The European Communities (Natural Habitats) Regulations 1997, under which both special areas of conservation, SACs, and special protection areas, SPAs, are designated, require notification to the planning authority concerned in relation to proposed designations. In practice, relevant planning authorities are invited by my Department to comment on all such proposals.
In addition, Part IV of the above regulations sets out detailed provisions regarding the application of planning legislation to SACs and SPAs. The arrangements affecting local authorities are now well established but my Department will bear in mind the possibility of reminding planning authorities of them in the context of updated advice on development control.
Boundary amendments may be made to include or exclude land from designated nature conservation sites. The boundary of a site proposed for designation as an SAC or SPC may be amended to exclude land only on scientific grounds, and where the proposed amendment would have no significant impact on the integrity of the overall site or the conservation values for which it is designated.