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Article 36b of the decree provides: ‘1. In special areas of conservation, regardless of the intended use of the site concerned, the administrative authority shall, within the limits of its powers, take the necessary conservation measures, which must continue to correspond to the ecological requirements of the habitat types listed in Annex I to this Decree and of the species listed in Annexes II, III and IV to this Decree as well as the migratory birds species not mentioned in Annex IV to this Decree but regularly found in the territory of the Flemish Region. The Flemish Government may lay down the detailed rules concerning the necessary conservation measures and the ecological requirements, and the procedure for setting the conservation objectives. … 3. An activity requiring a permit or a plan or programme, which, either individually or in combination with one or more existing or proposed activities, plans or programmes, might significantly affect the integrity of a special area of conservation, shall be subject to an appropriate assessment as regards the significant effects on the special area of conservation. … The initiator shall be responsible for preparing the appropriate assessment. … 4. The authority responsible for deciding on a permit application, plan or programme may grant the permit or approve the plan or programme only if the plan or programme or the activity to be performed does not significantly affect the integrity of the special area of conservation concerned. The competent authority shall continue to ensure, through the imposition of conditions, that the integrity of a special area of conservation is not significantly affected. 5. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 4, an activity requiring a permit or a plan or programme which, either individually or in combination with one or more existing or proposed activities, plans or programmes, might significantly affect the integrity of a special area of conservation, may be authorised or approved only: (a) after it has been shown that no less damaging alternative solution exists for the integrity of the special area of conservation and (b) for imperative reasons of overriding public interest, including those of a social or economic nature. Where the special area of conservation concerned or a part thereof hosts a priority natural habitat type or a priority species, the only considerations which may be raised are those relating to human health or public safety, to beneficial consequences of primary importance for the environment or, further to an opinion from the Commission, to other imperative reasons of overriding public interest. Furthermore, the derogation referred to in the previous paragraph may be authorised only after the following conditions have been satisfied: 1° the necessary compensatory measures have been taken and the necessary active conservation measures have been taken or are under way for the purpose of ensuring the overall coherence of the special area(s) of conservation; 2° the compensatory measures are of such a nature that, in principle, a habitat of the same value or the natural environment thereof, of at least an equivalent area, is actively developed. The Flemish Government may lay down the detailed rules for preparing the appropriate assessment of the implications of the activity for the habitats, the habitats of a species and the species in respect of which a special area of conservation is designated, for examining less damaging alternatives and on compensatory measures. The Flemish Government shall assess whether there are any imperative reasons of overriding public interest, including those of a social or economic nature. All decisions adopted under the derogation procedure in the present paragraph shall state the grounds on which they are based.’