4 December 2025
Today the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) have released their latest review of the implementation of protected site laws in England (read here). Overall it shows a regime in serious failure: only a third of SSSIs are in favourable condition, deterioration is increasing, monitoring and enforcement have withered, and Government is nowhere near meeting its legal nature commitments.
The review found that these laws are not being implemented effectively, or at the pace and scale needed. It makes 15 recommendations to Defra and Natural England across six themes: governance; resources; designation; monitoring, evaluation and reporting; land management incentives and advice; and regulatory tools and enforcement.
Richard Benwell, CEO of Wildlife and Countryside Link, said:
“Sites of Special Scientific Interest are becoming sites of chronic nature neglect. Many are at risk of turning from living monuments of nature to museum pieces, where the wildlife that once made SSSIs special is just a ghost in the scientific record. Where action plans are in place in time, from pollution-reduction to wildlife-friendly farming, nature can bounce back, but good practice is still far from business as usual. The OEP is right that laws are strong, but political leadership, investment and enforcement are the missing ingredients needed for nature recovery.
“Protected nature sites make up just 8% of England and should be the backbone of efforts to recover nature. However, they are too few, too fragmented, and too neglected. From Oaken Wood to Swanscombe Peninsula, and from Pegwell Bay to the River Wensum there are too many examples where pollution and unsustainable development threaten endangered species and habitats. The OEP’s analysis is clear: the legislation is already in place, but implementation is failing. Urgent, coordinated action and investment are needed to unlock the full potential of England’s protected site network.”
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