Sittingbourne Town Centre and Milton Creek: Supplementary Planning Document Habitats Regulations Assessment Report February 2009 Prepared by: Dr. Graeme Down Graduate Ecologist Checked and Approved for Issue by: Dr. James Riley Senior Ecological Consultant Scott Wilson Scott House Alencon Link Basingstoke RG21 7PP Tel: +44 (0)1256 310200 Fax: +44 (0)1256 310201 Email:
[email protected] Sittingbourne and Milton Creek Appropriate Assessment Contents Report 1 Introduction 1 1.1 Current Legislation 1 1.2 Scope and objectives 2 2 Methodology 5 2.1 Key principles 5 2.2 Process 5 2.3 Likely Significant Effects (LSE) 6 2.4 Appropriate assessment and mitigation 6 2.5 Confirming other plans and projects that may act in combination 7 2.6 Physical scope of the assessment 11 2.7 Draft policies scoped into the assessment 11 3 Likely Significant Effects 13 3.1 Introduction 13 4 Blean Complex SAC 25 4.1 Introduction 25 4.2 Features of European Interest 25 4.3 Condition Assessment 25 4.4 Key Environmental Conditions 25 4.5 Potential Effects of the Plan 25 5 Medway Estuary and Marshes SPA and RAMSAR 27 5.1 Introduction 27 5.2 Features of European Interest 27 5.3 Features of International Interest: Ramsar criteria 27 5.4 Condition Assessment 28 5.5 Key Environmental Conditions 28 5.6 Potential Effects of the Plan 28 5.7 Avoidance and Mitigation 34 Sittingbourne and Milton Creek Appropriate Assessment Contents 6 North Downs Woodlands SAC 37 6.1 Introduction 37 6.2 Features of European Interest 37 6.3 Condition Assessment 37 6.4 Key Environmental