Land off Warminster Road, Beckington :
Ecological Appraisal
Date: 30 May 2020
For: Stonewood Partnership Ltd
Ref: eg20946
Produced by: Environmental Gain Ltd The Old Church School Butts Hill Frome Bath BA11 1HR
Author: Jack Spurway, BSc Hons MCIWEM T: 01225 459 564 E: [email protected] Approved: Matt Davies, www.engain.com BSc (Hons), MSc, MCIEEM
Land off Warminster Road, Beckington Ecological Appraisal
CONTENTS
ABBREVIATIONS i EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ii 1 INTRODUCTION 1 2 SITE LOCATION AND GENERAL DESCRIPTION 2 Site Location 2 General Description 2 3 LEGISLATION AND POLICY 3 Introduction 3 Relevant Legislation 3 Relevant Policy 4 4 METHODOLOGY 9 Desk Study 9 Extended Phase 1 Habitat Survey 9 Assessment of Ecological Value 10 Limitations 10 5 RESULTS 12 Desk Study 12 Plantation Woodland 15 Hedges 16 Grassland 17 Arable Field 17 Badgers 17 Bats 18 Birds 18 Dormice 19 Great Crested Newt 19 Reptiles 20 Other Wildlife 20 6 EVALUATION AND MITIGATION 21 Development Proposal 21 Habitats 21 Birds 23 Dormice 23 Great Crested Newts 23 Reptiles 24 Other Wildlife 24 7 CONCLUSIONS 26 REFERENCES 27 References 27 Legislation and Policy 27 APPENDICES 29
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Appendix 1 Site Photographs 30
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ABBREVIATIONS
CIEEM Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management LNR Local Nature Reserve MAGIC Multi-Agency Geographic Information for the Countryside NVC National Vegetation Classification SAC Special Area of Conservation SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest SPA Special Protection Area TN Target Note
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Engain conducted an Ecological Appraisal of a site on the edge of the village of Beckington in Somerset. The site consists of an arable field and an area of broad-leaved plantation woodland. It is proposed that the arable field will be developed to provide housing, whilst the plantation woodland will be retained and enhanced for wildlife.
The proposed residential development would have only limited effects on habitats and on most species likely to be found here. It also has great potential to enhance the area for wildlife. Key matters to consider in the design of the development proposal are:
• Avoiding impacts on bats, especially greater and lesser horseshoe bats, through the retention of functional connectivity and the careful design of lighting.
• Avoiding impacts on wildlife during construction through measures that can be detailed in a Construction Ecological Management Plan (CEMP).
• Incorporating design features such as SUDS, permanent water and new planting of grassland and shrubs to increase the diversity of habitats within the site.
In addition to this, the long-term management of the plantation woodland has significant potential to create an ecologically valuable habitat for a range of species.
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Land off Warminster Road, Beckington Ecological Appraisal
1 INTRODUCTION
Engain was commissioned by Stonewood Partnership Ltd to undertake an Ecological Appraisal of a site at Land off Warminster Road, Beckington in connection with a proposed residential development.
The scope of the appraisal was based on the Guidelines for Preliminary Ecological Appraisal, published in 2012 by the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM). This included a desk study to identify any notable or protected sites, habitats or species on or near to the site, a field survey to map and describe the habitats of the site, and an assessment of the site’s potential to support any notable or protected species.
The purpose of this report is to:
1. Describe the ecological baseline of the site and assess the importance of its ecological features (e.g. its habitats and species);
2. Determine if any further, more detailed surveys are required;
3. Identify any ecological constraints to the development proposal and describe how negative ecological effects will be avoided;
4. Describe appropriate measures to mitigate negative ecological effects that cannot be avoided; and
5. Describe how opportunities for ecological enhancement will be integrated into the proposal.
Further details of the survey and assessment methods are given in Section 4.
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2 SITE LOCATION AND GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Site Location
The site is on the outskirts of the village of Beckington in Somerset approximately 4 km to the north of the town of Frome. The ordnance survey grid reference for the centre of the site is ST80685176.
General Description
The site is made up of two distinct parcels of land sandwiched between the existing eastern extent of the small urban area of Beckington and to the west the A36.
In the north of the site is an area of woodland covering approximately 1.4ha, the south of the site is an arable field covering approximately 2.1ha.
The area immediately surrounding the site is mostly under mixed agricultural use, with small urban areas and a number of trunk roads leading to larger urban areas. The land to the west has been developed recently for a residential estate.
