Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINCs)

 

Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation are non-statutory designations used to identify high quality wildlife sites that are not given statutory protection as Sites of Special Scientific Interest. SINCs are designated by the local County Council rather than English Nature.

SINCs are:-
  • Valuable semi natural habitats such as ancient woodlands, species rich grasslands and heathland.
  • Many provide a refuge for rare or threatened plants or animals.
  • Most owe their existence to a combination of historical land management practices and natural processes.
The Designation of a SINC on your land doesn't place any legal restrictions on how you farm your land. If you are proposing a change of land use which requires planning permission, there are policies in the District Councils Local Plan, which will need to be taken into consideration. No new rights of access are created and existing rights of way are unaffected.
Restrictions associated with existing designations such as tree preservation orders remain the same. From time to time you may be asked to let a biological surveyor onto your land, to look at the plants and animals. Copies of any survey results will be made available to the landowner
 

Photo: Meadow buttercups

 

Photo: Woodland scene