Biodiversity within the European Union is under threat. Almost a quarter of Europe's vascular plant species and 155 species of its native mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians are threatened with extinction. The Habitats Directive imposes a strict regime for environmental protection. But with the euro zone economy falling from 'stagnation' to 'contraction' in the second quarter of 2012 and the UK entering into a 'double dip' recession in April 2012, European governments face an economic crisis. The English courts have said that the Directive should not become a property developer's obstacle course. Yet the tensions between environmental protection and economic growth are all too readily apparent with the UK government stating both that we must 'arrest the decline in habitats and species and the degradation of landscapes' and later that 'gold plating of EU rules on things like habitats' was putting 'ridiculous costs' on business enterprise. Edited by Gregory Jones QC, The Habitats Directive: A Developer's Obstacle Course? brings together a unique combination of leading academics and practitioners in the field of European environmental and planning law to address and debate controversial issues arising from the Habitats Directive in an authoritative and practical manner. A must for anyone engaged in property development, planning and environmental law.

1. The Bern Convention and the Origins of the Habitats Directive Gregory Jones QC2. A Comparison of the Habitats Directive with the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity Catherine MacKenzie3. After Morge, where are we now? The Meaning of 'Disturbance' in the Habitats Directive Charles George QC and David Graham4. How to Deal with Candidate SACs and Potential SPAs Gregory Jones QC and Ned Westaway5. The Meaning of 'Any Plan or Project' Under Article 6(3) Stephen Tromans QC6. Appropriate Assessment: A Paper Tiger? Peter Scott7. SANGs: The Thames Basin Case Study Simon Ricketts and Sarah Bischoff8. The Habitats Directive: Nature and Law Paul Stookes9. Adverse Effects on the Integrity of a European Site: Some Unanswered Questions Gregory Jones QC10. Are Imperative Reasons Imperiling the Habitats Directive? An Assessment of Article 6(4) and the IROPI Exception Rebecca Clutten and Isabella Tafur11. The Maritime Dimensions of the Habitats Directive: Past Challenges and Future Opportunities Richard Caddell12. Judicial Review, the Precautionary Principle and the Protection of Habitats: Do we have a Systemof Administrative Law yet? Denis Edwards13. The Principle of Equilibrium in Environmental Law: The Example of the Habitats Directive Andrew Waite