BRISTOL ZOO, CAR PARK (WEST)

ECOLOGICAL REPORT

For

BRISTOL, CLIFTON & WEST OF ENGLAND ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY LTD

FEBRUARY 2021

BRISTOL ZOO, CAR PARK WEST ECOLOGICAL REPORT 1 INTRODUCTION This report summarises the findings of a field survey and a data search covering an area currently used as a car park off College Road, Clifton. It also assesses the nature conservation value of the site and identifies potential impacts associated with proposals to redevelop the site. 2 METHODS Extended Phase 1 Surveys were carried out on 8th January and 19th January 2021. The surveys covered vegetation types and plant species, birds, some groups of and badgers. Trees were checked, using binoculars, for holes, crevices and other features that might support roosting bats. Buildings were checked, using binoculars, a ladder and a torch where appropriate, for signs of roosting bats and for features that might be used by roosting bats. Habitat potential for other protected species was assessed. A data search was carried out at Bristol Regional Environmental Records Centre (BRERC), who provided details of designated sites, protected species and notable species recorded within 500m of the survey site. 3 SURVEY RESULTS 3.1 Site Description The survey site is currently in use as a car park and ancillary gardens yard. It is largely unvegetated ballast, with narrow beds of ornamental shrub planting separating some of the bays. Some of these beds have sapling or immature trees and there are larger conifer trees on the margins of the site. The site includes two buildings and several outbuildings. The site is in an urban setting and neither the survey site nor any adjacent area has any nature conservation designation. However, the Clifton Downs Site of Nature Conservation Interest (SNCI) is within 100m of the application site, to the north. The nearest part of the Avon Gorge Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Avon Gorge Special Area of Conservation (SAC) is just over 100m to the west. The application site is separated from both Clifton Down and the Avon Gorge by housing and well-used roads. 3.2 Vegetation The areas described below are shown on the attached map. A plant species list is attached as appendix 1. Most of the site has ballast that is in regular use for car parking and is unvegetated. Small areas around the edges of the car park have very sparse ruderal vegetation,

1 which includes groundsel (Senecio vulgaris), petty spurge (Euphorbia peplus) and growths of moss species, which are locally dense and include Didymodon insulanus, Bryum capillare and Barbula convoluta. Trees planted between car parking bays are largely non-native but include immature silver birch (Betula pendula) and hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna). There is a self- sown immature sallow (Salix x reichardtii) in the south-western part of the site. The three larger trees on the margins of the site are all non-native conifers. Several of the boundary walls have a mixture of ornamental planting and self-sown bramble (Rubus fruticosus agg) and holm oak (Quercus ilex). Species associated with these areas include very small quantities of ivy broomrape (Orobanche hederae) and madder (); the locations of these plants are shown on the attached map. There is a small length of planted hedge in the northern part of the site. This consists of beech (Fagus sylvatica), holly (Ilex aquifolium) and holm oak, with an associated ground flora of Atlantic ivy (Hedera hibernica) and bramble (Rubus fruticosus agg). 3.3 Protected Species No badger sett or other signs of badger activity were found. None of the trees on the site has any hole, crevice or similar feature that could be used by roosting bats. There are two buildings on the site. The north-eastern building has a combination of pebble dash and stone walls; the latter are well-pointed. It has a tile roof; tiles are in good condition and close-fitting. The interior of the building, which is in use as a storeroom, is open to the roof. There is no separate roof space and the whole of the interior is well lit through windows and skylights. The other building has walls of well-pointed brick with well-fitting and snug window and door frames. It has a flat roof with a bitumen covering. The interior of the building is in regular use as an office; there is no separate roof space. There are several outbuildings associated with this building. All of these were checked for signs of and none was found. Further details are given in the Assessment section below. 3.4 Birds and Insects The only bird species recorded on the survey site were robin, blackbird and great tit. Species recorded in adjacent gardens were herring gull, wood pigeon, blue tit, coal tit, goldcrest, blackcap, dunnock, redwing, magpie, jackdaw, robin, goldfinch and house sparrow. Due to the timing of the surveys the only insects recorded were larval leafmines as follows: Phytomyza ilicis fly and Phyllonorycter leucographella, Phyllonorycter maestingella and asinalis .

