From 6th April 2008 water voles receive an increased level of protection, becoming fully covered by the provisions of section 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended). Prior to this the water vole was only covered by section 9(4) and so only had limited legal protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act. This note provides information for developers and planners on the legal and licensing implications of the increased protection. Please click on the link below to view the associated PDF: