The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 No. 1012

PART 2 E+W+S Conservation of Natural Habitats and Habitats of Species

European sites E+W

[F1 Priorities for designating special areas of conservation E+W

13.— (1) The appropriate authority must, in accordance with paragraph (2), establish priorities for designating as special areas of conservation such sites as it has determined to be sites of national importance.

(2) Priorities for the purpose of paragraph (1) must be established in the light of—

(a) the importance of the sites for the maintenance at or restoration to a favourable conservation status of—

(i) a natural habitat type specified in Annex I to the Habitats Directive; or

(ii) a species specified in Annex II to the Habitats Directive;

(b) the importance of such sites for the coherence of the national site network; and

(c) the threats of degradation or destruction to which the sites are exposed.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Regs. 12, 13 substituted (31.12.2020) by The Conservation of Habitats and Species (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/579), regs. 1, 10; 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)