Sites of special scientific interest: get consent advice
Request initial informal advice or paid advice from Natural England about consent for activities on your SSSI land.
Applies to England
If you鈥檙e planning to apply for consent for activities on a site of special scientific interest (SSSI), you can contact Natural England for advice.
Discuss your proposal with Natural England听
You may be able to get initial informal advice from Natural England before听submitting听your proposal to help reduce delays in the consent process.听
Natural England can听provide听informal advice on:听
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checking if your proposal will significantly affect a鈥�SSSI听
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what you should include with your proposal听
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routine and repeated operations on the鈥�SSSI, including routine agricultural activities听
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management of your site to reach a favourable or recovering condition听
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management measures specific to your site鈥檚 notified features听
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potential sources of funding听
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the law on protecting the鈥�SSSI听
Ask Natural England a question or get听advice鈥齬elated to protected sites.
Pay for standard discretionary advice听
You can pay for extra advice from Natural England if what you want to do is more complicated. Natural England can:听
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help you review your survey results听
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advise on your mitigation strategies to reduce damage to the environment听
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advise on drafting your consent application听
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help if you need advice quickly (in less than 28 working days)听
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help if you need complex advice to meet a defined deadline听
Contact鈥疦atural England鈥痑s soon as possible if you need advice quickly.听
If you want Natural England鈥檚 advice you must ask for it before you听submit听your notice for consent.
How much you might pay depends on:听
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the amount of advice you need from Natural England and how complex your proposal is听
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whether or not a Natural England adviser needs to visit your site听
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how quickly you need advice听
If you want advice on how to avoid damage to protected sites or species,听you鈥檒l听pay 拢110 per hour.听
If you want a meeting,听you鈥檒l听pay:听
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拢500 per adviser for a听90 minute听meeting: at your site, a Natural England office or using a conference call听
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拢110 per hour per adviser for each听additional听hour听
If you want an adviser to travel to your site,听you鈥檒l听pay the adviser鈥檚:听
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travel costs at 45p per mile听
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public transport,听tolls听and expenses over and above the mileage at cost听
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travel time as part of the hourly rate听
You may also need to pay if your request form is incomplete. Natural England will return the form and request the missing information.听
How to apply听
Fill in the鈥�form to request discretionary SSSI consent advice.听
Email your completed form to:鈥�protectedsites@naturalengland.org.uk.听
Read Natural England鈥檚鈥�
Pay for fast-track advice听
You鈥檒l听pay 拢500 for help to draft a notice for a straightforward case and get a response within 28 working days.听
You鈥檒l听pay 拢110 per hour for a more complex case. You can specify when you need your response by.听
How to apply听
Fill in the鈥�fast-track consent advice request form鈥痜or the fast-track advice service.听
Email your completed form to:鈥�protectedsites@naturalengland.org.uk.听
Read Natural England鈥檚鈥�.听
Pay for the quick check service听
You can use Natural England鈥檚 quick check service to make sure your draft proposal听contains听all the information听required听before you听submit听your consent notice.听You鈥檒l听pay 拢200 for this service.听You鈥檒l听get a response within 28 working days. This service is not suitable for complex cases.听
This service does not give you consent to carry out operations on your鈥�SSSI鈥痩and. You must serve a statutory notice on Natural听England, before听it can give consent. Find out鈥�how to get Natural England鈥檚 consent.听
How to apply听
If you use the quick check service, fill in both forms on the鈥�quick check service鈥痯age.听
Email your completed forms to:鈥�protectedsites@naturalengland.org.uk.听
Read Natural England鈥檚鈥�.