Improving Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI sites) performance commitment data

This data set contains a summary of the actions completed in accordance with our “Natural Capital – Improve Sites of Special Scientific Interest” performance commitment (PC). More information on our PCs can be found here 

At the start of the PC reporting period we agreed specific actions with Natural England to be completed on areas of Wessex Water’s SSSI land that were eligible for inclusion in the PC. Eligible land included SSSI units that are either owned and occupied by Wessex Water or owned and tenanted by Wessex Water.

This data set summarises the actions completed to-date under the PC.  

Each project area has its own agreed actions.  Actions were agreed for each SSSI per SSSI unit, and also per tenure type (for example Wessex Water-occupied land or tenanted land). Thus the same SSSI may be named multiple times in this data set, if the project area had more than one action required or if the eligible land was split across multiple SSSI units or across multiple tenure types.

Note that the following sites were excluded from the performance commitment: 

• Sites where Wessex Water leases or only has rights in land; and 
• Parcels under 5,000 m3 (0.5 ha) AND amounting to less than 1% of the SSSI unit area. 

How the data is collated: Over the course of completing each agreed action, evidenced is compiled. This evidence is presented to a third-party auditor for confirmation that the action has been completed to the required specification and standard. Each completed action is then signed off by the Wessex Water Catchment Panel.

For the remaining years of AMP7, an additional year of data will be added after the annual reporting period.

If you have any questions or comments about this data set, please get in touch via marketplace@wessexwater.co.uk