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3.5 Adjacent Areas The areas adjoining the site consist of a mixture of houses, roads and gardens, some of which are well-established and include large trees. The closest part of the Clifton Down SNCI has a mixture of amenity grassland, scrub and woodland, with small areas of species-rich grassland around rock outcrops on steeper slopes. The closest part of the Avon Gorge SSSI has secondary woodland although there are more important habitats, including limestone grassland and crevice communities with assemblages of rare plants, within 300m of the application site. 3.6 Data Search BRERC does not hold any records of protected or notable species from the site itself. There are many records from the surrounding area; most of these relate to bird species that remain common or widespread but are of conservation concern due to steep population declines but there are also records of notable plant and species from the Avon Gorge and parts of Clifton Down. These include records of nationally rare and scarce species. Records of protected species in the surrounding area are the following:

Slow worm: From the edge of the Avon Gorge, approximately 350m to the west, in 2015; from a site approximately 350m to the south, in 2018. Badger: From several sites on the Downs and along the edges of the Gorge. Hedgehog: There is a small number of records of this species from the edges of the Avon Gorge. Common toad: From within the zoo, approximately 150m to the east, in 2019. Great crested newt: From Whiteladies Road, approximately 750m to the north-east, in 1999. Common pipstrelle bat: From a site approximately 550m to the south, in 2013; from a site approximately 400m to the south-east, in 2011. Soprano pipistrelle bat: From a site approximately 550m to the south, in 2013. Brown long-eared bat: A roost is present in the Avon Gorge. Noctule bat: From a site approximately 550m to the south, in 2013. Serotine bat: From a site approximately 150m to the north, in 2011. Greater and lesser horseshoe bats: Roosts of both species are present in the Avon Gorge. Leisler’s bat: From within the zoo, approximately 100m to the east, in 1998; from a site approximately 450m to the south, in 1993. 4 ASSESSMENT The biodiversity value of the various features on the site has been assessed in order to determine whether they are of nature conservation value in a national, regional or city-wide context, of either high or low value in a local context, or of minimal nature conservation value. The assessment has used standard ecological criteria, such as

3 diversity, rarity, fragility and amenity value. Reference has been made to suitable guidance, including the 2006 NERC Act and the UK and Bristol Biodiversity Action Plans (BAPs). The value of the site for groups not surveyed, including many invertebrates, has been assessed using information gathered on habitat type and structure. The survey was carried out early in the year, but given the nature of the habitats on site the information gathered is sufficient to allow a full assessment to be made. 4.1 Habitats Most of the site is unvegetated, and other areas have small quantities of common and widespread species. Regular use of the site as a car park does not allow any significant value for invertebrates. These areas are of minimal nature conservation value. The trees on the site, with the exception of the sallow, have all been planted and most are non-native species. They are isolated from any extensive areas of wooded habitat. They are of some ecological value but are not of any significance in a wider context. The most valuable of the trees from a biodiversity point of view is the sallow, since this species provides early nectar and is also a larval foodplant for many insect species. There are no ecologically significant trees or areas of scrub on the site. Two of the plant species recorded on the site – ivy broomrape and madder – are Avon Notable Species and also have a restricted distribution nationally, although both are fairly widespread in this part of Bristol. The micro- Mecyna asinalis, which feeds only on madder, is also present and is also an uncommon species. The populations of these three species are of high nature conservation importance in a local context. 4.2 Protected Species Due to the absence of vegetation across most of the site and the tall walls that surround it, broken only by gateways, it is unsuitable for most protected species. None of the trees on or around the site has holes, crevices or dense growths of ivy that could be used by roosting bats. The buildings on site are not suitable for roosting bats. The building on College Road is well-illuminated through windows and skylights, is in active use as a storeroom and has no loft or other enclosed space. Its walls lack holes ort crevices, tiles are well- fitted and there are no gaps around window or door frames. The building on Cecil Road is flat-roofed and lacks any roof space. Its walls and roof are of modern construction and are well-sealed. There are no potential bat foraging habitats on the site, or bat commuting routes, due to the lack of vegetation and the high level of lighting from adjacent roads and housing. The survey site does not have potential value for other protected species. There are no areas of vegetation on the site that could be used by reptiles, or as a terrestrial habitat for amphibians. There are no areas of cover that could be used by

4 hedgehog, and the walls around the edges of the site make it inaccessible to this species. 4.3 Invasive Species There are small quantities of cotoneaster on the site; these include Cotoneaster microphyllum and Cotoneaster horizantalis, which are included on Schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act. 5 IMPACTS 5.1 Habitats The application site is separated from the designated sites in the surrounding area by significant areas of residential development and by well-used roads. There is no direct access from the application site to any of the designated sites and the increase in population as a result of the development would not add significantly to the number of people using the wider area. There would be no impact, either direct or indirect, on any designated site. Loss of the small populations of ivy broomrape and madder would have a minor adverse impact, but the proposed layout retains the areas of the site that support these two species. The loss of the sallow tree would have a minor adverse impact. Redevelopment of the remainder of the site would not have any significant ecological impact. 5.2 Protected Species No impact on any protected species has been detected. The area surrounding the site is currently well-lit and potential light spill from the application site will not impact on any significant area that is currently dark. Birds may nest in the trees and shrubs on the and measures to prevent damage to occupied birds’ nests during works would be required. 5.3 Invasive Species The Wildlife and Countryside Act makes it illegal to release into the wild plants that are listed on Schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, which includes species of cotoneaster that are found in small quantity on the survey site. The main means of spread of cotoneaster is transport of berries from gardens into the wild by birds. However, measures to prevent works introducing cotoneaster to new sites would be required. 6 MITIGATION AND FURTHER SURVEY 6.1 Habitats The populations of ivy broomrape and madder will be retained; both are within the root protection zones of retained trees. These areas should be protected using robust