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N
1
ON BEHALF OF PROJECT
Stonewood Partnerships Land off Warminster Road, Beckington
Environmental Gain Ltd SCALE DATE TITLE The Old Church School, Butts Hill NTS 30-05-20 Figure 1: Site Location Plan Frome, BA11 1HR T: 01225 459 564 PROJECT NO APPROVED
[email protected] www.engain.com eg20946 MD
Land off Warminster Road, Beckington Ecological Appraisal
3 LEGISLATION AND POLICY
Introduction
Wildlife in the UK is protected through European Directives, which are transposed into national legislation, supported by a range of national and local policy and guidance. Recent changes in planning policy and legislation have gone beyond site and species-specific protection to set broader goals for the conservation and enhancement of the natural environment, and halting the continued loss of biodiversity in the UK.
Development can contribute to these goals through, for example, protecting the best features of a site and making them a valued part of the site’s new use, and by incorporating enhancements to improve the site’s value for wildlife.
The sections below provide a brief guide to the principal legislation and policy that sets the terms of reference for ecological appraisals in the UK. This is not intended to be a full description of all the obligations enacted by the various referenced documents, which should be referred to in their original form for the full details.
It is the responsibility of those involved with the development works to ensure that wildlife protection and nature conservation legislation is complied with at every stage of the project. Such legislation applies even in the absence of related planning conditions.
Relevant Legislation
The principal pieces of legislation relating to wildlife that are of relevance to this report are:
1. EU Habitats Directive (1992);
2. EU Birds Directive (1979);
3. Conservation of Habitats and Species (Amendment) Regulations 2017;
4. The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended);
5. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000;
6. The Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006;
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7. The Protection of Badgers Act 1992 (which is extended under The Hunting Act 2004).
The main focus of much of this legislation is the protection of sites and species, the delineation of precisely how they are protected, and what actions would constitute an offence. This report provides guidance on whether any protected features are likely to be affected by the development proposal, and how offences under the legislation can be avoided.
Relevant Policy
Regional and local planning authorities are obliged to follow key principles to ensure that the potential impacts of planning decisions on biodiversity conservation are fully considered. The National Planning Policy Framework sets out the Government’s policies for the protection and enhancement of biodiversity through the town and country planning system. This encourages the contribution to, and enhancement of, natural and local environments through minimising the impacts on biodiversity and providing net gains in biodiversity where possible.
Planning authorities are required to follow key principles in their consideration of potential impacts of planning decisions on biodiversity conservation. Circular 06/05: Biodiversity and Geological Conservation provides guidance on the application of the law relating to planning and nature conservation and complements the National Planning Policy Framework.
The presence of species protected under UK and European legislation are a material consideration when a planning authority is considering a development proposal that, if carried out, would be likely to result in harm to the species or its habitat. Ecological appraisals and protected species surveys are therefore designed to provide local planning authorities with the baseline information they require in order fully consider the potential ecological effects of a planning application.
Biodiversity 2020: A strategy for England’s wildlife and ecosystem services, provides the UK Biodiversity Action Plan and country level biodiversity
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strategies for England, based on the list of habitats and species listed under The Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006.
The Mendip District Local Plan was adopted in December 2014. It sets out a long-term strategic vision for the future of the District and how it will development in the future.
The District’s natural and man-made environments are recognised at point 2.11 which states;
“Mendip’s natural and man-made environments are highly diverse and this is a distinct feature of the district. The complex geology, topography, hydrology and geography of the area have resulted in habitats and landscapes of distinctive character and high visual quality. There is a wealth of internationally, nationally and locally designated sites of wildlife value as well as important designated geological sites”.
One of the Local Plan’s Key Local Issues under the heading of Environment states;
“Biodiversity and Landscapes:
• A wealth of biodiversity and habitats within the district’s diverse landscape is designated nationally and internationally warranting clear measures to safeguard them and encourage their sustained management”.
o Strategic Objective number 22 states under the heading “To maintain and enhance the quality of the local environment and contribute to international climate change goals;
“Protect sensitive wildlife habitats and valued landscapes from development and enhance biodiversity and local scenery through an integrated network of green spaces, corridors and protected areas”.
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The following policies are relevant to the proposed development and the biodiversity interest of the local area. Consideration is given within Section 5 of this report as to the compliance of the development with each of the policies.
Policy DP5: Biodiversity and Ecological Networks, “The Council will use the local planning process to protect, enhance and restore Somerset’s Ecological Network within Mendip.
1. All development proposals must ensure the protection, conservation and, where possible, enhancement of internationally, nationally or locally designated natural habitat areas and species.
2. Proposals with the potential to cause adverse impacts on protected and/or priority sites, species or habitats are unlikely to be sustainable and will be resisted. Exceptions will only be made where:
a) the impacts cannot be reasonably avoided,
b) offsetting/compensation for the impacts can be secured,
c) other considerations of public interest clearly outweigh the impacts, in line with the relevant legislation.
