on 1 March 2021. No objections have been received relating to the notification of additional land under Section 28B of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. There have been eight representations of support to the notification.
Natural England confirmed the additional land of Reigate Heath SSSI on 27 April 2021.
Natural England consulted with owner, occupiers and interested parties on the notification of Cowslip Meadow Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) on 13 October 2020.
No objections have been received relating to the notification of this land under Section 28 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
There have been two representations of support, from RSPB and one from Citizen Space with a further three neutral responses to the notification from the online consultation.
Natural England confirmed the notification of Cowslip Meadow SSSI on 11 June 2021 without modification.
Natural England consulted with owner, occupiers and interested parties on the notification of Dallow Downs and Winsdon Hill Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) on 13 October 2020.
One objection has been received relating to the notification of Dallow Downs and Winsdon Hill SSSI under Section 28 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 from Luton Borough Council. However this has been resolved by Officers resulting in a minor boundary amendment (reductions only) and revised area figure on the citation to reflect the mapping error Luton Borough Council raised.
There has been one representation of support and three neutral responses to the notification from the Citizen Space online consultation.
Natural England confirmed the notification of Dallow Downs and Winsdon Hill SSSI on 11 June 2021 with a modification to the boundary.
Natural England consulted with national and local stakeholders with an interest in the SSSI official statistics, on the proposed change to the measurement used in the reporting of SSSI condition in England from a unit or area based assessment to a whole feature based monitoring approach, between 7 December 2020 and 18 January 2021.
A total of 57 responses were received. 17 respondents were in favour of the proposed change, 9 respondents were not in favour of the proposed change, 9 respondents were neutral, 14 respondents were in favour of the change to feature based monitoring but not in favour of the Least Favourable Condition option. 3 respondents were in favour of the Least Favourable approach option but not in favour of the change to feature based monitoring. 5 respondents did not express a preference.
Following consideration of the responses, Natural England acknowledged that there was a need to organise further discussions to provide opportunities for stakeholders to discuss their specific concerns, agree solutions and ways of working in partnership, to ensure a smooth transition to feature-based monitoring.
Natural England organised further discussions with stakeholders from the Major Land Owners Group on 6 May 2021 and 13 May 2021, with representatives from the Water Industry and Interest Groups. The discussions were punctuated by questions from both groups of stakeholders and answers were provided by Natural England staff.
We are organising discussions with other organisations and stakeholders to provide further opportunities to discuss specific concerns.
Two pilots will be undertaken at the Duddon Estuary SSSI and West Nidderdale, Barden and Blubberhouses Moors respectively in 2021, and another 2 pilots in 2022, to inform the procedures and methodologies that will be implemented in feature-based monitoring. These will look at:
Natural England will keep in regular contact with those who have provided contact details about how the pilots are progressing and how we will be addressing the concerns raised.
The consultation report will be published in Spring 2022.
Natural England consulted with owner, occupiers and interested parties on the notification of Johnsons’ Meadows Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) on 31 January 2020.
The Johnsons’ Meadows SSSI notification was the subject of two withdrawn objections from owners and 26 representations which expressed support to the SSSI notification.
Following consideration of representations and withdrawn objections, Natural England approved the confirmation of Johnsons’ Meadows SSSI under delegated authority without modification.
Natural England consulted with owners, occupiers and interested parties on the notification of Crime Rigg Quarry Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) on 18 October 2020.
Consultations closed on 18 February 2020. No representations or objections have been received with respect to the:
Natural England confirmed the additional land of Crime Rigg Quarry SSSI and de-notified the area no longer of Special Scientific Interest on 7 April 2020.
Natural England consulted with owners, occupiers and interested parties on
the notification of Raisby Hill Quarry Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)
on 18 October 2020.
Consultations closed on 18 February 2020. No representations or objections
have been received with respect to the:
Natural England confirmed the additional land of Raisby Hill Quarry SSSI and
de-notified the area no longer of Special Scientific Interest on 7 April 2020.
On 26 February 2019, Natural England launched a formal consultation with owners, occupiers and interested parties on the proposed amendments to the Isles of Scilly Special Protection Area (SPA).
The proposed amendments to the Isles of Scilly SPA received 35 responses supporting the proposal, and 3 objections were received.
The Minister approved the proposals to amend the Isles of Scilly SPA, and the extended site was classified on the 17 November 2020. The consultation report, citation and updated maps can be downloaded from this website and the GI data is available by request.
On 31 July 2018, Natural England launched a formal consultation with owners, occupiers and interested parties on the:
• notification of the Teesmouth and Cleveland Coast Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI);
• proposed ‘de-notification’ of parts of the Seal Sands SSSI;
• proposed extensions to the Teesmouth and Cleveland Coast Special Protection Area (SPA) and Ramsar site.
The Teesmouth and Cleveland Coast SSSI notification was the subject of 6 unresolved objections and 7 further objections that have been resolved subject to the Board of Natural England’s approval of recommended boundary modifications. There were also 12 further representations, 4 of which expressed support for the SSSI notification.
No objections were received to the proposal to de-notify parts of the Seal Sands SSSI.
The proposed extensions to the Teesmouth and Cleveland Coast SPA and Ramsar site received 7 responses supporting the proposal. 18 objections were received, 11 of which were resolved and 7 which were maintained by the respondent.
Following consideration of representations and objections at its meeting on 20 March 2019, the Board of Natural England approved the confirmation of the notification of the Teesmouth and Cleveland Coast SSSI with modifications to the boundary and, accordingly, to the area figure presented on the citation.
Natural England confirmed the notification of Teesmouth and Cleveland Coast SSSI on 18 April 2019 and, on the same date, confirmed the de-notification of parts of the Seal Sands SSSI.
The Teesmouth and Cleveland Coast SPA and Ramsar site extensions were classified on the 16th January 2020.
The Minister approved the proposals to extend the Teesmouth and Cleveland Coast SPA and Ramsar site, but with the boundary amendments as described within Annex 3 of the Consultation Report (available from this website). Updated maps and citations can be downloaded from this website and the GI data is available by request.