Before the new sanctions can be used, Natural England is undertaking an eight-week consultation running from 8 August to 30 September 2011 and the consultation package can be found on our website.
Janette Ward, Natural England’s Director of Regulation said: “In the current economic climate it is particularly important that we offer people and small businesses help and support to comply with the laws which we are responsible for enforcing. We value public opinion and feedback, and the responses to this consultation will help us to ensure that we are achieving this.
“The new powers give a welcome degree of flexibility, and will help ensure that we can fine-tune the actions needed to protect the environment without imposing unnecessary costs on those we regulate, the vast majority of whom seek to a wide-ranging consultation to take account of as wide a range of views as possible.”
This one was announced whilst I was on anual leave. However, the consultation period is still open for those who would like to offer comments.