Offsets as mitigation or compensation required under criterion b) will be calculated using Somerset County Council’s Biodiversity Offsetting methodology”.
The supporting text for this policy contains the following statement at point 6.43;
“Conserving and Enhancing Biodiversity – No Net Loss and Habitat Offsetting. Ecological networks are a long term, proactive, multi-party approach to addressing the decline in biodiversity. However, development pressures will continue to generate applications that will impact directly or indirectly (i.e. in terms of loss, damage, deterioration or disturbance of such features) upon biodiversity resources. Such development, whether affecting designated areas as part of the Somerset Ecological Network or not, is not sustainable. The default position is that biodiversity resources should be safeguarded from development. However, there will be circumstances where the development will
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be deemed necessary resulting in impacts on biodiversity. Exceptions will only be made on a no net loss basis where the 3 criteria in the policy below are satisfied. A net gain will be sought where possible. The NPPF sets out a number of criteria specific to particular habitats”.
Point 6.44 goes on to further state; “In order to achieve no net loss of biodiversity in the district as a result of future development, where a proposal is considered to have the potential to cause an adverse effect on protected sites, species or habitat, mitigation and/or compensation measures, including offsetting, will be sought.”
Policy DP6 Bat Protection “Planning applications for development on sites within the Bat Consultation Zone will require a ‘test of significance’ under the Habitats Regulations to be carried out.
“Applicants must provide, with their application, all necessary information to enable compliance with the Habitats Regulations (or their successor), including any necessary survey work, reports and avoidance / mitigation measures”.
The supporting text for this policy states the following at point 6.48 with regard to the Bat Consultation Zones;
“Applications occurring within the Bat Consultation Zone will require the Council to carry out a test of significance under the Habitats Regulations. The Bat Consultation Zone shows areas in which Horseshoe Bats are known to be and are likely to regularly use for commuting and/or foraging and in night roosting. The mapping is drawn from radio tracking studies and aerial photographic interpretation of habitat used by bats, which are features of the SACs”.
Point 6.49 provides further supporting text to this policy as follows;
“This policy is a result of recommendations made in the Habitats Regulation Assessment of those parts of the Mells Valley Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and the North Somerset and Mendip Bats SAC which lie within Mendip. In order to preserve the integrity of these
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internationally designated sites the assessment recommended that a policy was required.
Policy DP8: Environmental Protection: “All development proposals should minimise, and where possible reduce, all emissions and other forms of pollution.
1. Development (either cumulatively or individually) will be required to demonstrate that it does not give rise to unacceptable adverse environmental impacts on: (amongst other things) Biodiversity
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4 METHODOLOGY
Desk Study
Desktop data was received from Somerset Environmental Records Centre in May 2020. Protected species records were collated from a 1km radius, extended to 5km for bats.
A search of recent planning applications within the local area was also made, using the Mendip District Council online planning application search facility.
Online resources were also used, including the UK government’s online resource for geographic information about the natural environment (MAGIC Map).
Extended Phase 1 Habitat Survey
The extended Phase 1 Habitat Survey was conducted on the 25th May 2020. The field survey methods were based on the Phase 1 Habitat Survey methodology (Joint Nature Conservancy Council, 2010). The main habitat types were mapped using standard habitat colours. The additional (extended) aspect of the survey method involves the identification of habitats that may support notable species, and searching for evidence of such species.
Target notes (see Appendix 1: Habitat Plan) are used to indicate points of ecological interest and they are referred to in this report.
Considering the site location, context and the habitats it contains, the following protected species are considered in this report [include all protected species which could be affected by the proposed plans:
Badgers (Meles meles)
Bats (all species);
Breeding birds;
Dormice (Muscardinus avellanarius);
great crested newt (Triturus cristatus); and
Reptiles.
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The site is not suitable for, otters (Lutra lutra), water voles (Arvicola amphibius) or white-clawed crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes) as there are no rivers or streams. These species are not considered further in this report.
The site was also searched for non-native, invasive plant species, with particular care to search for the most commonly occurring and problematic species i.e. Fallopia japonica (Japanese Knotweed), Impatiens grandiflora (Indian Balsam) and Heracleum mantegazianum (Giant Hogweed).
Assessment of Ecological Value
The habitats and species of principal importance for biodiversity in the UK are listed on Section 41 (in England) and Section 42 (in Wales) of The Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006.
The assessment of the relative nature conservation value of the features at this site is also assessed against published criteria wherever possible. The value of habitats in the UK is covered in a wide variety of literature, including Usher (1986) and Ratcliffe (1977).
The main criteria against which the value of habitats is assessed are rarity, diversity, naturalness and extent. High importance is also attached to habitats that have not been subject to agricultural intensification, and which often depend on traditional forms of management, such as ancient semi-natural woodland, species-rich meadows and traditionally managed grasslands and moorlands.
Limitations
Engain cannot verify the accuracy of third party information.
Extended Phase 1 Habitat Surveys are not definitive and represent a snapshot of the ecological status of a site. Data records help to provide a historical context, however the absence of evidence of a species does not prove that it does not use the site.
A search of publicly available information relating to recent planning applications within the local area, has found that in most cases the applications have had the ecological information removed from the online portal. This is usual in
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instances where ecological constraints have been addressed through the planning process, however it does mean that for this appraisal there may be known ecological information that cannot be taken into account.
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5 RESULTS
Desk Study
Statutory Designated Site Records
There are three European designated sites within 10km of the site:
• Salisbury Plain Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and Special Protection Area (SPA);
• Mells Valley SAC; and
• Bath and Bradford on Avon Bats SAC.
There are nineteen nationally designated sites within 10km of the site.
All statutory designated sites within the local area are summarised in the table below.
Table 5-1. Statutory Designated Sites within 5km
Site Name Designation Reason (s) for designation
Green Lane LNR Plants indicating ancient woodland including Solomon’s Wood Seal, Stinking Iris and a host of orchids. Grass snake and slow worm, butterflies, such as Silverwashed Fritillary and Duke of Burgundy.
Smallbrook LNR Smallbrook Meadows is at its best from late spring, when Meadows the delicate white and pink petals of ladies smock flowers, the food plant of the caterpillar of the orange-tip butterfly, are scattered across the meadows. These are followed by the darker pink of ragged robin and the pink- cream flowers of water avens. As summer progresses, the bright yellows of marsh marigold and yellow flag take over, and in June and July you can see the pink-purple flower spikes of the southern marsh orchid.
Cley Hill SSSI Cley Hill is an area of botanically rich chalk grassland, supporting many of the plants characteristic of the downs of south and south-west England. The value of the site is enhanced by the occurrence of plant and animal species with a nationally restricted distribution.
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Site Name Designation Reason (s) for designation
Picket and SSSI Picket and Clanger Wood is a floristically-rich ancient Clanger woodland supporting an outstanding range of butterfly Woods species. The combined butterfly and moth faunas include several scarce species with limited national distributions, among them two which are rare and vulnerable in Great Britain. The site also accommodates a diversity of birds characteristic of ancient woodland in southern and western England.
Longleat SSSI This site is a large, ancient, semi-natural, broadleaved Woods SSSI woodland with a predominantly high forest structure which is unusual in South West Britain. There are a wide range of woodland types present, some of which are more characteristic of central England and which occur only rarely in the west.
Midford SSSI Midford Valley Woods comprises some of the best Valley Woods examples of southern calcareous ash-wych elm woods on the oolitic limestone of the Wiltshire Cotswolds. It is a floristically rich site with large populations of a plant which has a nationally restricted distribution.
Hinton SSSI Hinton Charterhouse Field supports a nationally rare Charterhouse plant protected under Schedule 8 of the Wildlife and Field Countryside Act 1981 (as amended).
Gripwood SSSI Site of Geological Interest Quarry
Hinton SSSI Site of Geological Interest Charterhouse Pit
Cleaves SSSI Cleaves Wood is an ancient, semi-natural deciduous Wood woodland on Oolitic Limestone. It has a high diversity of tree and shrub species and a large population of nationally scarce plant spiked star-of-Bethlehem Ornithogalum pyrenaicum. Calcareous grassland, neutral marshy grassland, woodland rides and scrub and stream habitats add to the interest of the site. Invertebrates recorded at the site include two nationally rare insects and ten nationally scarce species.
Hinton Hill, SSSI Site of Geological Interest Wellow
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Site Name Designation Reason (s) for designation
Iford Manor SSSI Iford Manor consists of a large country house and gardens situated on the Avon/Wiltshire border alongside the River Frome and surrounded by water meadow, permanent pasture and hedgerows leading up into nearby woodland. The roof voids of the Iford Manor barn and Iford Manor mill are used as a summer maternity roost by a colony of greater horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum).
Upton Cow SSSI Upton Cow Down is an area of botanically rich chalk Down grassland at the extreme western end of Salisbury Plain. The Plain is the largest expanse of unimproved chalk grassland in northwest Europe. Elsewhere in Britain some 80% of this habitat has been lost or damaged since 1940, largely through agricultural intensification.
Westbury SSSI Site of Geological Interest Ironstone Quarry
Old Ironstone SSSI The remaining building and associated flues and tunnels Works, Mells provide important roost sites for the rare Greater Horseshoe Bat Rhinolophus ferrumequinum and, to a lesser extent, the Lesser Horseshoe Bat R. hipposideros.
Vallis Vale SSSI, part of Vallis Vale is an ancient woodland site and supports an Mells Valley Ash-Wych Elm stand type with a restricted distribution in SAC Britain.
Winsley SSSI, part of The two old stone mines on this site, Murhill Quarry and Mines Bath & Winsley Rift Mine, are important hibernation sites for the Bradford on rare and endangered greater horseshoe bat Rhinolophus Avon Bats ferrumequinum. Up to 100 bats have been recorded in SAC these mines during the winter, the majority using Murhill Quarry.
Bradley SSSI This site is an extensive example of an unusual type of Woods lowland alder wood. It has a rich flora of vascular plants and exceptional communities of lichens and bryophytes on trees, acid stream sides and banks.
Bratton SSSI This site is notified for both its geomorphological and Downs biological features. Biologically the site is diverse, comprising species-rich calcareous grassland and ancient broadleaved woodland.
Salisbury SSSI, SAC Salisbury Plain supports the largest known expanse of Plain and SPA unimproved chalk downland in north west Europe, and represents 41% of Britain’s remaining area of this rich wildlife habitat.
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Site Name Designation Reason (s) for designation
Mells Valley SAC Mells Valley in southern England is selected on the basis of the size of its exceptional breeding population. It contains the maternity site associated with a population comprising about 12% of the UK greater horseshoe bat Rhinolophus ferrumequinum population. A proportion of the population also hibernates at the site, though other hibernation sites remain unknown.
Bath and SAC This site in southern England includes the hibernation Bradford-on- sites associated with 15% of the UK greater horseshoe Avon Bats bat Rhinolophus ferrumequinum population and is selected on the basis of the importance of this exceptionally large overwintering population. Small numbers of Bechstein’s bats Myotis bechsteinii have been recorded hibernating in abandoned mines in this area, though maternity sites remain unknown.
Non-Statutory Designated Site Records
There are seven Local Wildlife Sites within 2km of the site.
• Bonnyleigh Wood – an area of broadleaved ancient woodland.
• River Frome Fields – an area of species-rich unimproved grassy bank with scattered scrub.
• Orchardleigh Park – areas of wood pasture, broadleaved woodland, lake and rough pasture supporting rich flora and fauna.
• Edgell’s Wood - Ancient semi-natural broadleaved woodland.
• Whittaker’s Tyning Wood – Ancient semi-natural broadleaved woodland.
• Barber’s Wood – Ancient, semi-natural broadleaved woodland.
• Salmond’s copse – Semi-natural broadleaved ancient woodland.
Plantation Woodland
The northern half of the site is occupied by a plantation of broadleaved woodland (TN4a), that appears to be around 30 years old (the trees are around this age and it is not present on OS maps from 1993). The most frequent tree
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species are ash (Fraxinus excelsior) and oak (Quercus robur), along with several less abundant species including gean (Prunus avium), sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) and field maple (Acer campestre). There is a dense and varied shrub-layer comprising species such as hazel (Corylus avellana), hornbeam (Carpinus betulus), guelder rose (Viburnum opulus), privet (Ligustrum vulgare) and dog rose (Rosa canina).
The field-layer reflects the soil conditions, which are relatively nutrient-rich, and the shading of the trees, and it is dominated in places either by nettles (Urtica dioica), cow parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris) or bramble (Rubus fruticosus). There are few woodland species, aside from a small area in which wood false-brome (Brachypodium sylvaticum) is abundant. At the northern end of the plantation, on a road bank (TN4b), there is a carpet of ivy (Hedera helix) with primroses (Primula vulgaris).
This stand of woodland is not marked on the Records Centre’s map of Ecological Networks, but it is of sufficient size and in a location that would mean it could form part of the ‘broad-leaved woodland stepping stone’ network.
Hedges
There are three hedges within the site boundary. Hedge 1 (TN10) is a road hedge, trimmed to approximately 2.5m tall and 2m wide. It is dominated by a mix of elm (Ulmus species) and hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) along with other shrubs including field maple, privet and dog rose. There is one ash tree within the hedge. It stands on the earth bank adjacent to the road the field-layer has shade-tolerant herbs including dog’s mercury (Mercurialis perennis) and lord’s and lady’s (Arum maculatum).
Hedge 2 (TN9) is essentially a continuation of Hedge 1 and is made up of a similar mix of shrubs. It does not have an earth bank but has the same shade- tolerant herbs along with wood false-brome.
