How to check if your property is near a Site of Special Scientific Interest

Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) are areas protected for their wildlife, geology or other natural features. There are around 4,100 SSSIs in England, covering about 8% of the land area. If one is on or near your land, it can affect planning applications, building work and even routine land management.

This guide is about England, where Natural England designates SSSIs. Wales (Natural Resources Wales) and Scotland (NatureScot) run their own SSSI systems, so check the right body for your site.

Method 1: Check the site with Planning Constraints

Check a site free shows which council covers the address and whether it is in a conservation area. The SSSI check is part of the site report (£9.99, one-off), which covers everything we can check within 500 m of your pin, for 30 days. The report link never expires. The free result does not show SSSI names, findings or nearest distances.

Open the site checker
Search for your postcode or address
Review the free result, then open the site report for the SSSI check
SSSI boundaries are shown on the map

We show what we found, what came back clear, and where a source couldn't be checked. Some councils don't publish every dataset, so ask the council where it matters. SSSI boundaries come from Natural England, so they do not depend on council submissions.

Method 2: Check Natural England's MAGIC map

The official MAGIC map from Natural England shows SSSI boundaries. You can search by postcode or browse the map. Each SSSI has a citation describing why it was designated and which features are protected.

Natural England also assesses the condition of each SSSI unit and publishes the results, showing whether it is in favourable or unfavourable condition.

Method 3: Searches during a purchase

If you are buying, your solicitor may commission an environmental search that reports SSSIs and other ecological designations. Ask for it early if the land is rural, or if you plan to change how it is used. Planning Constraints is not an official search.

What is a SSSI?

A Site of Special Scientific Interest is an area notified by Natural England under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 for its biological or geological interest. SSSIs are the building blocks of nature conservation in England. Many other designations, such as Special Areas of Conservation, Special Protection Areas and National Nature Reserves, are underpinned by SSSI status.

SSSIs can be designated for:

Habitats: ancient woodland, lowland heath, chalk grassland, wetlands, sand dunes
Species: breeding bird colonies, rare plant populations, bat roosts, invertebrate communities
Geology: exposed rock formations, fossil sites, landforms of scientific importance

How SSSIs affect planning

Development within a SSSI

The National Planning Policy Framework (policy N6, in the version published on 17 August 2026) supports development affecting a SSSI only if it would cause no adverse effect on the site's features, or if the benefits in that location clearly outweigh both the likely impact on those features and the wider impact on the national network of SSSIs. Natural England is a statutory consultee on applications likely to affect a SSSI and will object to proposals it considers damaging.

If your property is within a SSSI boundary, this is a significant constraint. Even minor works, such as a new access track, changed drainage or removing vegetation, may need Natural England's consent (see below).

Development near a SSSI

Even if your property is outside the boundary, development nearby can affect the site. The council and Natural England consider impacts such as:

Runoff or pollution entering the SSSI through watercourses or groundwater
Disturbance to wildlife from noise, lighting or human activity
Air quality changes from extra traffic or industrial emissions
Recreational pressure from new housing bringing more visitors to a sensitive site

The council may ask for an ecological assessment to evaluate impacts and propose mitigation.

Impact Risk Zones

Natural England publishes Impact Risk Zones (IRZs) around SSSIs. They define where different types of development should trigger a consultation with Natural England, and vary with the sensitivity of the site and the type of proposal. Your local planning authority uses them to decide when to consult. The site report shows the SSSI boundaries themselves, which helps you judge proximity.

Consent for operations on SSSI land

If your land is within a SSSI, Natural England's notification for that site lists the operations that need its consent (the "operations requiring Natural England's consent", often shortened to ORNEC). Under section 28E of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, an owner or occupier must give Natural England notice of the proposed operation and must not carry it out without Natural England's written consent, other than in limited cases such as emergency work (which you must report to Natural England as soon as possible afterwards).

In practice:

Natural England acknowledges a notice within 10 working days and aims to decide within 28 working days, but can take up to four calendar months for complex cases.
If you have no decision after four months, treat the application as refused. You can appeal.
Carrying out a listed operation without consent is an offence, and you may have to pay to repair damage.
Consent from Natural England does not replace other permissions you may need, such as planning permission.

Operations on a site's list might include:

Burning, cutting or removing vegetation
Applying fertiliser, lime or pesticide
Draining, damming or diverting water
Ploughing or cultivating
Constructing roads, tracks or buildings
Dumping or spreading materials

What if you're a homeowner with a garden bordering a SSSI?

If your garden directly borders a SSSI, the main practical considerations are:

Planning applications for extensions or outbuildings may trigger consultation with Natural England
Garden activities: routine gardening is fine, but major changes (clearing vegetation, altering drainage, introducing non-native species) near the boundary should be done carefully
Lighting: external lighting that illuminates the SSSI could disturb wildlife, particularly if bats or breeding birds are present

Be aware that the larger home extension scheme under permitted development (the 6 m and 8 m rear extension allowance) is not available on land that is within a SSSI, so a larger single-storey rear extension needs a planning application there.

For most homeowners with gardens near but not inside a SSSI, day-to-day life is little affected. The constraints bite on planning applications and significant changes of land use.

Summary

Three ways to check for SSSIs near your property:

Site report: check a site free, then add the SSSI check in the £9.99 site report
Official mapping: Natural England's MAGIC map
During a purchase: an environmental search commissioned by your solicitor

If a SSSI is nearby, it mainly affects planning applications, where the council and Natural England assess potential impacts. If your land is inside one, the restrictions are much greater, and operations on the site's list need Natural England's written consent first.

Sources

Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, section 28E: restrictions on operations by owners and occupiers, notice and written consent
GOV.UK: Sites of special scientific interest, managing your land and getting consent for activities: ORNEC list, timings, appeals
National Planning Policy Framework (17 August 2026), chapter 19, policy N6
Planning Portal: planning permission for extensions, for the larger home extension scheme and SSSIs