Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs)

This spatial dataset contains the digital boundaries of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) in Wales. SSSIs cover a wide range of habitats from small fens, bogs and riverside meadows to sand-dunes, woodlands and vast tracts of uplands. Most are in private ownership, although some are owned and managed by local wildlife trusts, or other voluntary conservation bodies. Notification of an SSSI under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 has since been amended by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2001, which brought about numerous changes in the way SSSI are notified managed and protected. In order to ensure consistent, favourable long-term management of these sites, Natural Resources Wales (NRW) with landowners have prepared management plans for all SSSI in Wales. Local planning authorities are required to consult NRW before allowing any development to proceed that may affect an SSSI. Water, gas and electricity companies must also do the same. SSSIs have been designated, from 1949 to the present day, and are on-going. The data has been held digitally since the mid-1990s. This data has been checked by relevant NRW staff. Please refer to the designation map as the legal definitive boundary. For large SSSIs that were captured digitally and have been printed on a smaller scale map than OS MasterMap, please refer to the OS MasterMap edition at time of capture to view the definitive boundary.


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Identification

Identifier
NRW_DS98776
Alternative Title
  • Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).lyr
  • Sites (SSSI)
Metadata Language
English
Lineage

All SSSIs designated before GIS technology have been converted into digital data from paper maps of various scales. In 2008 the whole dataset was updated to OS MasterMap (mostly to CCW 2006 OS update). This update referred to the original designation maps and all notational descriptions on these maps e.g. “Only the water under the bridges included in the site” OR “SSSI boundary follows, in part the lines of the Mean High and Low Water Marks; both are liable to change.” All new or re-notified sites will be put to the latest release by NRW of OS MasterMap and this information is recorded in the attribute data under the Last_Edited column. As OSMM is updated by the Ordnance Survey it is important to check where boundaries may subsequently have moved.
Additional Information

Please refer to Countryside Acts 1949,1981 and 2001, for reasons for capture of original designation. NRW has also created a subset of this dataset showing only those where relate to the marine environment. These are available on the Welsh Government marine planning portal.
Dataset Reference Date (Publication)
2025-10-08
Owner
  Natural Resources Wales (NRW) -
Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales
http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en
Originator
  Natural Resources Wales (NRW) -
Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales
http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en
 

Extent

Extent

Geographic Extent
Wales (WLS)
N
W
E
S
Map representing the geographic extent of the dataset


 

Vertical Extent

Medin Extent Keyword

water column boundary layer; benthic boundary layer; atmospheric boundary layer
 
 

Distribution

Distribution

Format Type and Description
  • Geographic Information System ( Unknown )

    Specification

    ESRI Feature Class

Resource Locator
Download Data and Web Service

World Wide Web page

Resource Locator
Web Mapping Service

World Wide Web page

 

Quality

Data quality

Quality Scope
Dataset
Conformity
Commission Regulation (EU) No 1089/2010 of 23 November 2010 implementing Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards interoperability of spatial data sets and services
Explanation

This dataset has not been assessed for conformance to the referenced INSPIRE regulation.
Degree
false
Lineage

All SSSIs designated before GIS technology have been converted into digital data from paper maps of various scales. In 2008 the whole dataset was updated to OS MasterMap (mostly to CCW 2006 OS update). This update referred to the original designation maps and all notational descriptions on these maps e.g. “Only the water under the bridges included in the site” OR “SSSI boundary follows, in part the lines of the Mean High and Low Water Marks; both are liable to change.” All new or re-notified sites will be put to the latest release by NRW of OS MasterMap and this information is recorded in the attribute data under the Last_Edited column. As OSMM is updated by the Ordnance Survey it is important to check where boundaries may subsequently have moved.
 

Keywords

Keywords

GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0
Type
Theme

Citation

Date (Publication)
2008-06-01
Code
geonetwork.thesaurus.external.theme.httpinspireeceuropaeutheme-theme

Keywords

NRW Thesaurus
  • conservation (see also conservation of specific subjects)
  • geographical information systems (GIS)
  • Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)
  • habitats (see also specific types of habitats)
Type
Theme

Citation

Date (Publication)
2024-06-13
Code
geonetwork.thesaurus.local.theme.converted_nrw-keywords

Keywords

SeaDataNet Parameter Discovery Vocabulary
  • Habitat characterisation
  • Habitat extent
Type
Theme

Citation

Date (Publication)
2024-03-28
Code
geonetwork.thesaurus.external.theme.rdf+xml

Keywords

NRW SMNR Keywords
  • Management Areas (SMNR)
  • Soil and Land (SMNR)
  • Regulating Services (SMNR)
  • Animals, Plants and Other Organisms (SMNR)
  • Ecosystem Services (SMNR)
  • Sea and Coast (SMNR)
  • Provisioning Services (SMNR)
  • Woodlands (SMNR)
  • Cultural Services (SMNR)
  • Physical Geography (Physiography) (SMNR)
  • Freshwater and Wetlands (SMNR)
  • Marine (SMNR)
  • Sustainable Management of Natural Resources (SMNR)
  • Natural Resources (Incl. Features and Processes) (SMNR)
  • Mountains, Moorland and Heaths (SMNR)
  • Semi-natural Grasslands (SMNR)
  • Coastal Margins (SMNR)
  • Ecosystem (SMNR)
Type
Theme

Citation

Date (Publication)
2024-06-19
Code
geonetwork.thesaurus.local.theme.converted_nrw-smnr-keywords
 

Spatial Reference System

Code
British National Grid (EPSG::27700)
 

Content

Content Information

NRW Profile

Custom Elements

NRW Related Title

SSSI NH3 Critical Levels
 

Constraints

Constraints

Limitations on Public Access and Use

Restriction type
Other restrictions
 

Access Constraints Directive

Limitations
no limitations
 

Access Constraints Text

Other constraints

There are no access restrictions on this data. NRW may release, publish or disseminate it freely.
 

Use Constraints

Use constraints type
Other restrictions
Other constraints

© CNC/NRW All rights Reserved. Contains Ordnance Survey Data. Ordnance Survey Licence number AC0000849444. Crown Copyright and Database Right Data may be re-used under the terms of the Open Government Licence providing it is done so, acknowledging both the source and copyright of the owners. It is the recipient's responsibility to ensure the data is fit for the intended purpose.
 

Attribution Statement

Other constraints

Contains Natural Resources Wales information © Natural Resources Wales and Database Right. All rights Reserved. Contains Ordnance Survey Data. Ordnance Survey Licence number AC0000849444. Crown Copyright and Database Right.
 
 
 

Metadata

Metadata

File Identifier
4f4c4942-4343-5764-6473-3938373736 XML
Metadata Language
English
Resource type
Dataset
Metadata Date
2025-10-15T08:31:09.801Z
Metadata Standard Name
NRW
Metadata Standard Version

1.0

pointOfContact
  Natural Resources Wales (NRW) -
Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales
http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en
 
 

Publishing Body

Access the portal