The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017

Power to make byelaws

32.—(1) The appropriate nature conservation body may make byelaws for the protection of a European site under section 20 of the 1949 Act (byelaws for protection of nature reserves)(1).

(2) Such byelaws may, in particular, make the kinds of provision mentioned in this regulation, subject to regulation 33(1).

(3) Byelaws may—

(a) provide for prohibiting or restricting the entry into, or movement within, the site of persons, vehicles, boats or animals;

(b) prohibit or restrict the killing, taking, molesting or disturbance of living creatures of any description in the site, the taking, destruction or disturbance of eggs of any such creature, the taking of, or interference with, vegetation of any description in the site, or the doing of anything in the site which will interfere with the soil or damage any object in the site;

(c) contain provisions prohibiting the depositing of rubbish and the leaving of litter in the site; and

(d) prohibit or restrict, or provide for prohibiting or restricting, the lighting of fires in the site or the doing of anything likely to cause a fire in the site.

(4) Byelaws may prohibit or restrict any activity referred to in paragraph (3) within such area surrounding or adjoining the site as appears to the appropriate nature conservation body necessary for the protection of the site.

(5) Where entry into, or any activity within, the site or any such surrounding or adjoining area as is mentioned in paragraph (4) would otherwise be unlawful under byelaws made under this regulation, the byelaws may provide for the issue of per mits authorising such entry or activity, on such terms and subject to such conditions as may be specified in the byelaws.

(6) Byelaws may be made so as to relate either to the whole or to any part of the European site, or of any such surrounding or adjoining area as is mentioned in paragraph (4), and may make different provision for different parts of the site.

(7) This regulation does not apply in relation to a European marine site (but see regulation 40 (European marine sites: byelaws and orders)).

(1)

Section 20 was amended by the Telecommunications Act 1984 (c. 12), Schedule 4, paragraph 28; the Water Act 1989 (c. 15), Schedule 25, paragraph 13; the Communications Act 2003 (c. 21), Schedule 17, paragraph 20(2); and the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 (c. 16), Schedule 11, paragraph 15(d).