Hedge 3 (TN8) is a long hedge along the site’s eastern boundary, which is almost entirely made up of field maple. It is approximately 5m tall and 2m wide. The only other shrub species are hawthorn, hazel and elm. It stands on top of a
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road bank and its eastern margin (alongside the A36 road) is dominated by rough grassland and brambles.
There is also a tall hedge alongside the site (but outside of the site boundary) consisting of a mix of hawthorn and elm with other shrubs (TN3).
Grassland
There is a roughly triangular area of rough grassland in the northern corner of the arable field (TN6). It is dominated by coarse grasses including false oat- grass (Arrhenatherum elatius), cock’s foot (Dactylis glomerata) and soft brome (Bromus hordaceus). A similar sward extends along the western edge of the arable field (TN2).
The eastern margin of the arable field (TN7) is dominated by barren brome (Anisantha sterilis) and false oat-grass along with common ruderals including common poppy (Papaver rhoeas), cow parsley, hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium), shining crane’s-bill (Geranium lucidum), herb-robert (Geranium robertianum), perennial sow-thistle (Sonchus arvensis) and vetch (Vicia sativa).
The path along the western edge of the site (but outside of the site boundary) is also dominated by rough grassland. All of this grassland is broadly referable to the NVC type MG1b grassland.
Arable Field
The arable field (TN11) has most recently been planted with maize, which has now been harvested leaving the stubble. The weeds have been sprayed off but there are the remains of scentless mayweed (Tripleurospermum inodorum) groundsel (Senecio vulgaris) and herb-robert.
Badgers
There are records of badgers within the search area, some of these are historic, however one record is from 2014. The site provides excellent foraging habitat for badgers, with its mix of arable crops and woodland, but there were no signs of badgers on or adjacent to the site.
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Bats
Within the data provided by SERC there are records of the following bat species; Bechstein’s (Myotis bechsteinii), Brandt’s (Myotis brandtii), brown long eared bat (Plecotus auritus), Daubenton’s (Myotis daubentonii), greater horseshoe (Rhinolophus ferremequinum), lesser horseshoe (Rhinolophus hipposideros), Natterer’s (Myotis nattereri), Noctule (Nyctalus noctula), common pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus), serotine (Eptesicus serotinus), soprano pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pygmaeus), western Barbastelle (Barbastella barbastellus), whiskered (Myotis msytacinus).
There are records of greater and lesser horseshoe bats from a grid refernce very close to the site.
The boundary hedgerows around the arable field provide good potential foraging and commuting habitat for bats. Whilst the arable field may provide some potential foraging habitat, it is intensively managed for agriculture and its value is therefore limited.
The woodland to the north of the site provides good foraging habitat for bats.
There are no structures or trees suitable for roosting bats.
Birds
Within the data provided by SERC there are records of the following Schedule 1 birds; barn owl (Tyto alba), bearded tit (Panurus biarmicus), hobby (Falco subbuteo), kingfisher (Alcedo atthis), peregrine (Falco peregrinus), red kite (Milvus milvus), and wryneck (Jynx torquilla).
Birds seen or heard during the survey included dunnock (Prunella modularis), house sparrow (Passer domesticus), great tit (Parus major), blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleea), wren (troglodytes troglodytes), wood pigeon (Columba palumbus), blackbird (Turdus merula), starling (Sturnus vulgaris) and whitethroat (Sylvia communis).
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The arable field provides some foraging opportunities for birds, although as the weeds have been sprayed off and the crop harvested it would not have abundant food for wintering birds.
The hedges around the arable field provide good foraging habitat and nesting habitat.
The woodland in the north of the site is excellent habitat for a range of bird species, for foraging and nesting. The majority of bird activity observed during the survey was from this area, and there were old nests in trees as well as territorial calling of various species.
Dormice
There are no records of dormice within the data provided by SERC. The boundary hedgerows around the arable field are of moderate quality for dormice: the hedge along the eastern boundary (parallel with the A36 road) is good structurally but is relatively species-poor. The hedge bounding the adjacent tennis club and extending along the southern site boundary is clipped shorter but has a greater diversity of shrubs and ground-flora. The woodland to the north of the site has good potential for dormice subject to a little more management and time, but unless dormice are present very nearby it is unlikely they would have colonised it since it was planted some 30 years ago.
Great Crested Newt
There are no records of great crested newts within the data provided by SERC, and there are no records at all of any amphibians within the search area. There is one positive DNA survey result on MAGIC from a pond approximately 1km east of the site.
There are no waterbodies within the site. The nearest waterbodies visible on maps and aerial photographs are over 100m away and the majority are within private gardens.
The arable field is not suitable habitat for great crested newts, although the field- margins and boundary hedges are. The plantation woodland provides good potential habitat for newts.
