Check if your business is next to a designated or protected area

Business: Waste Environment

    There are restrictions on what activities and developments you can do if your business might affect a designated or protected area.

    Designated or protected areas include:

    • National Parks
    • Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs)
    • Marine Conservation Zones
    • Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs)
    • Special Areas of Conservation (SACs)
    • Special Protection Areas (SPAs)
    • Ramsar sites
    • local wildlife sites

    Search for protected areas

    Check if your business is next to a protected area in:

    If your business is in or next to a designated area

    Contact your local council to find out what restrictions apply to your business.

    When opening a new business that may affect a designated area you may need to:

    • get permission for your site from your local council
    • carry out an ecological survey, eg of local wildlife to find out if there are any protected species that might be affected by your business
    • carry out an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

    Newly designated areas

    You’ll be contacted about any new restrictions if your business might affect a newly designated area.

    Find out if your business is in or near a designated or protected area and what environmental restrictions apply