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Special Areas of Conservation

Castle Hill

Designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Country England
Unitary Authority Surrey, East and West Sussex
Centroid* TQ372066
Latitude 50.84194444
Longitude -0.051111111
SAC EU Code UK0012836
Status Designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Area (ha) 114.53
* This is the approximate central point of the SAC. In the case of large, linear or composite sites, this may not represent the location where a feature occurs within the SAC.
Location of Castle Hill SAC

General site character

  • Heath, Scrub, Maquis and Garrigue, Phygrana (5%)
  • Dry grassland, Steppes (90%)
  • Humid grassland, Mesophile grassland (5%)

Download the Standard Data Form for this site (PDF <100kb)

Note When undertaking an appropriate assessment of impacts at a site, all features of European importance (both primary and non-primary) need to be considered.

Annex I habitats that are a primary reason for selection of this site

  • 6210 Semi-natural dry grasslands and scrubland facies on calcareous substrates (Festuco-Brometalia) (* important orchid sites)

    This site hosts the priority habitat type "orchid rich sites". This chalk grassland consists of a mosaic of calcareous semi-natural dry grasslands, notably CG2 Festuca ovina – Avenula pratensis grassland, CG3 Bromus erectus grassland and CG4 Brachypodium pinnatum grassland. Castle Hill’s important assemblage of rare and scarce species includes early spider-orchid Ophrys sphegodes and burnt orchid Orchis ustulata. The colony of early spider-orchid is one of the largest in the UK.

Annex I habitats present as a qualifying feature, but not a primary reason for selection of this site

  • Not Applicable

Annex II species that are a primary reason for selection of this site

  • Not Applicable

Annex II species present as a qualifying feature, but not a primary reason for site selection

Many designated sites are on private land: the listing of a site in these pages does not imply any right of public access.