Homes and Communities Agency Northstowe Phase 2 Environmental Statement F4 URS Protected Species Report 2012 Page F4 | | Northstowe Protected Species Report July 2013 47062979 Prepared for: Homes and Communities Agency UNITED KINGDOM & IRELAND REVISION RECORD Rev Date Details Prepared by Reviewed by Approved by 2 December Version 2 Rachel Holmes Steve Muddiman Steve Muddiman 2012 Principal Associate Associate Environmental Ecologist Ecologist Consultant 4 January Version 4 Rachel Holmes Steve Muddiman Steve Muddiman 2013 Principal Associate Associate Environmental Ecologist Ecologist Consultant 5 July 2013 Version 5 Rachel Holmes Steve Muddiman Steve Muddiman Principal Associate Associate Environmental Ecologist Ecologist Consultant URS Infrastructure & Environment UK Limited St George’s House, 5 St George’s Road Wimbledon, London SW19 4DR United Kingdom PROTECTED SPECIES REPORT 2 2013 Limitations URS Infrastructure & Environment UK Limited (“URS”) has prepared this Report for the sole use of Homes and Communities Agency (“Client”) in accordance with the Agreement under which our services were performed (proposal dated 7th April and 23 rd July 2012). No other warranty, expressed or implied, is made as to the professional advice included in this Report or any other services provided by URS. This Report is confidential and may not be disclosed by the Client nor relied upon by any other party without the prior and express written agreement of URS. The conclusions and recommendations contained in this Report are based upon information provided by others and upon the assumption that all relevant information has been provided by those parties from whom it has been requested and that such information is accurate. Information obtained by URS has not been independently verified by URS, unless otherwise stated in the Report. The methodology adopted and the sources of information used by URS in providing its services are outlined in this Report. The work described in this Report was undertaken between April and October 2012 and is based on the conditions encountered and the information available during the said period of time. The scope of this Report and the services are accordingly factually limited by these circumstances. Where assessments of works or costs identified in this Report are made, such assessments are based upon the information available at the time and where appropriate are subject to further investigations or information which may become available. URS disclaim any undertaking or obligation to advise any person of any change in any matter affecting the Report, which may come or be brought to URS’ attention after the date of the Report. Certain statements made in the Report that are not historical facts may constitute estimates, projections or other forward- looking statements and even though they are based on reasonable assumptions as of the date of the Report, such forward-looking statements by their nature involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results predicted. URS specifically does not guarantee or warrant any estimate or projections contained in this Report. Where field investigations are carried out, these have been restricted to a level of detail required to meet the stated objectives of the services. The results of any measurements taken may vary spatially or with time and further confirmatory measurements should be made after any significant delay in issuing this Report. Copyright © This Report is the copyright of URS Infrastructure & Environment UK Limited. Any unauthorised reproduction or usage by any person other than the addressee is strictly prohibited. PROTECTED SPECIES REPORT 3 2013 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION ................................ ............................... 6 1.1 Background ...................................................................... 6 1.1.1 Previous Ecology Surveys .............................................. 6 1.2 Scope of Work .................................................................. 7 1.3 Relevant Legislative and Biodiversity Context ............. 7 1.3.1 Biodiversity Action Plans (BAP) .................................... 7 1.3.2 Breeding Birds ................................................................. 8 1.3.3 Bats ................................................................................... 9 1.3.4 Water Vole and Otter ....................................................... 9 1.3.5 Badger ............................................................................... 9 1.3.6 Great Crested Newt .......................................................... 9 1.3.7 Reptiles ............................................................................. 9 1.3.8 Invertebrates .................................................................... 9 1.3.9 Plants .............................................................................. 10 1.3.10 Other Mammals .............................................................. 10 2 METHODOLOGY ............................................................ 10 2.1 Breeding Bird Survey .................................................... 10 2.2 Bat Activity Survey ........................................................ 11 2.3 Water Vole and Otter Survey ........................................ 13 2.4 Badger Survey ................................................................ 13 2.5 Great Crested Newt Survey .......................................... 13 2.6 Reptile Survey ................................................................ 14 2.7 Aquatic-Invertebrate Survey ......................................... 15 2.8 Butterfly Survey ............................................................. 15 2.9 Moth Survey ................................................................... 16 3 RESULTS ........................................................................ 16 3.1 Breeding Bird Survey .................................................... 16 3.2 Bat Activity Survey ........................................................ 21 3.3 Water Vole and Otter Survey ........................................ 22 3.4 Badger Survey ................................................................ 23 3.5 Great Crested Newts...................................................... 25 3.6 Reptiles ........................................................................... 26 3.7 Aquatic Macro-Invertebrates ........................................ 27 3.8 Butterfly Survey ............................................................. 35 3.9 Moth Survey ................................................................... 38 3.10 Other Mammals .............................................................. 39 4 SUMMARY ...................................................................... 39 PROTECTED SPECIES REPORT 4 2013 APPENDIX 1. FIGURES ................................ ................................ .... 41 APPENDIX 2. CONFIDENTIAL FIGURES ........................................ 41 APPENDIX 3. CONSULTATION LOG .............................................. 41 REFERENCES ................................................................................... 42 PROTECTED SPECIES REPORT 5 2013 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background The site comprises an area of approximately 740ha of land at Longstanton, Cambridgeshire (hereafter referred to as ‘the site’) and is centred on Ordnance Survey (OS) grid reference TL404651. The site is a complex of green field and previously developed land, part of which was formerly used as a military barracks and airfield known as Oakington Barracks; however, the majority of buildings associated with the barracks have been demolished. There are two parcels of land to the north of Rampton Road, known as Magdalene Road and Brookfield Farm. The remainder of the site, the southern area, comprises a large area of farmland, primarily used for arable crops. A range of buildings and structures are present in this area (see Figure 1 for site layout). The Homes and Communities Agency intends to seek planning permission for Phase 2 of the new town of Northstowe. The application will comprise a residential led development (hereafter referred to as the ‘proposed development’) with associated employment areas, schools, town and local centres and sports and community facilities, associated infrastructure and landscaping. This protected species report has been prepared by URS Infrastructure & Environment UK Limited (URS) to inform a planning application for Phase 2 of the new town of Northstowe. 1.1.1 Previous Ecology Surveys Ecology surveys have been undertaken at the site since 2003 and the historic ecology reports have informed the scope of works undertaken in respect of protected species. Whilst it should be noted that the site boundary has changed between these surveys and the 2012 URS survey, and some of the records in the historical reports are outside of the current site boundary, the results of these surveys are of some relevance to the current planning application. Bat activity surveys undertaken in 2007 identified at least six species of bat using the site and its immediate surrounds, these were; common pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus , noctule Nyctalus noctula , serotine Eptesicus serotinus , brown long-eared Plecotus auritus , Myotis Myotis sp., soprano pipistrelle Pipistrellus pygmaeus and possibly Leisler’s Nyctalus leisleri . Several common pipistrelle and brown long-eared roosts were recorded within buildings on the site. The majority of these