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Protected species licences: when to include a reasoned statement with your application

Use the correct form to explain why your application meets the licence criteria and that there’s no satisfactory alternative to your planned activity.

• From: Natural England
• Published: 6 October 2014
• Last updated: 6 March 2023 — See all updates

Applies to England

Documents

Protected species licences: when to include a reasoned statement with your application

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Reasoned statement for preserving public health and safety

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Reasoned statement for overriding public interest

MS Word Document, 90.6 KB

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Details

You may need to complete a reasoned statement as part of your licence application pack, if the activity you have applied for has no satisfactory alternative that will cause less harm to a protected species.

You’ll need to submit a reasoned statement to support licence applications which:

• concern preserving public health and safety
• have an overriding public interest

Use the guidance Protected species licences: when to include a reasoned statement above to find out more detail about reasoned statements, when you need to submit one and which form to use.

See also: European protected species: apply for a mitigation licence

Published 6 October 2014
Last updated 6 March 2023 + show all updates

1. 6 March 2023

   You do not need a reasoned statement for applications to conserve and protect 'listed buildings, unless you are proposing to extend buildings or structures or change their use’

2. 22 December 2022

   Uploaded a new reasoned statement template to support applications that concern preserving public health and safety.

3. 13 October 2022

   Updated the reasoned statement template documents to reflect that they now cover derogations under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended).

4. 30 March 2021

   Replaced the 'Reasoned statement for preserving public health and safety' and the 'Reasoned statement for overriding public interest' with updated versions.

5. 16 November 2015

   2 extra situations when you don't need to provide a reasoned statement with an application.

6. 16 July 2015

   Replaced reason statement forms with revised versions.

7. 6 October 2014

   First published.