PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Special Protection Areas (19 July 2018)

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to Answer of 15 June 2018 to Question 152799 and Answer of 02 July 2018 to Question 157791 on Special Protection Areas: Birds, on what date her Department received the results of the public consultations and associated recommendations of Natural England for the Flamborough and Filey Coast, the Bowland Fells and the Solent and Dorset Coast potential Special Protection Areas; what the other site designation priorities were that have caused delays to the decision to classify each site; and if he will make a statement.

Asked by:
Anna Turley (Labour)

The Government received the results of the public consultations and associated recommendations of Natural England on the following dates:

• Flamborough and Filey Coast (site extension) - 27 March 2015

• Bowland Fells (addition of lesser black backed gull) - 27 November 2014

• Solent and Dorset Coast (new marine site) – 16 June 2017

The Secretary of State has since agreed to classify the extensions of the Flamborough and Filey Coast potential Special Protection Areas, which will be formally classified in due course.

The decision to formally classify the other two sites will be made following consideration of the respective public consultations, which informed a need to undertake a further review of the evidence base.

Formal classification of these sites will also need to take account of other designation priorities, which are published on GOV.UK here:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/natural-england-designations-programme-for-areas-sites-and-trails/natural-englands-designations-programme-to-march-2017

Answered by:
Dr Thérèse Coffey (Conservative)
24 July 2018