# The Steeple Renewables Project Order 2026, Paragraph 22: Protected species


(1) No phase of the authorised development can commence until protected species surveys have been carried out by a suitably qualified person. The surveys will inform the mitigation measures required for the protection of such species, which will be incorporated into a species protection plan that will include a scheme of protection and mitigation.
(2) The species protection plan must be agreed with the local planning authority in consultation with Natural England and implemented as approved.
(3) In this paragraph, “protected species” refers to any species defined as a European Protected species in regulations 42 (European protected species of animals) and 46 (European protected species of plants) of the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 or any species to which Part I (wildlife) and Schedule 5 (animals which are protected) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 applies.

---
Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2026/1086/schedule/2/paragraph/22 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/steeple-renewables-project-order-2026/schedule-2/paragraph-22
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.