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To: Russell Stock

From: Paul Sterry West Wit, New Road Little London, Tadley RG26 5EU

Date: 31 December 2019

19/02372/FUL | Erection of 4 new dwellings | Land At O/s Ref 461271 159753

I wish to comment on the Biodiversity Impact Calculation document submitted in support of the above application. The document states that it is ‘intended to provide an objective measure of the losses and gains in biodiversity resulting from the current proposed layout and determine if the development will provide a net gain for biodiversity of 10% of more.’ By its own admission and using its own data, the document fails to meet the council’s metrics requirements since it only claims a 9.8% Net Gain. As with all desk-bound exercises in statistics, the outcomes and conclusions are only as good as the inputted data. I suggest that the figure of 9.8% is extremely optimistic and should be discounted because it is not based upon informed and reasonable data.

The two main areas of interest and concern for me are: 1) The assessment of the site’s grassland as being ‘poor’ 2) The inferred biodiversity contribution that would be made by creating a ‘wildflower meadow’

Firstly, at the risk of stating the obvious it is worth pointing out that the biodiversity of an area of grassland and marginal scrub/hedgerows comprises more than just its floral elements. It relates to the web of life that the community supports, including vertebrates and invertebrates. For the sake of this argument I will concentrate on two comparable sites in the vicinity, and two taxa groups where relevant and informed data exists: floral diversity; and and butterflies, whose feed on, and are dependent upon, .

Above: An Ordnance Survey UK Grid Reference map showing the location of the following sites: 1) the planning application; 2) a comparable area of land at RG26 5EU; 3) Bentley Green Meadows SSSI; 4) Pamber Forest SSSI; 5) ‘restored’ grassland.

1) The assessment of the site, including the grassland, appears to have been made on the basis of a single visit in October. It is hardly surprising that little of floral interest was discovered at this botanically-unpromising time of year and I fail to see how any other outcome could have been achieved.

Rough, traditional grassland is a rare commodity in the vicinity of the planning application site, given that the majority of fields in the Parish are either grazed intensively by horses and other livestock, or seeded with perennial ryegrass and sprayed, thereby obliterating most of their biodiversity. With this in mind it is useful to look at two comparable areas of undeniably good quality grassland in the neighbourhood. Firstly, a garden further along New Road (numbered 2 on the above map, roughly 0.2 hectares where wildlife takes precedence) and secondly Bentley Green Meadows SSSI (numbered 3 on the above map).

If you were to visit both sites 2 and 3 in October, then to an untutored eye the floral composition would be akin to that discovered during the ecological survey at the planning application site. However, the reality is rather different if you monitor the sites throughout the flowering season: excluding grasses, 101 of native wildflower have been recorded at site 2 (see Appendix below), and at the last count the number at site 3 exceeded 250 (see British Wildlife Magazine, volume 11, no.1, 1999). This diversity is also reflected in other taxa groups: at site 2 more than 450 and butterfly species have been recorded (see attached document: New Road Biodiversity), while at site 3 the number exceeds 530. That’s getting on for 20% of the entire British fauna, a remarkable number by anyone’s standards.

In addition, between them both sites harbour 4 of the UK’s 6 native reptile species and 5 of the 7 native amphibian species, not to mention grassland specialists such as Harvest Mouse. None of these species would be evident in October. I suggest there is no reason to suppose the grassland subject to the planning application is substantially different from sites 2 and 3 and in my view the assessment of the site as ‘poor’ cannot be shown to be accurate; there is every reason to suppose it supports far richer biodiversity than suggested in the report.

2) Well-intentioned though it might seem I would suggest that the benefits of planting a wildflower meadow for biodiversity in this situation are greatly exaggerated. Decent wildflower meadows take decades, sometimes centuries, to reach their potential for biodiversity in the true sense. In the same way you can but can’t plant an ancient woodland – it takes centuries for the community of wildlife associated with it to develop – neither can you create a wildlife-rich meadow simply by scattering . With these misgivings in mind it is worth considering the fortunes of grassland immediately to the west of the planning application site, numbered 5 on the above map. In 2004 its use changed from arable to hay production with seasonal grazing by sheep. Presumably in an attempt to kickstart botanical colonisation, an extraordinary mix of ‘wildflower’ seeds was scattered, most species of which were entirely inappropriate despite been used on the basis they were ‘suited to clay’. A multitude of floral diversity presented itself in the year of seeding but the species numbers diminished rapidly year by year; today, 15 years on, you would be lucky to find more than 30 species excluding grasses. This floral paucity is reflected in invertebrate diversity (or the lack of it): to my knowledge the field supports just three meadow- associated butterfly species (in small numbers) whereas site 2 (tiny by comparison) can boast seven species in relative abundance (see attached document: New Road Biodiversity).

For the above reasons I suggest that the conclusions drawn from the biodiversity metric calculation are not accurate. Expanding on this, I suggest that the creation of a new ‘meadow’ (which, in a short space of time is likely to become a dismal collection of born-survivor weeds) is no compensation for the loss of an existing area of natural rough grassland that, in the absence of full empirical data, should be assumed to harbour rich biodiversity.

