Paragraph 40 Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981I1I2

Section 16 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (power to grant licences) is amended as follows (see also section 117(2) (extent of this paragraph is England and Wales only)).

After subsection (6) insert—

“(6A)

The maximum period for the validity of a licence set out in subsection (6)(b) does not apply to—

(a)

a licence granted to Natural England to facilitate the carrying out of any conservation measures within the meaning of Part 3 of the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025, or

(b)

a licence that, by virtue of paragraph 5 of Schedule 3 to that Act, is treated as having been granted to a developer under subsection (3).”

After subsection (8) insert—

“(8ZA)

In this section, in the case of a licence granted to Natural England under subsection (3) to facilitate the carrying out of any conservation measures within the meaning of Part 3 of the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025, “the appropriate authority” means the Secretary of State.”

In subsection (8A), at the end insert “, but this is subject to subsection (8ZA).”

In subsection (9), in the words before paragraph (a), after “subsections” insert “(8ZA),”.