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Reptiles
There are no records of any reptile species within the data provided by SERC. The field-margins and hedges around the arable field are good habitat for reptiles, but the main field is not suitable. The woodland in the northern part of the site is good habitat for reptiles.
Other Wildlife
There are records of hedgehogs within the data provided by SERC. There are also records of notable species of damselfly and dragonfly.
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N
Broad-leaved Plantation Woodland Site Boundary Broad-leaved Tree
Rough Grassland Hedge
ON BEHALF OF PROJECT Stonewood Partnerships Land off Warminster Road, Beckington
Environmental Gain Ltd The Old Church School, Butts Hill SCALE DATE TITLE Frome, BA11 1HR NTS 30-05-20 Figure 2: Phase 1 Habitat Plan T: 01225 459 564 PROJECT NO APPROVED
[email protected] www.engain.com eg20946 MD
Land off Warminster Road, Beckington Ecological Appraisal
6 EVALUATION AND MITIGATION
Development Proposal
The proposal is to develop the arable field for housing and to retain and enhance the plantation woodland in the northern part of the site. This section provides an evaluation of the likely impacts of such a development on the site’s ecological features and gives some guidance on how the development can achieve a net gain for biodiversity. Further evaluation and advice will be provided as the design progresses.
Habitats
The habitats of greatest ecological value are the boundary hedges, which are a Priority Habitat. Of these, the relatively recently-planted hedge along the A36 road is of slightly lesser botanical value than the two more species-rich hedges. These latter two hedges have a good mix of shrubs and features and may qualify as ‘important’ under the botanical criteria of The Hedgerow Regulations 1997.
These hedges are likely to be retained almost entirely within the development design. The road hedge along the A36 could be improved by retaining its current structure but improving it’s botanical diversity by planting a variety of shrubs alongside it (on the field-side). This would greatly enhance it structure, size and diversity whilst retaining its functional connectivity. The two more species-rich hedges need little to improve them, aside from allowing them to grow taller (ideally to around 3m tall). The cessation of arable cultivation would reduce the nutrient input and prevent the dominance of ruderal species such as barren brome over the more typical hedgerow plants.
The arable field and its margin are typical of this type of cultivation and are not of high botanical value. The field-margin is relatively diverse but not exceptionally so, and the loss of this margin can be compensated by the creation of new species-rich habitat alongside the retained hedges.
The plantation woodland has a great deal of potential to continue its development into a botanically diverse and interesting habitat. There are few woodlands in the immediate surrounding landscape, which makes this stand
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locally quite valuable. It is developing a good structure and has avoided the usual drawback of plantations where all the trees are the same age and planted in straight lines, and there is no shrub-layer. It appears to already be suffering the effects of ash dieback, but this may just present an opportunity to increase the amount of standing and fallen dead wood and to open up the canopy. As it is a fairly closed canopy, then opening up a path to create a wide ride may benefit some plant and animal species. There are many opportunities to manage the woodland to improve its value for wildlife in the long term. The development proposal provides good chance to secure this management through a detailed and funded management plan.
Badgers
The change of use of the arable field from farming t housing will reduce the area of foraging habitat, although gardens and amenity lawns can still provide good foraging habitat it they are accessible. The abundance of worms can actually be higher in amenity grassland than in arable fields, which are ploughed annually and sprayed with herbicides and pesticides.
Retaining functional connectivity around the edges of the site should form part of the development design to ensure that badgers are not adversely affected.
Bats
The most important features of the site for bats are the hedges and the plantation woodland. The site is within Band C of the consultation zone for the Mells Valley SAC. It will be important to establish the importance of the site for greater horseshoe bats in particular, as well as the many other species likely to be found here.
Retaining the boundary hedges and plantation woodland will go a long way to maintaining functional habitat quality for bats. These features will need to be protected from artificial lighting. The details of a lighting strategy should be presented with the planning application, proportionate to the likely impacts and the type of application.
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The management of hedges and the plantation woodland would help to enhance the site for bats. The arable field is of little value for bats except perhaps species such as noctules that may forage high overhead. The loss of this field can be compensated through the creation of new habitat and the enhancement of existing habitats.
A key feature that is missing for bats is any roosting potential. This is very easily rectified through the provision of bat boxes within the woodland, in the hedges, and in the built fabric of the new buildings.
Birds
Retaining the hedges and plantation woodland will ensure that impacts on birds are limited. The management of the plantation woodland has the potential to enhance this area for birds. As the trees are quite young there is a limit in the type of nesting places, so the provision of bird boxes could enhance this area for birds.
Any vegetation where birds could nest should be removed outside of the nesting season or checked for birds’ nests beforehand.