Appendix 1 – wildflower species recorded at Site 2

black bryony Tamus communis ivy helix hop Humulus lupulus common nettle dioica redshank persicaria black bindweed Bilderdykia convolvulus broad-leaved dock obtusifolius lesser stitchwort graminea common chickweed Stellaria media common mouse-ear Cerastium fontanum red campion Silene dioica white campion Silene alba meadow buttercup acris creeping buttercup Ranunculus repens lesser celandine Ranunculus ficaria hedge mustard Sisymbrium officinale common wintercress Barbaris vulgaris hairy bittercress Cardamine hirsuta wavy bittercress Cardamine flexuosa cuckoo flower Cardamine pratensis shepherd's purse Capsella bursa-pastoris common whitlow-grass Erophila verna garlic mustard agrimony Agrimonia eupatoria dog bramble fruticosus tormentil erecta silverweed Potentilla anserina wood avens Geum urbanum common vetch Vicia sativa grass vetchling Lathyrus nissolia tufted vetch Vicia cracca ribbed melilot Melilotus officinalis greater birdsfoot trefoil Lotus pedunculatus black medick Medicago lupulina hop trefoil Trifolium campestre red white clover Trifolium repens herb robert Geranium robertianum cut-leaved cranesbill Geranium dissectum common dog violet Viola riviniana broad-leaved willowherb montanum hoary willowherb Epilobium parviflorum cow parsley Anthriscus sylvestris hogweed Heracleum sphondylium ground elder podagraria hemlock water-dropwort Oenanthe crocata wild carrot Daucus carota wild Angelica sylvestris primrose vulgaris cowslip creeping jenny nummularia hedge bindweed sepium field bindweed Convolvulus arvensis common cleavers aparine common comfrey Symphytum officinale early forgetmenot Myosotis ramosissima self-heal Prunella vulgaris ground ivy white dead-nettle album red dead-nettle betony officinalis wild basil Clinopodium vulgare bittersweet Solanum dulcamara yellow toadflax common figwort Scrophularia nodosa germander speedwell foxglove purpurea greater plantain major ribwort plantain Plantago lanceolata teasel Dipsacus fullonum daisy Bellis perennis ox-eye daisy Leucanthemum vulgare scentless mayweed Matricaria perforata pineapple mayweed Chamomilla suaveolens fleabane Pulicaria dysenterica yarrow millefolium sneezewort Achillea ptarmica vulgare feverfew Tanacetum parthenium coltsfoot farfara ragwort jacobaea hoary ragwort Senecio erucifolia groundsel greater burdock lappa marsh thistle palustre spear thistle Cirsium vulgare creeping thistle smooth sowthistle Sonchus oleraceus perennial sowthistle Sonchus arvensis nipplewort Laxana officinalis dandelion Section Vulgaria goat's-beard Tragopogon pratensis common catsear Hypochaeris radicata snowdrop Galanthus nivalis ramsons Allium ursinum yellow iris Iris pseudacorus lords and ladies Arum maculatum Pyramidal orchid Anacamptis pyramidalis common spotted orchid Dactylorhiza fuchsii broad leaved helleborine Epipactis helleborine

BIODIVERSITY AND ENVIRONMENT OF NEW ROAD, LITTLE LONDON AND NEIGHBOURING COUNTRYSIDE by Dr Paul Sterry Contents: 1. Summary. 2. A brief history. 3. Notable alongside New Road and in the neighbouring countryside. 4. Protected and notable species found on New Road and in the surrounding countryside.

Appendix 1 - Historical land use in Little London and its influence on biodiversity. Appendix 2 - Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths) recorded on New Road, Little London 2004-2019 (generalised OS Grid Reference SU6159). Appendix 3 - Ageing Hedgerows.

About the author: Paul Sterry has BSc and PhD in Zoology and Ecology from Imperial College, London. After 5 years as a Research Fellow at the University of Sussex working on freshwater ecology he embarked on a freelance career as a wildlife author and photographer. Over the last 35 years he has written and illustrated more than 50 books, concentrating mainly on British Wildlife, with the emphasis on photographic field guides. Best-selling titles include Collins Complete British Trees, Collins Complete British Wildlife and Collins Life-size Birds.

Above: Barn Owl flying over grassland in the neighbourhood of New Road.

1. Summary Located in the Parish of Pamber, Little London is a Biodiversity hotspot with New Road at its environmental heart. Despite the name New Road is one of the oldest highways in the village and this is reflected in the range of wildlife found along its length, and in the countryside bordering it. New Road has significance for wildlife far beyond is narrow, single-track status. Its ancient hedgerows and adjacent meadows are rich in wildlife but of equal importance is its role as a corridor of wildlife connectivity. Recognised by statutory bodies and planning authorities alike wildlife corridors are vitally important in an era where piecemeal destruction results in local extinctions for some plants and , and biological isolation for many others.

It is hardly surprising that New Road and its neighbouring countryside are so biologically rich because Pamber Parish is itself exceptional. In statutory terms it is the most important one for wildlife in the whole of the Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council area. Roughly 25% of the land has Site of Special Scientific Interest status because of its wildlife; and in terms of area, it accounts for roughly 37% of SSSI land for which Basingstoke & Deane BC is the Local Planning Authority. In addition, the Parish harbours seven ancient woodland SINCs plus UK BAP Priority Habitat Inventory sites. Unsurprisingly, it also hosts a generous suite of notable and protected species.

The rich biodiversity found in Pamber Parish is a consequence of centuries of varied land management, largely dictated by changes in agricultural economics and, in historic terms, the limited physical resources available. Its designated land does not exist in isolation and there is good reason to suppose that, in the past, much of Parish had biodiversity comparable to that found in current SSSIs and SINCs. New Road and the neighbouring countryside is a good example of land that falls outside statutory designation but which still retains rich biodiversity. Fortunately its environmental credentials are evident for anyone with eyes to look and an appreciation of what they are seeing. 2. A brief history In the past, the countryside that borders New Road was more wooded than it is today. Historical records demonstrate a forest ancestry just as old as the Ancient semi-natural woodland of neighbouring Pamber Forest SSSI, with which its woodland cover was contiguous as recently as 200 years ago or so.

Map 1. Above left: an 1824-1827 Enclosure Map (Courtesy/Copyright Hampshire Records Office) showing New Road and Little London, with woodland highlighted in green. Above right: the situation today with a rough illustration of what woodland remains (and its status) and what has been destroyed marked in red. Discrepancies between the maps can be attributed to, amongst other things, boundary changes and minor mapping errors made nearly 200 years ago.

The 1824-1827 Enclosure Map shows forested land extending from the existing southern boundary of Pamber Forest SSSI south to New Road, Little London and east to the settlements along Silchester Road. Further woodland was present south of New Road as well. Since then, all of these enclosed areas have had their woodland destroyed, replaced either by agricultural land or grassland of varying quality in terms of biodiversity.

Above: Framed by Silchester Road to the east and New Road to the north is an area of land, much of which is now known as Berry Court Farm. Prior to its purchase by the current owners it was known as Rackett’s Farm and the 1911 sale of this land (Lot 20) makes interesting reading, and demonstrates the farming use to which the land was put.

Above: Good quality grassland (Map 2, location 5) photographed on 24 July 2019. Taken from the adjacent public footpath, the field hosted the best display of Greater Bird’s-foot Trefoil in Little London. There is every reason to suppose immediately adjacent fields contain similar biodiversity which would become more obvious with reduced grazing pressure. These fields represent the last vestiges of Rackett’s Farm’s good quality grassland. Land to the south has been largely been industrialised or subjected to intensive farming. 3. Notable habitats alongside New Road and in the neighbouring countryside In terms of significance to native wildlife species and biodiversity there are three important habitat types in the general vicinity of New Road: deciduous woodland, belts and hedgerows; grassland; and watercourses.

Above: Map 2, a Defra magicmap of New Road, Little London and neighbouring countryside marked with areas of biodiversity interest, plus locations where biological pluses and minuses have occurred recently.

1 Natural England/BAP Priority Habitat Inventory Deciduous woodland. 2 Natural England/BAP Priority Habitat Inventory Floodplain Grazing Meadow. 3 Ancient Byway known locally as Gypsy Lane whose ancestry may date to the era of Roman occupation. 4 Garden adjacent to New Road and Gypsy Lane which has been the subject of a biodiversity study for 20 years. 5 Good quality grassland. 6 Ancient Hedgerow. 7 Ancient Tree Belt. 8 Good quality grassland, currently grazed. 9 Watercourse known as Little London Brook. 10 Good quality grassland, currently cut for hay. 11 Good quality grassland, currently grazed. 12 Kinghern Copse SINC Ancient Woodland. 13 Former arable land, now converted to organic hay production and seasonal grazing. 14 Woodland, felled in the last year. 15 Former good quality hay meadow, destroyed in recent years and now used for intensive arable farming.

3a. Deciduous Woodland and Hedgerows The previous importance to wildlife of New Road’s ‘lost’ woodland is hinted at by looking at its tree belts and hedgerows, in locations where these are the last remnants of earlier forest. For example, on the north and south sides of New Road and alongside the lane running south from SU 6190 5925 (known locally as Gypsy Lane) the woody plant species composition suggests that their heritage as boundary banks dates back at least 450 years and no fewer than 12 Wild Service-trees grace the banks of the latter site; map and documentary evidence lends weight to the contention about ancestry.

Above: Hedgerow bordering New Road with flowering Hawthorn (left, Map 2 location 6) and veteran Wild Service-trees growing alongside Gypsy Lane (right, Map 2 location 3).

The number of tree and shrub species present in a native hedgerow or tree belt increases with time, through natural colonisation. There are several tried and tested ecological methods for estimating hedgerow and tree belt age, determined by counting the number of woody species contained in a given length (see Appendix 3). Along the hedgerow length of New Road in Little London, at least 19 species of woody shrub and tree are present.

Of particular interest is the native tree belt to the south of New Road (Map 2, location 7) whose long-term heritage is demonstrated not only by mapping evidence but also by the number of woody tree and shrub species it harbours. These include a minimum of 15 species visible from New Road: English ; Ash excelsior ; ; English Ulmus procera (aka minor var. vulgaris ); Holly Ilex aquifolium ; Sweet Chestnut Castanea sativa ; Hawthorn Crategus monogyna ; Elder nigra ; ; ; Goat Salix capraea ; Crack Willow Salix fragilis ; Grey Willow Salix cinerea ; Wild Cherry avium ; and Silver . By any determining method you care to use, the tree belt in question has a heritage dating back at least 450 years old.

Basingstoke and Deane BC are obliged to treat ancient woodlands, native tree belts and hedgerows with the statutory respect they deserve, and their commitment is enshrined in their Supplementary Policy Document (Landscape, Biodiversity and Trees SPD) . Page 55 of the document states: ‘Tree belts and woodlands - A minimum buffer of 20 metres should be provided between the edge of the woodland/tree belt and the development. Where a minimum buffer is proposed, information will be required to demonstrate that this will be adequate to prevent any adverse impact upon the woodland or tree belt feature. Where it is considered the woodland and/or tree belt form part of an important wildlife corridor, for example of particular importance to bats, or where the woodland is ancient in origin, then the council will expect buffers exceeding the 20 metres minimum as a precautionary principle and especially for major development. ’

This is in line with the National Planning Policy Framework NPPF, published in July 2018, which affords trees and ancient woodland the same protection as listed buildings. Paragraph 175c1 of the NPPF states that when local planning authorities are determining applications, they should consider whether: ‘...development resulting in the loss or deterioration of irreplaceable habitats (such as ancient woodland and ancient or veteran trees) should be refused.. .’

3b. Grassland In the context of New Road, and southern England generally, grassland and meadows are manmade habitats in the historical sense and require regular cutting to remain in that state. To an untutored eye, one bit of grassland is much like another but in terms of biodiversity this is an illusion. Good quality so-called ‘unimproved’ meadows (i.e. ones that have not been ploughed, artificially seeded or treated with chemicals) harbour rich biodiversity but are a rare commodity these days. Most of what we see today in north Hampshire is wildlife-unfriendly ‘improved’ grassland with significantly depleted biodiversity. This only elevates the importance of good quality ‘unimproved’ grassland and meadows; these are especially rich in Little London.

Above: Good quality grassland adjacent to New Road (Map 2, location 13) on 21 April 2016. Below: Former intensive arable land, now used for organic hay production and seasonal grazing (Map 2, location 2) on 14 May 2017.

3c. Watercourses Little London Brook runs more-or-less parallel to, and to the south of, New Road. It is a typical watercourse for this part of north Hampshire, usually full and fast-flowing from October to April, seasonally drying down at other times but prone to flash floods. This is reflected in the Flood Zone status of the land bordering Little London Brook and the designation of adjacent land as ‘Natural England/BAP Priority Habitat Inventory Floodplain Grazing Meadow’ (map 2, location 2).

Above: Map 3, an Environment Agency map showing Little London Brook (which the EA class as a ‘main river’) and Flood Zone risk in relation to parts of New Road, Little London.

Above: Water Vole (left) and Water Shrew (right) photographed in Little London Brook. 4. Protected and notable species found along New Road and in the surrounding countryside 4a. Mammals associated with Little London Brook. Water Shrew Neomys fodiens and Water Vole Arvicola terretris are both recorded in Little London Brook; being riverine species it is entirely reasonable to suppose that both are found along the entire length of Little London Brook. The former species is protected under Schedule 6 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, the latter under Schedule 5, and both are UK BAP Priority species. As with Little London Brook’s aquatic invertebrate communities, these mammals rely on good water quality to ensure their survival and the species themselves, and the environment they inhabit (including terrestrial margins to their freshwater habitats), are protected.

Above: Map showing the locations of records (as recorded on Hampshire Biodiversity Information Centre and National Biodiversity Network databases) for two protected species: Water Vole and Water Shrew.

4b. Bats All bat species are protected by a variety of laws including the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended). They are notoriously difficult to survey and, for example, it is not always possible to assign species status to Myotis bats through sound surveys alone. Therefore, it should be assumed that the group is seriously under-recorded. Nevertheless, a minimum of eight species are known, with records from all corners of the Pamber Parish, including New Road, Little London. They are: Common Pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus; Soprano Pipistrelle Pipistrellus pygmaeus; Serotine Eptesicus serotinus; Brown Long-eared Bat Plecotus auritus; Noctule Nyctalus noctula; Natterer’s Bat Myotis nattereri; Whiskered Bat Myotis mystacinus or Brandt’s Bat Myotis brandtii; and Western Barbastelle Barbastella barbastellus. The presence of the last species is of greatest significance among the area’s bats because of its rarity and sparse national distribution; it is a UK BAP Priority species.

Above: Bats and bat-workers in Little London (above left) and the currently known distribution of bats (8 species) in the Pamber Parish, including New Road, Little London (above right).

4c. Amphibians Five out of seven native Amphibian species are recorded in a pond that is adjacent to New Road (Map 2, location 4). These are: Common Frog Rana temporaria; Common Toad Bufo bufo; Palmate Newt Lissotriton helveticus; Smooth Newt Lissotron vulgaris; and Great Crested Newt Triturus cristatus. All have varying degrees of statutory protection (Common Toad is BAP Priority Species for example) but Great Crested has the highest level of safeguard – Schedule 1 under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. All British amphibians, including Great Crested Newt, are essentially terrestrial animals that return to water for a brief period to breed. It follows that the terrestrial environment in the immediate vicinity of any breeding pond should attract scrutiny from planning authorities.

Above: Map showing the location of a pond, adjacent to New Road, used for breeding by Great Crested Newts and four other amphibian species. Great Cresteds were recorded, in numbers, in 2019 and records have been submitted to Natural England; they will appear subsequently on Hampshire Biodiversity Information and National Biodiversity Network databases.

Above: Grass Snake (left) and Common Toad (right) photographed in the vicinity of (and crossing) New Road, Little London. 4d. Reptiles Of the four native British reptile species that occur in Pamber Parish, two are known to occur in the vicinity of New Road, Little London. These are Grass Snake Natrix natrix and Slow-worm Anguis fragilis . Both are protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (plus amendments) which means it is illegal to intentionally injure or kill these species.

4e. Butterflies Being visible and relatively easy to identify, butterflies can be used as indicators of the health or otherwise of the countryside – as biological barometers. Give or take, nudging 60 species are regularly recorded in Britain and of these a minimum of 33 have been recorded in the vicinity of New Road, Little London. Among their numbers the most significant in the context of New Road are meadow species – ones whose larvae feed on grasses and other grassland plants. These include: Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina; Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus; Marbled White Melanargia galathea; Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus; Small Heath Coenonympha pamphilus; Small Skipper Thymelicus sylvestris; Essex Skipper Thymelicus lineola; Large Skipper Ochlodes sylvanus; Common Blue Polyommatus icarus; and Small Copper Lycaena phlaeas . None of these species will breed in agriculturally ‘improved’ grassland (their larval foodplants are absent) which makes the occurrence of these formerly common and widespread butterflies alongside New Road particularly significant. Their survival is entirely dependent upon the way in which the grassland is managed.

Iconic butterfly species such as Purple Emperor Apatura iris, Silver-washed Fritillary Argynnis paphia and White Admiral Limenitis camilla make a more occasional appearance in the vicinity of New Road. Most are probably wandering individuals but female Purple Emperors have been observed egg- laying on the larval foodplant Goat Willow Salix capraea in New Road.

4f. Moths As an indication of the biodiversity significance of New Road, it is interesting to use moths as a biological barometer. Something of the order of 2,500 species of moth have occurred in Britain and 800 or so have been recorded throughout nearby Pamber Forest as a whole, since records began nearly 50 years ago. By comparison, more than 450 species of moths have been recorded over the last 15 years (Appendix 2) from a single location on New Road, Little London (Map 2, location 4), mainly species whose larvae feed on the of woodland trees and shrubs. This phenomenal number provides a strong indication the biological significance of New Road and the neighbouring countryside.

Above: Hawk-moth Sphinx ligustri, one of the more spectacular moth species to occur along New Road, Little London.

5g. Wild Service-tree Sorbus torminalis This species is widely accepted as being a good indicator of the ancient ancestry of any woodland or tree belt in which it grows. Wild Service-tree was supposedly beloved of the Romans and encouraged by them, possibly sometimes planted. The fruits are sometimes known as ‘chequers’ and can be made into an alcoholic drink, suggesting a link between the tree and the frequency of pubs named 'Chequers Inn' or similar. Wild Service-trees are widespread in Pamber Forest, with several hundred individuals being known; this is by far the best site for the species in north Hampshire. Elsewhere in the Parish its status is less certain. A particularly fine specimen (plus smaller individuals) grows in Kinghern Copse SINC, no fewer than 12 venerable trees adorn the margins of Gypsy Lane and a tree of flowering age grows in a garden hedgerow on the southern side of New Road.

Figure 7. Wild Service-tree Sorbus torminalis in Pamber: a flowering tree (above left) and the species’ currently known distribution in the Parish (above right).

Appendix 1 - Historical land use in Little London and its influence on biodiversity. Not to belittle it, but Little London and New Road’s good fortunes in the biodiversity department are down to luck. Underlying clay and gravel mean the land is agriculturally poor and for centuries it was fit for little more than growing trees, cutting hay and grazing a few animals. Land ownership and tenancy regimes meant much of the population scratched a living from relatively small plots: one man with an axe and a scythe, and not much more. This historically small-scale, English-style subsistence farming resulted in a mosaic of land use and habitats that persists alongside New Road today, in places. And looking at old maps and reading the landscape’s archaeology and ancient hedgerows means you can trace the history of land use back to the days of Roman occupation. To use rather flowery language, the landscape of Little London and New Road is like a palimpsest - an ancient parchment manuscript, used and reused over time with previous text and boundaries scraped away and overwritten but not entirely obscured. Hints of the past can be discerned by those with a keen and informed eye.

Appendix 2 - Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths) recorded on New Road, Little London 2004-2019 (generalised OS Grid Reference SU6159) Ghost Moth Hepialus humuli; Orange Swift Triodia sylvina; Gold Swift hecta; Common Swift Korscheltellus lupulina; Map-winged Swift Korscheltellus fusconebulosa; Leopard Moth Zeuzera pyrina; The Festoon Apoda limacodes; Skin Moth Monopis laevigella; Common Clothes Moth Tineola bisselliella; Case-bearing Clothes Moth Tinea pellionella; Miner Lyonetia clerkella; Lunar Hornet Moth Sesia bembeciformis; Currant Clearwing Synanthedon tipuliformis; Yellow-legged Clearwing Synanthedon vespiformi;s Red-belted Clearwing Synanthedon myopaeformis; Red-tipped Clearwing Synanthedon formicaeformis; Bird-cherry Ermine Yponomeuta evonymella; Moth Ypsolopha dentella; Diamond- back Moth Plutella xylostella; Brown House-moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella; White-shouldered House-moth Endrosis sarcitrella; Parsnip Moth Depressaria radiella; Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis corylana; Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana; Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana; Brown Oak Tortrix Archips crataegana; Variegated Golden Tortrix Archips xylosteana; Rose Tortrix Archips rosana; Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana; Light Grey Tortrix Cnephasia incertana; Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana; Bramble Shoot Moth Notocelia uddmanniana; Codling Moth Cydia pomonella; Twenty-plume Moth Alucita hexadactyla; Water Veneer Acentria ephemerella; Brown -mark Elophila nymphaeata; Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis; Small Magpie hortulata; Rusty-dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis; Rush Veneer Nomophila noctuella; Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis; Gold Triangle Hypsopygia costalis; Meal Moth Pyralis farinalis; Large Tabby Aglossa pinguinalis; Wax Moth Galleria mellonella; Bee Moth Aphomia sociella; Thistle Ermine circumvoluta; Indian Meal Moth Plodia interpunctella; Small Skipper Thymelicus sylvestris; Essex Skipper Thymelicus lineola; Large Skipper Ochlodes sylvanus; Dingy Skipper Erynnis tages; Clouded Yellow Colias croceus; Brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni; Large White Pieris brassicae; Small White Pieris rapae; Green-veined White Pieris napi; Orange-tip Anthocharis cardamines; Purple Hairstreak Favonius quercus; White-letter Hairstreak Satyrium w-album; Small Copper Lycaena phlaeas; Common Blue Polyommatus icarus; Chalk Hill Blue Polyommatus coridon; Holly Blue Celastrina argiolus; White Admiral Limenitis camilla; Purple Emperor Apatura iris; Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta; Painted Lady Vanessa cardui; Small Tortoiseshell Aglais urticae; Peacock Aglais io; Comma Polygonia c-album; Dark Green Fritillary Argynnis aglaja; Silver-washed Fritillary Argynnis paphia; Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria; Marbled White Melanargia galathea; Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus; Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina; Small Heath Coenonympha pamphilus; Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus; December Moth Poecilocampa populi; Pale Eggar Trichiura crataegi; Lackey Malacosoma Neustria; Fox Moth Macrothylacia rubi; Drinker Euthrix potatoria; Lappet Gastropacha quercifolia; Scalloped Hook-tip Falcaria lacertinaria; Oak Hook-tip Watsonalla binaria; Pebble Hook-tip Drepana falcataria; Chinese Character Cilix glaucata; Peach Blossom Thyatira batis; Buff Arches Habrosyne pyritoides; Figure of Eighty Tethea ocularis; Poplar Lutestring Tethea or; Satin Lutestring Tetheella fluctuosa; Common Lutestring Ochropacha duplaris; Oak Lutestring Cymatophorina diluta; Yellow Horned Achlya flavicornis; Frosted Green Polyploca ridens; March Moth Alsophila aescularia; Grass Emerald Pseudoterpna pruinata; Large Emerald Geometra papilionaria; Blotched Emerald Comibaena bajularia; Common Emerald Hemithea aestivaria; Small Emerald Hemistola chrysoprasaria; Little Emerald Jodis lactearia; Birch Mocha Cyclophora albipunctata; Maiden's Blush ; Blood-Vein Timandra comae; Mullein Wave marginepunctata; Small Blood-vein Scopula imitaria; Cream Wave Scopula floslactata; Least Carpet rusticata; Small Fan-footed Wave Idaea biselata; Dwarf Cream Wave Idaea fuscovenosa; Small Dusty Wave Idaea seriata; Single-dotted Wave ; Satin Wave Idaea subsericeata; Treble Brown Spot Idaea trigeminata; Small Scallop Idaea emarginata; Riband Wave Idaea aversata; Vestal Rhodometra sacraria; Gem Nycterosea obstipata; Flame Carpet designata; Red Twin-spot Carpet Xanthorhoe spadicearia; Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet ; Large Twin-spot Carpet Xanthorhoe quadrifasiata; Silver-ground Carpet Xanthorhoe montanata; Garden Carpet Xanthorhoe fluctuata; Common Carpet Epirrhoe alternata; Yellow Shell Camptogramma bilineata; Mallow Larentia clavaria; Shoulder Stripe badiata; Streamer derivata; Beautiful Carpet albicillata; Purple Bar Cosmorhoe ocellata; Phoenix Eulithis prunata; Eulithis mellinata; Barred Straw Gandaritis pyraliata; Small Phoenix Ecliptopera silaceata; Red-Green Carpet siterata; Autumn Green Carpet Chloroclysta miata; Dark Marbled Carpet Dysstroma citrata; Common Marbled Carpet Dysstroma truncata; Barred Yellow Cidaria fulvata; Blue-bordered Carpet ; Pine Carpet