§ Mr. HunterTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what criteria are taken into consideration and what procedures are followed in the designation of new sites of special scientific interest.
§ Mr. Heseltine[pursuant to the answer, 20 February 1991, Official Report, column 171]: I have today published a consultation paper on planning controls over sites of special scientific interest with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
The Government are firmly committed to the conservation of the natural heritage. Sites of special scientific interest are a key part of the nature conservation framework, and we wish to ensure that their value is taken fully into account in the operation of the town and country planning system.
The paper proposes the following additional safeguards for sites of special scientific interest in England and Wales:
Withdrawal of permitted development rights for certain temporary recreational uses of land;An amplification of my policy on calling in planning application;Additional advice on environmental assessment;A new requirement for local planning authorities to consult the Nature Conservancy Council about planning applications adjacent to sites of special scientific interest.Comments on the paper, which is available from my Department, are invited by 17 May.