Category Archives: SSSis

Happy 70th Birthday to the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act (and SSSIs)

Posted on December 16, 2019 by Miles King

While supporters of the Corbyn Project continue to search their souls for reasons why Labour now has the smallest number of MPs since before universal suffrage, I thought I  would commemorate a small but significant anniversary – it’s 70 years … Continue reading →

Posted in national parks and access to the countryside act, SSSis | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Another top wildlife site trashed – landowner given paltry fine and let off costs

Posted on September 2, 2019 by Miles King

News has been dripping out, about a significant incident of damage to an SSSI in North Yorkshire. The first we heard was on 21st August, when Defra announced a successful prosecution of a SSSI owner in North Yorkshire. The owner … Continue reading →

Posted in Natural England, SSSis, Uncategorized, wildlife crime | Tagged , , , , | 10 Comments

Natural England uses its legal powers to protect our best grasslands

Posted on February 11, 2019 by Miles King

  This Natural England press release has just been published:  Some of the country’s rarest and most threatened fungi will be better protected after Natural England announced the notification of two Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). 2019 marks the … Continue reading →

Posted in grasslands, Natural England, SSSis, waxcap grasslands | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Lodge Hill Saved

Posted on December 17, 2018 by Miles King

There was some very unusual good news late last week as Homes England announced that it was no longer pushing for housing development on the protected areas of Lodge Hill – the former military training ground (and munitions works) on … Continue reading →

Posted in Lodge Hill, Michael Gove, Natural England, Nightingales, SSSis | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Rearranging the deck chairs on the Natural England Titanic.

Posted on August 24, 2018 by Miles King

Natural England chairs come and go, and today’s publication of the advert inviting applicants to be the next chair, gives me an opportunity to look, once again, at the absolute state of Natural England. Some may feel all I do … Continue reading →

Posted in Andrew Sells, badgers, countryside alliance, Europe, Habitats Directive, Natural England, SSSis, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 10 Comments

Natural England steps into the Tumbrel

Posted on November 9, 2015 by Miles King

Liz Truss has apparently already agreed to a 32% cut to the Defra budget for the 4 years from 2016-17 onwards. This impressive feat allows her to sit on the panel which resides over the imposition of cuts on other, … Continue reading →

Posted in Defra, George Osborne, Liz Truss, Natural England, SSSis | Tagged , , , , , | 14 Comments

Rampisham Down planning permission called in for Public Inquiry

Posted on June 30, 2015 by Miles King

Good news today from the Department for Communities and Local Government. New Secretary of State Greg Clark has decided that West Dorset District Council’s extraordinary decision to give planning permission for a 50ha solar farm on a Site of Special … Continue reading →

Posted in public inquiries, Rampisham Down, Solar Farms, SSSis, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 15 Comments

Rampisham Down and Lodge Hill demonstrate that Natural England must Notify every site which qualifies as SSSI

Posted on February 11, 2015 by Miles King

      Offham Down SSSI ploughed to grow Flax 1997 (http://www.eco-action.org/history/offham/offham.html)   When the Wildlife and Countryside Act was introduced in 1981 in order for the UK to comply with the European Union’s Birds Directive, nationally and internationally important … Continue reading →

Posted in Lodge Hill, Natural England, Rampisham Down, SSSis | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

Lodge Hill latest: Medway writes back to Housing Minister Brandon Lewis pleading against a Call-in

Posted on January 21, 2015 by Miles King

I have just been sent a copy of the letter which Medway Council has sent to Housing Minister Brandon Lewis, responding to his request for information just before christmas, about Medways plans to build a 5000 house new town on … Continue reading →

Posted in Brandon Lewis, housing, Lodge Hill, public land, SSSis | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Another SSSI to be trashed? Councillors approve solar farm on Rampisham Down

Posted on January 15, 2015 by Miles King

            Rampisham Down SSSI  (c) Miles King   While we wait to hear whether Brandon Lewis will decide to call in the planning permission granted by Medway District Council for the new town on Lodge … Continue reading →

Posted in Eric Pickles, Lodge Hill, Military Land, Natural England, public land, Rampisham Down, Solar Farms, SSSis, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 15 Comments