5 fencing during construction works. In the longer term an area should be left undisturbed around both plants to allow them to spread. In the case of the broomrape the host plant (Atlantic ivy) should be allowed to spread under the retained trees adjacent. The loss of the sallow and other trees on the site will be mitigated through replacement planting of native tree and shrub species. The impact of the loss of other habitats is negligible and further mitigation would not be required. 6.2 Protected Species In order to avoid the destruction of occupied birds’ nests any removal of trees and scrub (including bramble and ivy) should take place between 1st September and 28th February. If this is not possible then the area must be checked by an ecologist before works commence. If active nests are found then the area (as defined by the ecologist) must be left undisturbed until a further check has shown it be clear of occupied nests. No other mitigation for protected species is required. 6.3 Invasive Species Before works commence a method statement to avoid contributing to the spread of cotoneaster should be drawn up. 7 ENHANCEMENT

The redevelopment of the site brings opportunities for enhancement of ecological value, although some of the existing constraints will remain: for example, the walls that surround the site will remain, and enhancement measures for hedgehog are therefore not viable.

Planting on the western margins of the site will include native shrub species and areas of wildflower lawn, which will be of value to a range of insect species and to priority bird species such as dunnock and song thrush.

Elsewhere planting on the site will include species that are of value for wildlife, including priority species. These will include berry-bearing trees and shrubs; trees that are either native or are closely related to native species (such as ornamental Malus and Pyrus spp, which support most of the insects supported by native species; and nectar-rich herbaceous plants that are of value to pollinating insects such as bumblebees.

The Bristol population of swifts has declined substantially, in line with national declines, largely due to the loss of suitable nest sites as buildings have been improved. The provision of artificial nesting sites, in the form of boxes, bricks or tiles, has been shown to be effective in reversing this decline and is recommended here. Nest sites should be positioned as high as possible, and preferably under eaves, on a north-

6 facing wall with clear flight lines. Swift boxes will be provided on buildings as shown on the attached map.

Bird and bat boxes will also be fitted to trees on the site and provision for insects such as solitary bees will be made either by incorporating suitable crevices into walls or by providing insect hotels.

Green roofs and living walls will be provided and will provide additional habitat for invertebrates in the form of shelter, nectar sources and larval foodplants. They will complement other habitats on and around the site and will increase the potential of the site to support priority species, including various bees and moths.

Rupert Higgins

Wessex Ecological Consultancy

10th February 2021

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Maps 1 and 2: Existing site conditions

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Map 3: Site Proposals

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Appendix 1: Plant Species Recorded

Grasses Agrostis stolonifera Creeping bent R Hordeum murinum Wall barley R Lolium perenne Perennial rye-grass R Poa annua Annual meadow-grass R Poa trivialis Rough-stalked meadow-grass R

Herbs Allium triquetrum Three-cornered leek R Aphanes arvensis Parsley piert R Bellis perennis Common daisy R Campanula poscharskyana Trailing bellflower R Cardamine hirsuta Hairy bittercress R Carex pendula Pendulous sedge R Centranthus ruber Red valerian R Cymbalaria muralis Ivy-leaved toadflax R Epilobium montanum Broad-leaved willowherb R Erigeron floribundus Bilbao’s fleabane R Euphorbia pelus Petty spurge R Geranium robertianum Herb robert R Geum urbanum Wood avens R Lapsana communis Nipplewort R Myosotis arvensis Common forget-me-not R Orobanche hederae Ivy broomrape R Pentaglottis sempervirens Evergreen alkanet R Pseudofumaria lutea Yellow corydalis R Rubia peregrina Madder R Sagina procumbens Procumbent pearlwort R Senecio vulgaris Groundsel R Trifolium dubium Lesser trefoil R Veronica persica Common field speedwell R Veronica serpyllifolia Thyme-leaved speedwell R Mosses Amblystegium serpens R Bryum argenteum R Bryum capillare R Bryum dichotomum R Calliergonella cuspidata R Didymodon fallax R Didymodon insulanus R Didymodon vinealis R Orthotrichum affine R Orthotrichum diaphanum R Phascum cuspidatum R Rhynchostegium confertum R Tortula muralis R

Abundance code: D – dominant; A – abundant; F – frequent; O – occasional; R – rare; L – locally.

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