Barton Road PEA FINAL 21 04 2017Test
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THE CROWN ESTATE LAND EAST OF BARTON ROAD, LUTON PRELIMINARY ECOLOGICAL APPRAISAL MARCH 2017 Wardell Armstrong Sir Henry Doulton House, Forge Lane, Etruria, Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 5BD, United Kingdom Telephone: +44 (0)845 111 7777 Facsimile: +44 (0)845 111 8888 www.wardell-armstrong.com DATE ISSUED: MARCH 2017 JOB NUMBER: ST16002 REPORT NUMBER: 001 THE CROWN ESTATE LAND EAST OF LAND EAST OF BARTON ROAD, LUTON PRELIMINARY ECOLOGICAL APPRAISAL MARCH 2017 PREPARED BY: Katherine Morley Ecologist Emily MacFarlan Ecologist REVIEWED BY: Suzanne Wykes Associate Director (Ecology) APPROVED BY: Chris House Director This report has been prepared by Wardell Armstrong LLP with all reasonable skill, care and diligence, within the terms of the Contract with the Client. The report is confidential to the Client and Wardell Armstrong LLP accepts no responsibility of whatever nature to third parties to whom this report may be made known. No part of this document may be reproduced without the prior written approval of Wardell Armstrong LLP. ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY INFRASTRUCTURE AND UTILITIES Wardell Armstrong is the trading name of Wardell Armstrong LLP, Registered in England No. OC307138. LAND AND PROPERTY MINING AND MINERAL PROCESSING Registered office: Sir Henry Doulton House, Forge Lane, Etruria, Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 5BD, United Kingdom MINERAL ESTATES AND QUARRYING UK Offices: Stoke-on-Trent, Birmingham, Cardiff, Carlisle, Edinburgh, Greater Manchester, London, Newcastle upon Tyne, Penryn, Sheffield, Truro, West Bromwich. International Offices: Almaty, Moscow WASTE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT THE CROWN ESTATE LAND EAST OF BARTON ROAD, LUTON PRELIMINARY ECOLOGICAL APPRAISAL CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .......................................................................................................... 4 1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 5 1.1 Terms of Reference ................................................................................................. 5 1.2 Site Context ............................................................................................................ 6 2 METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................................. 7 2.1 Desk Study .............................................................................................................. 7 2.2 Extended Phase 1 Habitat Survey ............................................................................ 7 2.3 Nomenclature ......................................................................................................... 8 2.4 Limitations .............................................................................................................. 8 2.5 Quality Assurance & Environmental Management .................................................. 8 3 RESULTS AND EVALUATION ............................................................................................ 9 3.1 Designated Sites ...................................................................................................... 9 3.2 Habitats ................................................................................................................ 11 3.3 Species Evaluation ................................................................................................ 20 4 DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ....................................................................... 26 4.1 Sensitive Receptors ............................................................................................... 26 4.2 Designated Sites .................................................................................................... 26 4.3 Priority Habitats .................................................................................................... 27 4.4 Species .................................................................................................................. 28 5 ECOLOGICAL ENHANCEMENTS ..................................................................................... 30 6 CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................... 32 7 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................. 33 APPENDICES Appendix 1 Legislation and Policy Summary Appendix 2 Bird Records Appendix 3 Designated Sites DRAWINGS TITLE SCALE ST16002/001 Extended Phase 1 Habitat Survey 1:5,000@A3 ST16002/001 MARCH 2017 THE CROWN ESTATE LAND EAST OF BARTON ROAD, LUTON PRELIMINARY ECOLOGICAL APPRAISAL EXECUTIVE SUMMARY An Ecologist form Wardell Armstrong carried out an Extended Phase 1 Habitat Survey of the site on 31 st January 2017. The site consists predominantly of arable land of low ecological value, bounded by hedgerows and semi-natural and plantation woodland. Hedgerows and broad-leaved woodland are priority habitats both nationally and locally and should be retained within the design proposals. Woodland and hedgerows around the peripheries of the site provide suitable habitat for protected species including foraging and commuting bats, foraging and hibernating hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus , hazel dormouse Muscardinus avellanarius and common reptile species. These habitats should be retained to maintain food sources, shelter and connectivity within the site and local landscape for protected species. If hedgerow removal is required then the location and extent should be assessed for the potential impact to protected species. It is considered that if woodland and hedgerow habitats are retained there will be no loss of conservation value within the site. Further surveys for badger are recommended to be carried out at the pre-application stage and should hedgerow removal be required, dormouse presence/likely absence surveys and bat activity surveys may need to be undertaken, based upon the extent and location of the hedgerow removal. Consultation with Natural England should be undertaken to identify if development proposals need to include mitigation to offset possible impacts of increased visitor number to the nearby Galley and Warden Hills SSSI. Enhancement measures have been outlined which include native species-rich hedgerow planting and the creation of wildflower and grassland areas to increase ecological connectivity within the site and increase food sources for invertebrates which, in turn, would also increase food sources for other species including birds and bats. Recommendations to provide new roosting and nesting habitat have also been made alongside those for the sympathetic management of habitats within the site following development. It is considered that with the retention of peripheral habitats alongside the implementation of enhancement measures, the development would lead to an increase in biodiversity within the Site. ST16002/001 Page 4 MARCH 2017 THE CROWN ESTATE LAND EAST OF BARTON ROAD, LUTON PRELIMINARY ECOLOGICAL APPRAISAL 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Terms of Reference 1.1.1 Wardell Armstrong LLP (WA) was commissioned by The Crown Estate to undertake a Preliminary Ecological Appraisal (PEA) of a site for a potential residential development on land east of Barton Road, Luton, central Ordnance Survey (OS) grid reference: TL 0822 2688. 1.1.2 This report has been produced with reference to current guidelines for PEA (Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM, 2012)) and British Standard BS 42020:2013 (BSI, 2013) which involves the evaluation of the potential presence of ecological receptors based on Extended Phase I (Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC, 2010)) survey data and background desk study. 1.1.3 The purpose of the PEA is to satisfy the requirements of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), identifying the likely presence of ecological receptors within or near the application site that could be subject to adverse effects arising from development within a site. 1.1.4 The following ecological features have been considered: • Statutory and non-statutory designated conservation areas; • UK and Local Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) habitats; • Areas of Ancient Woodland; • Legally protected species; • Species listed within section 41 of the NERC Act; and • Invasive species. 1.1.5 This report also seeks to identify any requirement for further specialist survey where the initial assessment cannot be relied upon to adequately determine presence or reliably infer absence of protected species/taxa. An indicative assessment of potential adverse effects is provided, although this is not a substitute for full Ecological Impact Assessment (CIEEM, 2015). 1.1.6 Provisional mitigation and enhancement opportunities are also discussed, where appropriate. ST16002/001 Page 5 MARCH 2017 THE CROWN ESTATE LAND EAST OF BARTON ROAD, LUTON PRELIMINARY ECOLOGICAL APPRAISAL 1.2 Site Context 1.2.1 The area of ecological study referred to as the Site comprises predominantly of arable land of approximately 39.5 hectares, bounded by hedgerows and woodland strips. 1.2.2 The site is situated amidst a wider agricultural landscape to the north, east and west, with the town of Luton to the south, separated by a thin strip of woodland that is designated as a County Wildlife Site (CWS). 1.2.3 On the northern boundary lies a farm house and associated farm buildings and further arable farmland. The A6 Barton Road runs along the western boundary, and to the east lies a golf