Parts of the joint plan area are designated at European level for their important habitats and wildlife. These designations are known as special areas of conservation, special protection areas and Ramsar sites. European law requires plans to be assessed to ensure that there will be no significant effects on these sites. This is known as habitat regulations assessment.
Consideration has been given to whether each of the options presented in the issues and options consultation document is likely to have significant effects on any European sites within or around the joint plan area. This work has been carried out in a habitats regulations assessment screening report (pdf / 2 MB). Following consultation on this report, we will update its findings and move to a more detailed consideration of preferred options.
Assessment of likely significant effects of minerals and waste joint plan
The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 requires that plans should be considered for their effects on European designated nature conservation sites. An assessment of the joint plan has been carried out for the preferred options and publication stages to identify any likely significant effects on these European sites.