Commentary on Sections Part 4: Sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs) Section 58: Notices and signs relating to SSSIs
165.This section adds a new section 28S to the 1981 Act, conferring a general power on Natural England (or, in Wales, the Countryside Council for Wales) to erect, maintain and remove signs or notices about an SSSI, on land included in that SSSI. (The application of section 28S to Wales is achieved by section 27AA of the 1981 Act, inserted by paragraph 78 of Schedule 11.) Under section 28S, it will be an offence to, without reasonable excuse, intentionally or recklessly take down, damage, destroy or obscure such a sign or notice.
166.Subsection (2) ensures that the powers of entry to land provided by section 51 of the 1981 Act will be available for the purposes of putting up, etc. signs under section 28S.