Dormice
Considering the isolation of the site by major roads and a new housing development, and the recent origin of the plantation woodland, it is not likely that dormice would be present here. The development proposal will retain almost all of the habitat suitable for dormice (the hedges and the woodland). Considering these two factors the development of the site would not be likely to have any adverse effect on dormice.
The site can be enhanced for small mammals such as wood mice, but it is unlikely that dormice could be encouraged to colonise the site, as it is some distance from the nearest substantial areas of ancient woodland where there are likely to be strong breeding populations.
Great Crested Newts
The development proposal would not affect any potential breeding habitat and only very small areas of terrestrial habitat (the field margins) would be affected.
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Considering this and the distance from the nearest ponds, the development would not be likely to have any adverse effect on great crested newts.
The site can be enhanced for amphibians, in particular by combining any new SUDS features with areas of permanent water and water-margin vegetation. The creation of new ponds, along with the retention and enhancement of the hedges and woodland, has great potential to improve the area for amphibians.
Reptiles
Of the four commoner species, the site may be used by slow-worms (Anguis fragilis), grass snakes (Natrix helvetica) or lizards (Zootoca vivipara) all of which are not uncommon in the region despite the absence of desktop records. The development proposal will affect very little habitat suitable for reptiles. Adverse effects on reptiles during construction can be avoided through the careful clearance of vegetation at the right time of year following a precautionary working method.
The enhancements described above for amphibians and other species could also improve the site for reptiles. In addition, the provision of log piles and similar features could increase the amount of habitat and the potential for these species to use the site.
Where potential nesting habitat needs to be removed or altered, this will be undertaken outside of the breeding season (which runs approximately from March to August inclusive). Should vegetation clearance be required during the nesting season, a suitably qualified ecologist will inspect areas suitable for nesting birds prior to site clearance.
Other Wildlife
The site and surrounding areas could be used by various small mammal species including hedgehogs (Erinaceus europeus), weasels (Mustela nivalis), wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) amongst others.
The development design can incorporate features to benefit these species, in addition to the habitat management and creation, such as permeable fences and purpose-built homes. It can also be designed to benefit species known or
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likely to be present here including butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies, amongst others.
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7 CONCLUSIONS
A proposal to provide new housing on the arable field would have only limited effects on habitats and most species likely to be found here. It also has great potential to enhance the area for wildlife. Key matters to consider in the design of the development proposal are:
• Avoiding impacts on bats, especially greater and lesser horseshoe bats, through the retention of functional connectivity and the careful design of lighting
• Avoiding impacts on wildlife during construction through measures that can be detailed in a Construction Ecological Management Plan (CEMP)
• Incorporating design features such as SUDS, permanent water and new planting of grassland and shrubs to increase the diversity of habitats within the site
In addition to this, the long-term management of the plantation woodland has significant potential to create an ecologically valuable habitat for a range of species.
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REFERENCES
References
Department for Communities and Local Government, 2010. Code for Sustainable Homes Technical Guide. Communities and Local Government Publications.
Hundt, L. (2012) Bat Surveys: Good Practice Guidelines, 2nd Edition. Bat Conservation Trust.
Nature Conservancy Council, 1990 (revised 2010). Handbook for Phase 1 Habitat Survey. A Technique for Environmental Audit. JNCC, Peterborough.
Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & McLeish, A. P. (2004) 3rd Edition Bat Workers Manual. Joint Nature Conservation Committee.
UK Government’s Countryside Geographic Information website: URL: www.magic.gov.uk.
Legislation and Policy
The Conservation of Habitats and Species (Amendment) Regulations 2012 (UK Parliament). The National Archives [online]. URL: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2012/1927/contents/made
The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2004 (UK Parliament). The National Archives [online]. URL: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1991/39/contentsCountryside and Rights of Way Act, 2000
The Protection of Badgers Act 1992 (UK Parliament). The National Archives [online]. URL: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1992/51/contents The Hunting Act, 2004
Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 (UK Parliament). The National Archives [online]. URL: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/16/contents
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Department for Communities and Local Government (2012) National Planning Policy Framework [online]. URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/ 6077/2116950.pdf Circular 06/05 – Statutory Obligations and Their Impact Within the Planning System (2005)
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (2011) Biodiversity 2020: A Strategy for England’s Wildlife and Ecosystem Services [online] URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/ 69446/pb13583-biodiversity-strategy-2020-111111.pdf
Council of the European Communities (1992) Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (EN). Official Journal of the European Communities [online]. 35, 7-50. URL: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:L:1992:206:TOC
European Parliament and the Council of 30 November 2009 (2010) Directive 2009/147/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 on the conservation of wild birds (EN). Official Journal of the European Union [online]. 53, 7-25. URL: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal- content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:L:2010:020:TOC
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