Ecological Assessment Land off New Line, Bacup

Report reference: BE-R-1096-01 September 2011

Report Title: Ecological Assessment Land off New Line, Bacup

Report Reference: BE-R-1096-01

Written by Michelle Dickinson BSc (Hons) MSc MIEEM Ecologist

Technical review: Peter James Brooks BSc (Hons) MA MIEEM CEnv Director

QA review: Peter James Brooks BSc (Hons) MA MIEEM CEnv Director

Approved for issue Peter James Brooks BSc (Hons) MA MIEEM CEnv Director

Date: 19.10.11

High Street House, 2 High Street, Yeadon, Leeds, LS19 7PP Phone 0113 250 6101 Fax 0113 250 6944 Email: [email protected] Registered in England Number 5351418 www.brooks-ecological.co.uk

Summary Statement

The site has been found to be of low conservation value.

There is potential for a badger sett to be present within 30m of the site, but not within it, and therefore a badger survey has been recommended. The application site itself holds no suitable habitat for any other protected species which may be present within the surrounding area and therefore no other further surveys at this point are required.

The site has been found to contain invasive species which will need to be removed by a licensed contractor.

General recommendations in terms of preventing impacts on the adjacent watercourse, as well as enhancing the site’s biodiversity are made in the report. Land off New Line, Bacup

Introduction

Brooks Ecological Ltd was commissioned by Harron Homes to carry out an ecological assessment of land off New Line, Bacup, Lancashire (SD 878215).

Figure 1: Application Site Boundary

Site Proposals

The proposal is for a residential development on previously developed land.

Potential impacts

The following potential impacts are highlighted and the report which follows sets out the significance of these impacts relative to the ecological value of the site and the potential presence of protected or notable species:

 Excavation and site clearance works  Effects on adjacent habitats

Desk Study

A desk study was carried out to identify species or habitats that are considered important in a local context and to identify any species recorded locally that may be associated with the application site. This information can be used to help target groups that need to be considered in more detail in order to identify the ecological baseline for the application site. 2

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Designated Sites

A search of the MAGIC website was undertaken. The MAGIC site is a Geographical Information System that contains all statutory (e.g. Sites of Scientific Interest [SSSI’s]) as well as many non-statutorily listed habitats (e.g. Ancient woodlands and grassland inventory sites). It is a valuable tool when considering the relationship of a potential development site with nearby important habitats.

There is one statutorily designated site for nature conservation within 2 km of the application site;

This is Lee Quarry Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) approximately 950m to the south-west of the application site. This site has been designated for its geological interest and is beyond the scope of this report.

Lancashire Environment Record Network has provided records for three locally designated sites within 2km of the application site, these are:

 Taddy Lodge Biological Heritage Site (BHS) – c1.2km south-east of the application site.  Reaps Moss BHS – c.1.4km north-east of the site.  Lee Quarry BHS – c.950m south-west.

Due to the nature of the proposed works, and distance from these sites, it is considered that no nationally or locally designated sites for nature conservation will be impacted on by the development.

English Nature Natural Area

The site falls within Natural Area 36 Southern Pennines

Natural area 36 is characterised by large scale sweeping landform with an open character created by exposed gritstone moors at an altitude of 400-450m, deeply trenched by narrow valleys and wooded cloughs. There are mosaics of mixed heather moorland and blanket bog with rough pasture.

The landscape contains habitats of European importance, being:

 Blanket bogs  Heather moorland  Wet heath

There are also ecologically-rich acid flushes, wooded cloughs and existing woodlands.

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The application site does not contain examples of the above significant habitats.

Local Biodiversity Action Plan

The site is covered by the Lancashire Biodiversity Action Plan. Under this BAP plans have been created for the species or groups listed in Table 1.

Table 1: Species Action Plans Species/group Potentially on site Likely to be significantly affected? Black-tailed Godwit No No Farmland Birds No No Hen Harrier No No Lapwing No No Reed Bunting No No Skylark No No Song Thrush No No Twite No No Bats No No Brown Hare No No Otters No No Red Squirrel No No Water Vole No No Great Crested Newt No No Natterjack Toad No No Belted Beauty Moth No No Dorus Profuges- a hoverfly No No High Brown Fritillary No No Large Heath Butterfly No No Northern Brown Argus No No Pearl-bordered Fritillary No No Shining Guest Ant No No Southern Wood Ant No No Wall Mason Bee No No Freshwater Pearl Mussel No No Freshwater White-clawed Crayfish No No Jennings Proboscis Worm No No Whorl Snails No No Birds-eye Primrose No No Black Poplar No No Dwarf Cornel No No Flat-Sedge No No Great Butterfly Orchid No No Lady's-slipper Orchid No No Lancaster Whitebeam No No Narrow Small-Reed No No Purple Ramping-fumitory No No Rock Sea Lavender No No Sea Bindweed No No

