LAND ADJACENT AND WITHIN FINCHES FARM, STANSTED PRELIMINARY ECOLOGICAL APPRAISAL REPORT Date of report 2nd October 2020 Date of survey 26th August 2020 Author Jenny Passmore Reviewer Becky Clover Client Name Jo Middelboe Corylus reference 20104 CORYLUS ECOLOGY Unit A3 Speldhurst Business Park, Langton Road, Speldhurst, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. TN3 0NR Telephone: 01892 861868 Email: [email protected] Director: H G Wrigley (née Lucking) BSc. MIEEM, CIEEM Corylus Ecology Ltd Registered in England No 5005553 Registered Office: Henwood House, Henwood, Ashford Kent TN24 8DH VAT Reg No. 862 2486 14 CORYLUS ECOLOGY __________________________________________________________________________________________ CONTENTS Page Number 1.0 Introduction 1 2.0 Methodology 2 3.0 Results 4 4.0 Evaluation 9 5.0 Conclusions 15 References Figures Figure 1 – Phase 1 Habitat Plan Figure 2 - Annotated Photographs Appendices Appendix 1 – Bat Legislation Appendix 2 – Sensitive Lighting Guidance 20104 LAND ADJACENT AND WITHIN FINCHES FARM PEA REPORT, OCTOBER 2020 CORYLUS ECOLOGY __________________________________________________________________________________________ 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Corylus Ecology was asked to undertake an ecology survey of land adjacent and within Finches Farm in Stansted, Kent. The Site is located on Labour-in-Vain Road, to the north-west of Wrotham village in Kent (TQ 60031 60516) and the proposals are to demolish the existing outbuildings to make way for a residential dwelling. 1.2 The Site includes five outbuilding structures which are centred around an area of ruderal vegetation and there is an overgrown hedgerow along the northern boundary. 1.3 The PEA was undertaken by Corylus Ecology on 26th August 2020. The survey includes a Phase I Habitat Survey, which provides information relating to the habitats within the Site, and a Protected Species Assessment, which identifies potential for protected species and informs the need for further protected species surveys. The Protected Species Assessment includes a Bat Building Survey, which aims to identify any evidence of and potential for roosting bats during daylight hours. 1.4 The objectives of the survey were as follows: Classify and map the habitats within the Site according to those within the Phase I manual; Determine the potential for protected species to occur within the Site, including an assessment of the buildings for potential to support bats; Identify key ecological constraints to allow early avoidance or minimisation of ecological effects through appropriate design; Suggest appropriate further protected surveys where necessary; and Suggest measures to maintain and enhance biodiversity. 20104 LAND ADJACENT AND WITHIN FINCHES FARM 1 PEA REPORT, OCTOBER 2020 CORYLUS ECOLOGY __________________________________________________________________________________________ 2.0 METHODOLOGY 2.1 Preliminary Desk Study 2.1.1 A preliminary search within 3km of the Site was undertaken for designated areas, priority habitats, and European Protected Species Mitigation (EPSM) licences using the Multi-Agency Geographic Information for the Countryside (MAGIC) interactive mapping service (Defra, 2020). Records from the local biological records centre were not sought due to the relatively small scale of the Site and proposals. 2.2 Bat and Barn Owl Building Survey 2.2.1 All buildings were subject to an external and internal survey on 26th August 2020. The survey was undertaken by Jenny Passmore (licence number 2016-23195-CLS-CLS) and Becky Clover (licence number 2017-28806-CLS-CLS) of Corylus Ecology. 2.2.2 The external survey of the buildings included an assessment of areas for potential for bats and a search for evidence such as droppings and staining immediately below potential roost areas, at the base of the buildings and on window sills. The interior of the buildings was surveyed for evidence of bats including droppings, staining and bats themselves. Bat droppings were searched for on the top of beams (where they are less likely to have been disturbed/damaged) as well as on the ground below. A high powered Clulite torch was used in the search. An endoscope with halogen light, which can fit into cavities only 9.5mm wide, was used to look for signs of bats in any accessible cavities. Buildings are placed into one of the four categories of bat roost potential: High, Moderate, Low and Negligible, as described in Table 1 below (Collins, 2016). 2.2.3 The building survey included an assessment of breeding bird potential, including potential for barn owl nesting locations such as ledges, and a search for evidence including pellets, feathers and staining. 2.3 Phase I Survey 2.3.1 The Site was subject to a Phase I Habitat Survey on 26th August 2020. The habitats present on the Site were mapped in accordance with the ‘Handbook for Phase I Habitat Survey’ (JNCC, 2003). Habitat areas and features of topographical and/or ecological interest were described in the form of target notes (TN). These were later used to create botanical species lists by target note area and also to create a colour coded Phase I Habitat map, which is presented as Figure 1. All nomenclature follows Stace (2019). 