The Act – Commentary on Sections Part 6 – Sites of Special Scientific Interest Combining sites of scientific interest – inserted section 5A of the 2004 Act
244.Subsections (1) to (3) provide for SNH to give notice of the combination of the SSSIs, and for the combined site to be a single SSSI. Subsection (4) provides for SNH in addition to give notice to the general public of a notification under section 5A of the 2004 Act. Subsection (5) clarifies that SNH may not include any land in the new combined site which was not already part of one of the component sites, and may not add a new operation requiring consent as a result of this procedure.