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Action plans have also been produced for the habitats in Table 2:

Table 2: Habitat Action Plans Habitat Present on site Likely to be significantly affected? Arable Farmland No No Broadleaved and Mixed Woodlands No No Calcareous Grassland No No Limestone Pavement No No Moorland and Fell No No Mossland No No Reedbed No No Rivers and Streams No No Salt Marsh and Estuarine Rivers No No Sand Dune No No Species-rich Neutral No No Grassland

Aerial Photography and Detailed Map Study

The site consists predominantly of marshy grassland colonising crushed hardcore. A stream runs through a steep-sided narrow gorge to the south of the site which enters a lake c.150m to the west.

The site is located along the southern edge of Bacup within the Rossendale Valley. To the west and east run linear villages containing a number of mills. To the south of the site rises the Pennine Moors supporting a number of quarries.

Records

The local Data holder, Lancashire Environment Record Network (LERN), was asked to provide information on protected or notable species within 2 km of the application site.

Records have been provided for badger c.1.6km north-east of the site and an unidentified newt species c.1.7km to the south-west, both in 1998. A number of records for priority species under the Lancashire Biodiversity Action Plan were also provided, being; raven, golden-ringed dragonfly, emperor dragonfly, merlin, common frog, heath spotted orchid, as well as a number of farmland birds including skylark, lapwing, curlew and twite. None of these records were from within the application site.

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Phase 1 Habitat Survey

Survey Method

The survey was carried out on the 14th September 2011 by an experienced field ecologist who is a full member of the Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (IEEM).

The survey followed a Phase 1 habitat survey methodology (JNCC, 1993) and was extended to assess faunal potential. This involves walking the site, mapping and describing different habitats (for example: woodland, grassland, scrub). Evidence of fauna and faunal habitat is also recorded (for example droppings, tracks or specialist habitat such as ponds for breeding amphibians). This modified approach to the Phase 1 survey is in accordance with the approach recommended by the Guidelines for Baseline Ecological Assessment (IEA, 1995).

Results

The application site comprises predominantly marshy grassland colonising crushed demolition material. There are a small number of scattered, young, broadleaved trees to the site edges and several piles of grassed, and bare, rubble to the eastern section. A small ponded area also exists within this section. The site is relatively level with a large depression colonised by coarse grasses in the western section. A culverted drain emerges into the site briefly at its northern boundary and is possibly linked to the culvert which emerges just south of the site.

Whilst Figure 1 shows there to be a number of buildings within the site, these are no longer present.

The site was found to support the following habitats:

 Marshy grassland  Culverted drain  Pond

Marshy Grassland

The site has been capped with crushed demolition material and since has become colonised by marshy grassland species and mosses (Figure 2). The vegetation across this site is sparse in places where uncolonised patches of hardcore are present.

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Common, coarse, grasses noted within this grassland include cocks-foot (Dactylis glomerata), tufted hair-grass (Deschampsia cespitosa), Yorkshire fog (Holcus lanata), sheeps fescue (Festuca ovina), timothy (Phleum pratense), canary reed grass (Phalaris arundinacea) creeping bent (Agrostis stolonifera) and other bent species (Agrostis spp.).

Marshy grassland species, such as rushes are abundant across the main body of the site including soft rush (Juncus effusus), compact rush (Juncus conglomeratus), jointed rush (Juncus articulatus), hard rush (Juncus inflexus) and marsh thistle (Cirsium palustre) as well as mosses including pointed spear moss (Calliergonella cuspidata).

Towards the depressed western section of the site the grassland becomes more rank with a higher diversity of forb and tall herb species (Figure 3). Abundant species recorded are creeping buttercup (Ranunculus repens) and black medic (Medicago lupulina); frequent species include dandelion (Taraxacum agg) and common horsetail (Equisetum arvense).

Tall herbs noted, particularly within this western section, were broad-leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius), common nettle (Urtica dioica), creeping thistle (Cirsium arvense), spear thistle (C. vulgare), rosebay willowherb (Epilobium angustifolium), common ragwort (Senecio jacobaea), ribbed melliot (Melilotus officinalis), mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris), foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) and teasel (Dipsacus fullonum sens. lat.).

