§ Lord Melchettasked Her Majesty's Government:
In respect of the Sherburn Willows Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), whether they will state:
- (a) why the Nature Conservancy Council's (NCC) recent request for an order under
811 Section 29 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 was refused; and - (b) whether the NCC intend to de-notify any part of the existing Sherburn Willows SSSI following the refusal of their request for a Section 29 order.
§ The Minister of State, Department of the Environment (Lord Elton)An order was refused in respect of Sherburn Willows, which is not yet notified as a site of special scientific interest, a year ago. The Secretary of State for the Environment was not satisfied that the site met the criteria set out in Section 29 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
Formal notification of the site as a site of special scientific interest, with modified boundaries, is expected to take place shortly.