Pennithera fermata; Grey Pine Carpet Thera obeliscata; Carpet Thera Britannica; Cypress Carpet Thera cupressata; Broken-barred Carpet Electrophaes corylata; Mottled Grey Colostygia multistrigaria; Green Carpet Colostygia pectinataria; July Highflier Hydriomena furcata; May Highflier Hydriomena impluviata; Small Waved Umber Horisme vitalbata; Scallop Shell Hydria undulata; Sharp-angled Carpet Euphyia unangulata; November Moth Epirrita dilutata; Pale November Moth Epirrita christyi; Autumnal Moth Epirrita autumnata; Winter Moth Operophtera brumata; Rivulet affinitata; Small Rivulet Perizoma alchemillata; Sandy Carpet Perizoma flavofasciata; tenuiata; Eupithecia pulchellata; Eupithecia exiguata; Lime-speck Pug Eupithecia centaureata; Freyer's Pug Eupithecia intricata; Eupithecia absinthiata; Eupithecia assimilata; Eupithecia vulgata; White-spotted Pug ; Eupithecia subfuscata; Eupithecia icterata; Eupithecia succenturiata; Ochreous Pug ; Narrow-winged Pug ; Eupithecia abbreviata; Oak-tree Pug ; Cypress Pug ; Pug Eupithecia lariciata; Dwarf Pug ; V-Pug Chloroclystis v-ata; Green Pug Pasiphila rectangulata; Double- striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata; Dingy Shell Euchoeca nebulata; Small White Wave Asthena albulata; Small Yellow Wave Hydrelia flammeolaria; Seraphim ; Early Tooth-striped carpinata; Small Seraphim Pterapherapteryx sexalata; Yellow-barred Brindle Acasis viretata; Magpie Abraxas grossulariata; Clouded Border Lomaspilis marginata; Peacock Moth Macaria notata; Sharp-angled Peacock Macaria alternata; Tawny-barred Angle Macaria liturata; Latticed Heath Chiasmia clathrata; Little Thorn advenaria; Brown Silver-line Petrophora chlorosata; Speckled Yellow Pseudopanthera macularia; Lilac Beauty Apeira syringaria; August Thorn Ennomos quercinaria; Canary-shouldered Thorn Ennomos alniaria; Dusky Thorn Ennomos fuscantaria; September Thorn Ennomos erosaria; Early Thorn dentaria; Purple Thorn Selenia tetralunaria; Scalloped Hazel Odontopera bidentata; Scalloped Oak Crocallis elinguaria; Swallow-tailed Moth Ourapteryx sambucaria; Feathered Thorn Colotois pennaria; Orange Moth Angerona prunaria; Brindled Beauty Lycia hirtaria; Oak Beauty Biston strataria; Peppered Moth Biston betularia; Spring Usher Agriopis leucophaearia; Scarce Umber Agriopis aurantiaria; Dotted Border Agriopis marginaria; Mottled Umber Erannis defoliaria; Waved Umber Menophra abruptaria; Willow Beauty Peribatodes rhomboidaria; Satin Beauty Deileptenia ribeata; Mottled Beauty Alcis repandata; Great Oak Beauty Hypomecis roboraria; Pale Oak Beauty Hypomecis punctinalis; Engrailed Ectropis crepuscularia; Brindled White-spot Parectropis similaria; Grey Birch Aethalura punctulata; Common Heath Ematurga atomaria; Bordered White Bupalus piniaria; Common White Wave pusaria; Cabera exanthemata; White-pinion Spotted Lomographa bimaculata; Clouded Silver Lomographa temerata; Early Moth Theria primaria; Light Emerald Campaea margaritaria; Barred Red Hylaea fasciaria; Convolvulus Hawk-moth Agrius convolvuli; Privet Hawk-moth Sphinx ligustri; Pine Hawk-moth Sphinx pinastri; Lime Hawk-moth Mimas tiliae; Eyed Hawk-moth Smerinthus ocellata; Poplar Hawk-moth; Humming-bird Hawk- moth Macroglossum stellatarum; Oleander Hawk-moth Daphnis nerii; Elephant Hawk-moth Deilephila elpenor; Small Elephant Hawk-moth Deilephila porcellus; Buff-tip Phalera bucephala; Puss Moth Cerura vinula; Alder Kitten Furcula bicuspis; Sallow Kitten Furcula furcula; Poplar Kitten Furcula bifida; Lobster Moth Stauropus fagi; Iron Prominent Notodonta dromedaries; Pebble Prominent Notodonta ziczac; Great Prominent Peridea anceps; Lesser Swallow Prominent Pheosia gnoma; Swallow Prominent Pheosia tremula; Coxcomb Prominent Ptilodon capucina; Maple Prominent Ptilodon cucullina; Scarce Prominent Odontosia carmelita; Pale Prominent Pterostoma palpina; Marbled Brown Drymonia dodonaea; Lunar Marbled Brown Drymonia ruficornis; Chocolate-tip Clostera curtula; Figure of Eight Diloba caeruleocephala; Oak Processionary Thaumetopoea processionea; Vapourer Orgyia antique; Pale Tussock Calliteara pudibunda; Yellow-tail Euproctis similis; Black Arches Lymantria monacha; Dew Moth Setina irrorella; Rosy Footman Miltochrista miniata; Muslin Footman Nudaria mundane; Red-necked Footman Atolmis rubricollis; Four-dotted Footman Cybosia mesomella; Orange Footman Eilema sororcula; Dingy Footman Eilema griseola; Scarce Footman Eilema complana; Buff Footman Eilema depressa; Common Footman Eilema lurideola; Garden Tiger Arctia caja; Clouded Buff Diacrisia sannio; White Ermine Spilosoma lubricipeda; Buff Ermine Spilosoma lutea; Muslin Moth Diaphora mendica; Ruby Tiger Phragmatobia fuliginosa; Jersey Tiger quadripunctaria; Scarlet Tiger dominula; Cinnabar Tyria jacobaeae; Kent Black Arches Meganola albula; Short-cloaked Moth Nola cucullatella; Least Black Arches Nola confusalis; Turnip Moth Agrotis segetum; Heart & Club Agrotis clavis; Heart & Dart Heart & Dart; Dark Sword-grass Agrotis ipsilon; Shuttle- shaped Dart Shuttle-shaped Dart Flame Axylia putris; Flame Shoulder plecta; Noctua pronuba; Lesser Yellow Underwing Noctua comes; Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing Noctua fimbriata; Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing Noctua janthe; Least Yellow Underwing Noctua interjecta; Autumnal Rustic Eugnorisma glareosa; True Lover's Knot Lycophotia porphyrea; Pearly Underwing Peridroma saucia; Ingrailed