UKs wrist slapped over habitats

13 February 2001



UK’s wrist slapped over habitats

By Isabel Davies

THE European Commission has reprimanded the British government for failing to implement properly legislation to improve nature conservation.

The commission has issued a “reasoned opinion” against the UK because it is worried that it is not implementing the Habitats Directive as it should.

It is concerned that licences which exempt compliance seem to be issued as a formality after consent for a construction or infrastructure project has been given.

The commission said the process did not appear to involve a careful weighting of the arguments for and against allowing damage to occur.

Environment commissioner Margot Wallstrom said: “We must take our legal safeguards seriously, or we face the wipe-out of endangered species.”

The Habitat Directive requires member states to designate qualifying sites as Special Areas of Conservation (SACs).

The UK submitted a list of 340 candidate SACs by June 1999. But Brussels said it provided insufficient coverage for a number of listed habitats and species.

If the government does not reply within two months of the opinion the commission may decide to take it to the European Court of Justice.

Andrew Clarke, NFU environment advisor, said Brussels may decide that its concern has now been addressed by the Countryside And Rights Of Way Act.

But if it did not, then potentially landowners with land designated as SACs could find it more difficult to get planning permission, he added.

The government would have to tighten its licensing procedures so that a habitat assessment was take into account, said Mr Clarke.