The Act Part 4: Sites of special scientific interest
27.Part 4 addresses a small number of gaps and uncertainties which have been identified for sites of special scientific interest (“SSSIs”). Specifically it creates a new offence for certain authorities (broadly speaking, public bodies and their employees) to permit the carrying out of an operation which damages an SSSI without reasonable excuse. It also creates a related offence of intentionally or recklessly destroying or damaging an SSSI’s flora, fauna, or geographical or physiographical features without reasonable excuse.
28.Part 4 also contains provisions dealing with the effects of failure to serve notices on all the correct persons when notifying or denotifying an SSSI. It empowers Natural England and the Countryside Council for Wales to put up notices and signs relating to SSSIs, and makes it an offence to intentionally or recklessly, and without reasonable excuse, damage, destroy or obscure those notices or signs.