Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006

Countryside Act 1968 (c. 41)

49 (1) Amend section 15A (compulsory purchase) as follows.

(2) For subsection (1) substitute—

“(1) Natural England or the Council may, in the circumstances set out in subsection (2), acquire compulsorily all or part of the land which it appears to that body expedient to acquire for the purpose of conserving flora, fauna, or geological or physiographical features of special interest.”

(3) In subsection (2)—

(a) in paragraph (a)—

(i) for “the Nature Conservancy Council” substitute “Natural England or (as the case may be) the Council”, and

(ii) for “such an agreement as is referred to in section 15(2)” substitute “an SSSI agreement”, and

(b) in paragraph (b), for “such an agreement” substitute “an SSSI agreement”.

(4) In subsection (4), for “the Nature Conservancy Council” substitute “Natural England or the Council”.

(5) Omit subsection (5).

(6) After subsection (4) insert—

“(6) In this section “SSSI agreement” means—

(a) in relation to Natural England, an agreement under section 7 of the 2006 Act imposing, for the purpose of conserving flora, fauna, or geological or physiographical features of special interest, restrictions on the exercise of rights over land by persons having an interest in the land, or

(b) in relation to the Council, such an agreement as is referred to in section 15(2).”