Section 8: Environmental duties with respect to sites of special interest., Environment Act 1995

Where Natural England ... is of the opinion that any area of land in England ...—

is of special interest by reason of its flora, fauna or geological or physiographical features, and

may at any time be affected by schemes, works, operations or activities of an appropriate agency or by an authorisation given by an appropriate agency,

Natural England shall notify the fact that the land is of special interest for that reason to the appropriate agency.

Where the Natural Resources Body for Wales is of the opinion that any area of land in Wales—

is of special interest by reason of its flora, fauna or geological or physiographical features, and

may at any time be affected by schemes, works, operations or activities of the Agency or by an authorisation given by the Agency,the Natural Resources Body for Wales shall notify the fact that the land is of special interest for that reason to the Agency.

Where a National Park authority or the Broads Authority is of the opinion that any area of land in a National Park or in the Broads—

is land in relation to which the matters for the purposes of which sections 6(1) and 7 above (other than section 7(1)(c)(iii) above) have effect are of particular importance, and

may at any time be affected by schemes, works, operations or activities of an appropriate agency or by an authorisation given by an appropriate agency,

the National Park authority or Broads Authority shall notify the appropriate agency of the fact that the land is such land, and of the reasons why those matters are of particular importance in relation to the land.

Where an appropriate agency has received a notification under subsection (1) , (1A) or (2) above with respect to any land, it shall consult the notifying body before carrying out or authorising any works, operations or activities which appear to the appropriate agency to be likely—

to destroy or damage any of the flora, fauna, or geological or physiographical features by reason of which the land is of special interest; or

significantly to prejudice anything the importance of which is one of the reasons why the matters mentioned in subsection (2) above are of particular importance in relation to that land.

Subsection (3) above shall not apply in relation to anything done in an emergency where particulars of what is done and of the emergency are notified to Natural England, the Natural Resources Body for Wales, the National Park authority in question or, as the case may be, the Broads Authority as soon as practicable after that thing is done.

In this section—

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Section 8: Environmental duties with respect to sites of special interest.

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