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Special Areas of Conservation

Shell Flat and Lune Deep

Designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Country England
Unitary Authority Extra-Regio
Centroid* SD199408
Latitude 53.864
Longitude -3.204
SAC EU Code UK0030376
Status Designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Area (ha) 10567.49
* 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 Shell Flat and Lune Deep SAC

General site character

  • Marine areas, Sea inlets (100%)

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

  • 1110 Sandbanks which are slightly covered by sea water all the time

    Shell Flat sandbank runs northeast from the southern corner of the site in a blunt crescent to the south west.The sandbank forms a continuous structure approximately 15km long from east to west. The bank is an example of a Banner Bank, which are generally only a few kilometres in length with an elongated pear/sickle-shaped form, located in water depths less than 20m below Chart Datum (CD). Shell Flat is considered to be an excellent example of Annex I sandbank Habitat. In terms of sediment type, the bank comprises a range of mud and sand sediments from silts and clays through to coarse sands. Shell Flat is characterised by its low biodiversity, high biomass and is noted as an important foraging ground for many over wintering bird species. Surveys have identified that a large population (50,000+) of the species feed on the submerged sandbanks. This has made the Liverpool Bay area the most important site in the UK for the sea duck.

  • 1170 Reefs

    Species occurrence description not yet available.

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

  • Not Applicable

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