[UK Fisher]

Help,,,,,

I have just been informed that the land we are currently in the process of buying is "SINC-Sites of importance for nature conservation".
It has a 2a category which apparently means "unimproved grassland,,,,,can i still continue with smallholders activities n this type of land.

Without sounding pushy or impatient,,,some quick advice or any help with this will be much appreciated,,,,,i am searching the net but can only find info telling me what it is and not what i CAN and CANT do with the land......

Appreciate any help with this.

Many Thanks.

Andy

[Helencus]

Hi I bought a cottage and 4 acres next to a river that is an SSSI in a conservation area that is also an area of outstanding natural beauty and in a flood risk zone. Why is a question I often ask myself because every thing I do here attracts the very close scrutiny of the parish council and the county council. That being said I am still managing to keep horses hens and pigs. I would say without meaning to put you off be prepared when you buy in areas like this you will have to jump through hoops if you want planning permission for anything and all activities will in my experience attract interest. That's just my experience though othersay fare netter with their local authorities.

[Roxy]

We have a few Sincs round here, and to be honest they do seem to have a fair bit of interest from the local councils and amenity groups, who go and tidy up (which is a good thing) plant trees and flowers on the sites etc.  None of these appear to have any livestock on as far as I can see, just wildlife.  Suppose if there were animals they would eat the trees and flowers. Although there is one site, quite a few acres, wildlife meadows they call them.  They have a farmers cows on in the summer, but only on certain parts to prevent the rare flowers getting stamped on, and also to stop it getting muddy.  Most of these places have a public path through, does yours?

We are in a area of outstanding beauty, and the council has got a list of all the fiels which are apparantly on this beautiful list, some of ours being amongst them.  And they have to  be kept beautiful, i.e.  no buildings or anything unsightly.  If you try for planning ,it  gets turned down.

[Wizard]

Roxy I am afraid I don't know what a sincs is nor does Google Is it what here in North Linc's what is called Blow Wells where water bubbles up out of the ground and makes a pond and usually willows grow round and Mallard usually nest there?

[Roxy]

Wizard,  I think the County Council decide which sites are important enought to be SINCS.  Its a  designated place where there are lots of wildlife, and also a lot of different, and often  unusual and rare plants.  Probably your blue wells would be in there too!

These places are managed vey carefully, either by the landowner or rangers.  Use of the land by livestock is restricted to prevent damage to these rare plants.  I suppose with the loss of a lot of our wild life meadows and even the wildlife, they are doing their best to protect them for future generations to enjoy.

I have never seen anyone able to build anything on these sites, and they want them keeping natural looking, and would have a say in what sort of fencing etc. you used.  And probably how long you could leave your livestock on too!

[bazzais]

I have an area that has SSI (special scientific interest) allocated to it here.  Its on a field thats been allocated a SSI for the birdlife thats on it. 

There is no question that anything will ever be built on it as its an SSI nor would permission ever be given.  In terms of it being used by me - I have grazed it over the last year as its kept down all the bracken.  The particular birds that have been seen here appreciate the trees that are on the land and not the ground level stuff - so at a guess as long as your planned activities do not interfere or better still compliment the reason why its been given that status the more smoothly you plans will go.

Ta

Baz

[Wizard]

Thanks Roxy Honest I had never heard or read the word SINCS So I asked Google and he hasn't either