Occasional and rarely recorded species include bristly ox-tongue (Picris echioides), common comfrey (Symphytum officinale), prickly sow thistle (Sonchus asper), flag iris (Iris pseudacorus), hedge bindweed (Calystegia sepium), colt’s- foot (Tussilago farfara), red clover (Trifolium pratense), zigzag clover (T. Medium), ribwort plantain (Plantago lanceolaa), greater plantain (P. major), broad-leaved willowherb (Epilobium montanum), nipplewort (Lapsana communis), lady’s mantle (Alchemilla sp.), bush vetch (Vicia sepium), tufted vetch (V. cracca), scentless mayweed (Tripleurospermum inodorum), self heal (Prunella vulgaris), red bartsia (Odontites vernus), water figwort (Scrophularia auriculata), herb robert (Geranium robertianum), meadow vetchling (Lathyrus pratensis), common bird’s-foot (Lotus corniculatus) and common mouse ear (Cerastium fontanum). Small patches of bramble (Rubus fruticosa agg.) and scattered buddleia (Buddleia davidii), willow (Salix sp.) and alder (Alnus glutinosa) samplings were also present.

This floristic community is typical of colonising wasteground although some species have colonised from the adjacent moor, such as the rushes and small patches of heather (Calluna vulgaris).

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Along the southern boundary adjacent to the residential houses are a small number of scattered trees including ash (Fraxinus excelsior), sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) and elder (Sambucus nigra) scrub.

Figure 2

Marshy grassland colonising crushed rubble across the site – looking eastwards.

Figure 3

Rank grassland within depression - western section of the application site.

Culverted Drain

A culverted drain emerges at the mid-northern section of the site from under the rear garden outwith the application site. Here the drain briefly enters the site for a few metres before running under the site. The drain at this point is located c.6m below the site level.

Pond

Within the eastern section of the site is a small, shallow pond measuring 8m x 5m (Figure 4). The water quality is poor with algae and fly-tipped material present. Bulrush (Typha latifolia) and rushes were noted within and around the pond.

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Figure 4

Ponded area to the eastern site boundary

Invasive species

Two species listed under Schedule 9 (Part 2) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended 2010) were noted within the application site. Along the northern boundary towards the west Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica) was present. This appears to have spread from the garden to the north.

Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) was also noted within the site along the southern boundary. This has colonised from the stream banks to the south of the site.

These species will need to be either completely destroyed on site or disposed of under specific conditions so that they cannot regenerate. The Environment Agency’s ‘Knotweed Code of Practice’ should be referred to with regards the removal of this species.

Fauna

Bats

There are no buildings within the application site and the trees present are too young to support potential roosting features. Furthermore, the limited size of the site and poorly developed vegetation will provide little in the way of foraging habitat for bats.

It should be noted however, that the narrow gorge to the south of the site, being sheltered and containing tree-lines and a stream, could support commuting and foraging bats. Moreover, the two stone bridges immediately south of the site spanning this gorge could potentially support roosting bats within the cracks in the stonework (Figure 5).

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Figure 5

Gaps within stonework which could potentially support roosting bats. One of two bridges adjacent to but outwith the application site.

Amphibians

The application site supports a single pond to the eastern boundary (Figure 4). This pond is assessed as having a ‘poor’ suitability for great crested newts. This is due to the fact that it is a small, isolated, pond which is likely to dry annually; the water quality is poor with algae but no macroinvertebrates noted; there is little suitable vegetation for egg laying, and the surrounding terrestrial habitat only provides limited cover in the more rank grass areas. The sparse and bare areas provide little cover for newts.

A study of aerial photographs and ordnance survey maps has highlighted six waterbodies within 500m of the site. The nearest is a reservoir c.95m east of the site. This is an isolated waterbody, in terms of newts, being completely surrounded by roads and houses. A lake is located c.117m west of the application site and is likely to support fish being connected to a number of streams. This would render the lake unsuitable for great crested newts as fish predate their larvae. The rest of the waterbodies within 500m of the site are located above 300m and receive water issued from the moors; and are therefore likely to have a low pH. Great crested newts are less often found in acid waters and at high altitudes.

As the waterbodies, within and outwith the site for 500m, are considered unlikely to support great crested newts, there are a lack of records for this species within the 2km search area and the nearest known population is c.10km from the application site, it is concluded that great crested newts are unlikely to be impacted on by the proposed works and no further survey for this species is deemed necessary.

Reptiles

There is no substantial habitat suitable for reptiles within the application site as there is no scrub cover and only limited rank grassland. There are also no records of reptiles within the 2km search area. It is therefore considered highly unlikely 10

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that reptiles will be impacted on by the proposed works and no further survey for these species will be required.

Birds

The site is deemed unlikely to support nesting birds. The bramble present is sparsely distributed and the trees are very young providing poor nesting habitat for scrub-nesting species.

Ground-nesting species are also unlikely to utilise the site as it is relatively narrow and located along a busy road. The presence of a large expanse of good quality ground-nesting habitat on the adjacent moors would also reduce the likelihood of the application site being used by such a bird assemblage.

Protected mammals

Badger

No evidence of badger was found on the site and it provides poor quality foraging habitat being on thin stony soils. Furthermore, there is no cover for a sett within the site.