Clay Diarsia mendica; Purple Clay ; Small Square-spot Diarsia rubi; Setaceous Hebrew Character Xestia c-nigrum; Double Square-spot Xestia triangulum Dotted Clay Xestia baja Six-striped Rustic Xestia sexstrigata; Square-spot Rustic Xestia xanthographa; Gothic Naenia typical; Green Arches Anaplectoides prasina; Red Chestnut rubricosa; Nutmeg Anarta trifolii Grey Arches nebulosa; Cabbage Moth Mamestra brassicae; Dot Moth persicariae; Pale-shouldered Brocade Lacanobia thalassina; Bright- line Brown-eye Lacanobia oleracea; Broom Moth Ceramica pisi; Lychnis Hadena bicruris; Antler Moth Cerapteryx graminis; Feathered Gothic Tholera decimalis; Pine Beauty Panolis flammea; Small Quaker cruda; Blossom Underwing Orthosia miniosa; Lead-coloured Drab Orthosia populeti; Powdered Quaker Orthosia gracilis; Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi; Clouded Drab Orthosia incerta; Twin-spotted Quaker Anorthoa munda; Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica; Brown-line Bright-eye Mythimna conigera; Clay Mythimna farrago; White-point Mythimna albipuncta; Smoky Wainscot Mythimna impure; Common Wainscot Mythimna pallens; L-album Wainscot Mythimna l- album; Shoulder-striped Wainscot Leucania comma; Shark Cucullia umbratica; Mullein Cucullia verbasci; Minor Shoulder-knot Brachylomia viminalis; Sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx; Deep-brown Dart Aporophyla lutulenta; Black Rustic Aporophyla nigra; Pale Pinion Lithophane social; Grey Shoulder-knot Lithophane ornitopus; Blair's Shoulder-knot ; Lithophane leautieri; Early Grey Xylocampa areola; Green-brindled Crescent Allophyes oxyacanthae; Merveille du Jour Griposia aprilina; Brindled Green Dryobotodes eremite; Large Ranunculus flavicincta; Satellite Eupsilia transversa; Chestnut Conistra vaccinii; Dark Chestnut Conistra ligula; Brick circellaris; Red- line Quaker Agrochola lota; Yellow-line Quaker Agrochola macilenta; Flounced Chestnut Agrochola helvola; Brown-spot Pinion Agrochola litura; Beaded Chestnut Agrochola lychnidis; Centre-barred Sallow Atethmia centrago; Lunar Underwing Omphaloscelis lunosa; Barred Sallow Tiliacea aurago; Pink-barred Sallow Xanthia togata; Sallow Cirrhia icteritia; Poplar Grey Subacronicta megacephala; Sycamore aceris; Miller Acronicta leporine; Alder Moth Acronicta alni; Grey Dagger Acronicta psi; Knot Grass ; Coronet Craniophora ligustri; Marbled Beauty Bryophila domestica; Copper Underwing Amphipyra pyramidea; Svensson's Copper Underwing Amphipyra berbera; Mouse Moth Amphipyra tragopoginis; Old Lady Mormo Maura; Bird's Wing Dypterygia scabriuscula; Brown Rustic ferruginea; Straw Underwing Thalpophila matura; Small lucipara; Angle Shades Phlogophora meticulosa; Double Kidney Ipimorpha retusa; Olive Ipimorpha subtusa; Dingy Shears Apterogenum ypsillon; Dun-bar Cosmia trapezina; Lunar-spotted Pinion Cosmia pyralina; Dark Arches Apamea monoglypha; Light Arches Apamea lithoxylaea; Clouded-bordered Brindle Apamea crenata; Clouded Brindle Apamea epomidion; Dusky Brocade Apamea remissa; Small Clouded Brindle Apamea unanimis; Large Nutmeg Apamea anceps; Rustic Shoulder-knot Apamea sordens; Slender Brindle Apamea scolopacina; Marbled Minor Oligia strigilis; Tawny Marbled Minor Oligia latruncula; Middle-barred Minor Oligia fasciuncula; Cloaked Minor Mesoligia furuncula; Rosy Minor Litoligia literosa; Common Rustic Mesapamea secalis; Lesser Common Rustic Mesapamea didyma; Small Dotted Buff Photedes minima; Small Wainscot Denticucullus pygmina; Dusky Sallow Eremobia ochroleuca; Ear Moth Amphipoea oculea; Rosy Rustic Hydraecia micacea; Frosted Orange flavago; Treble Lines; Uncertain octogenarian; Rustic Hoplodrina blanda; Vine's Rustic ; Small Mottled Willow Spodoptera exigua; Mottled Rustic Caradrina Morpheus; Pale Mottled Willow Caradrina clavipalpis; Rosy Marbled Elaphria venustula; Scarce Silver-lines Bena bicolorana; Green Silver-lines Pseudoips prasinana; Oak Nycteoline Nycteola revayana; Nut-tree Tussock Colocasia coryli; Burnished Brass Diachrysia chrysitis; Golden Plusia Polychrysia moneta; Silver Y Autographa gamma; Beautiful Golden Y Autographa pulchrina; Plain Golden Y Autographa jota; Spectacle Abrostola tripartita; Clifden Nonpareil Catocala fraxini; Red Underwing Catocala nupta; Blackneck Lygephila pastinum; Herald Scoliopteryx libatrix; Beautiful Hook-tip Laspeyria flexula; Straw Dot Rivula sericealis; Waved Black Parascotia fuliginaria; Snout Hypena proboscidalis; Pinion-streaked; Snout Schrankia costaestrigalis; Fan-foot Herminia tarsipennalis; Small Fan-foot Herminia grisealis.

Appendix 3 - Ageing Hedgerows. The number of tree and shrub species present in a native hedgerow increases with time, through natural colonisation. In the 1970s Dr Max Hooper devised a method of estimating the age of a hedgerow by counting the number of woody species in a 100 ft (30.5 meters) length of hedge. This is referred to in ecological circles as ‘Hooper’s Law’: if you multiply the number of species present by 99 years and then deduct sixteen, this gives you a rough idea of the age of the hedge. The likelihood is that many remaining hedges in our Parish were planted around 300 years ago to define boundaries. Much older hedgerows are also present and are likely to represent either boundaries of ancient byways or remnants of ancient woodland. When ageing hedgerows, field observations need to be corroborated by reference to maps and literature.