2.3.2 The Phase I Habitat Survey also includes the mapping of invasive botanical species listed under Schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, as well as those classed as rare or declining. 20104 LAND ADJACENT AND WITHIN FINCHES FARM 2 PEA REPORT, OCTOBER 2020 CORYLUS ECOLOGY __________________________________________________________________________________________ However, some species are seasonally constrained, and therefore may not be visible on a single visit. Likewise, the presence of densely vegetated habitats may restrict access and invasive species therefore may not be recorded. 2.4 Protected Species Assessment 2.4.1 The survey included an assessment of the potential for the Site to support protected species. This type of survey aims to assess the potential for protected species to occur due to the habitats present and does not include any species-specific survey methods designed to demonstrate whether the Site is in fact used by such species. The exception is badgers Meles meles as field signs associated with this species can be searched for, including latrines, holes, pushes, paths and hairs. Bat Tree and Habitat Assessment 2.4.2 As part of the protected species assessment, a ground level investigation of all suitable trees was carried out to identify bat potential. Bats may use any crack or hole (such as woodpecker holes), splits or flaking bark and ivy (JNCC, 2004). 2.4.3 In addition, the on-site habitats were assessed for their suitability to support foraging and commuting bats. Trees, buildings and habitats were placed into one of four categories; High, Moderate, Low or Negligible (Collins, 2016): Table 1: Bat Habitat Assessment Criteria Negligible Habitat/structure with negligible features likely to be used by roosting, foraging or commuting bats. Low A habitat/structure that could be used by small numbers of roosting or commuting bats, such as a gappy hedgerow or unvegetated stream, but isolated - i.e. not very well connected to the surrounding landscape by other habitat. Moderate Continuous habitat connected to the wider landscape that could be used by bats for commuting and foraging, such as lines of trees and scrub or linked back gardens. A structure with one or more potential roost sites that could be used by bats, but are unlikely to support a roost of high conservations status. High Continuous, high quality habitat that is well connected to the wider landscape that is likely to be used regularly by commuting bats, such as river valleys, hedgerows, lines of trees and woodland edge. A structure with one or more potential roost sites that are suitable for a large number of bats on a regular basis and for a longer period of time. 20104 LAND ADJACENT AND WITHIN FINCHES FARM 3 PEA REPORT, OCTOBER 2020 CORYLUS ECOLOGY __________________________________________________________________________________________ 3.0 RESULTS 3.1 Preliminary Desk Study Sites of Special Scientific Interest 3.1.1 Halling to Trottiscliffe Escarpment SSSI is a 648ha area of the North Downs, 1.8km to the east of the Site. The SSSI is representative of a mosaic of chalk habitats with outstanding assemblages of plants and invertebrates. The downland is no longer grazed and only small areas remain on the south-facing slope. The grassland is dominated by upright brome Bromus erectus, sheep’s fescue Festuca ovina, dwarf thistle Cirsium acaule, chalk milkwort Polygala calcarea, clustered bellflower Campanula glomerata, horseshoe vetch Hippocrepis comosa, and several species of orchid including the scarce musk orchid Herminium monorchis and man orchid Aceras anthropophorum. The area is of great entomological importance. It is the only known location in Britain for the moth Hypercallia citrinalis and several other very scarce moths, beetles and grasshoppers also occur. The Site is within the Impact Risk Zone of this SSSI, however this only applies to industrial operations and small residential developments are exempt. European Protected Species Licence Records 3.1.2 Regarding records of protected species, there is a great crested newt (GCN) Triturus cristatus record from a location 2.7km to the south of the Site for a class licence return, in May 2017. A GCN licence was also granted in 2009 for a nearby location, 2.7km to the south beyond the M20 and M26 motorway. A bat EPS licence was granted August 2011 to August 2012 for a non-breeding roost of common pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus, for a location 2.7km to the north-west. A licence covering a non-breeding roost of common pipistrelle, brown long-eared Plecotus auritus and Natterer’s bat Myotis nattereri was granted March 2012 to December 2014 for a location 2.2km to the south-west. Regarding dormice Muscardinus avellarius, there is an EPS licence granted for the period September 2009 to March 2010 for a location 2.7km to the south. Habitats 3.1.3 There are fragments of ancient woodland in the immediate vicinity, the nearest being an area of 0.29ha which is situated 165m to the west.