Badgers are known to be present in the wider area with a record c.1.6km to the north-east. It is considered that the scrub and tree-lined, steep, bank immediately south of the application site could potentially support a sett. If works were to be carried out within 30m of a sett, if one were found along this bank, legislation for badger could potentially be contravened.

Otter

It is considered that otter are highly unlikely to be impacted on by the proposed development as; there are no records for otter within the 2km search area, the site holds no suitable couching habitat, and the stream to the south is relatively isolated being culverted for long stretches not far up and downstream. No further survey for this species will be needed.

Water vole

Whilst the stream to the south of the site is relatively isolated in terms of otter, it is substantial enough to support a remnant population of water vole. This stream supports well-vegetated, steep, earth banks which are favoured by water vole. Furthermore, this watercourse is connected to a lake which also provides suitable habitat for this species.

Whilst water vole may be present along the stream they are highly unlikely to utilise the stretch of drain within the application site, as it is only a few metres long 11

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and culverted from the stream for c.70m before emerging within the site. The proposed works will be c.15m from the stream and therefore will not impact on any water vole or their burrows which may be present there.

White-clawed crayfish

This species is highly unlikely to be supported by the watercourse within the application site, and water quality protection measures will ensure that the stream to the south of the site is not impacted upon. No white-clawed crayfish surveys are therefore required.

Evaluation and Recommendations

The site is assessed as being of low ecological value as it predominately consists of sparse marshy grassland colonising crushed hardcore. There is a small polluted pond present and a limited area of coarse grassland of little nature conservation interest.

In terms of evaluating the impact of the development proposals set against this baseline the following possible issues need to be addressed:

Further survey for badger

There is potential for a badger sett to be present within 30m of the site along the wooded bank to the south of the site. As there is potential for ground-works to excavate within 30m of this bank and therefore any setts that may be present a presence/absence survey for badger will be required prior to works. If a sett is found to be present a conservation license from Natural England may be required prior to works; this will ensure appropriate mitigation is put in place to prevent contravention of legislation afforded badgers.

Protection of adjacent stream

In order to prevent the works impacting on the stream adjacent to the application site, and any communities it may support, current best practice guidelines will be required in relation to preventing run off of pollution or sediment entering this watercourse. All works, procedures and precautions should be in line with Pollution Prevention Guidelines, particularly PPG5 ‘Works and Maintenance in or Near Water’ and PPG6 ‘Working at Construction and Demolition Sites’, published by the Environment Agency. These set out the legal requirements and good practise for works in or near watercourses in order to prevent environmental damage.

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Precautionary measures for bats

The site itself does not hold any structures or trees which could support a bat roost. The two stone bridges adjacent to the site to the south do however support gaps within the stonework which could be utilised by roosting bats. The watercourse and tree-line running under these bridges could also support commuting and foraging bats.

Plans for the site should aim to buffer this potential wildlife corridor through appropriate planting and the direction of lighting away from the stream and bridges. If temporary or permanent artificial lighting is likely to affect either bridge further survey to determine the presence/absence of a bat roost will be required prior to works.

Control of invasive species

It is an offence to cause or allow the spread of invasive plants on Schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981) (as amended). The Himalayan balsam and Japanese knotweed should therefore only be removed from the site with care and by a suitable contractor.

General Guidance

In line with planning guidance PPS9 opportunities should be sought to enhance the site for wildlife. The site currently holds little wildlife interest there is therefore scope to improve the site in the following ways: In order to buffer the tree-line and stream to the south and to enhance this wildlife corridor native planting could be included along the southern boundary within the landscaping plans. This could be either a line of native trees or a native hawthorn hedgerow.

The site could be enhanced for bat species by erecting artificial bat roosting boxes on the south-east and south-western facing elevations of the new builds. It should be ensured that a clear emergence path is given beneath the erected roosting feature. This could be either a bat brick incorporated into the wall beneath the eaves or a raised roof tile leading to an internal bat box within the roof void; (Suggest Envisage code 0608 or equivalent*).

To encourage prey species for bats it is also recommended that night-scented plants are incorporated into gardens and amenity planting areas. Species which could be included are: night scented stock, evening primrose, honeysuckle, knapweed, honesty, cornflower, field poppy, oxeye daisy, yarrow and mallow.

To enhance the site for breeding birds it is recommended that bird boxes are erected on the new builds for declining bird species such as the house sparrow, starling and swift e.g. Envisage code 0107* (house martin), Envisage code 0902* 13

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(sparrow) and Envisage code 1081* (starling) could be used in suitable locations beneath the eaves of buildings.

References

IEA. (1995). Guidelines for Baseline Ecological Assessment. Chapman and Hall

Nature Conservation Committee (1990). Handbook for Phase 1 Habitat Survey: A technique for environmental audit. NCC

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