EXTENDED PHASE 1 HABITAT SURVEY RELATING TO WALLEY’S QUARRY, NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYME REVIEW OF OLD MINERAL PERMISSIONS APPLICATION For Lafarge Tarmac PREPARED BY PLEYDELL SMITHYMAN LIMITED APRIL 2014 Revision A 20a The Wharfage, Ironbridge, Telford, Shropshire, TF8 7NH T: 01952 433211 F: 01952 433323 [email protected] EXTENDED PHASE 1 HABITAT SURVEY – WALLEY’S QUARRY, NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYME Walley’s Quarry, Report Prepared for Cemetery Road, Lafarge Tarmac, Silverdale, Cemetery Road, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Silverdale, Staffordshire, Newcastle-under-Lyme, ST5 6HD Staffordshire, ST5 6HD AN EXTENDED PHASE 1 HABITAT SURVEY WALLEY’S QUARRY, CEMETERY ROAD, SILVERDALE, NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYME, ST5 6HD By: Pleydell Smithyman Limited Main Contributors March 2014 Revision A Kelly Downward Issued By ……………………………………………….. Helen Frost BSc (Hons) MCIEEM Helen is Senior Ecologist for Pleydell Smithyman Limited and has six years experience as a practising ecologist Report Checked By ……………………………………………….. Robin Smithyman BSc (Hons) PG DipLA CMLI PG DipTP PG DipUD MIQ Pleydell Smithyman Limited 20a The Wharfage Ironbridge Telford Shropshire TF8 7NH Tel: 01952 433211 Fax: 01952 433323 E-mail: [email protected] S:\M13.157 Walleys Quarry - Extended P1HS\Reports\M13.157.R.001 Extended Phase 1 Habitat Survey\M13.157.R.002.Extended Phase 1 Habitat Survey no photos - Rev A.doc Pleydell Smithyman Limited Printed copies of this document may be out of date April 2014 EXTENDED PHASE 1 HABITAT SURVEY – WALLEY’S QUARRY, NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYME Reference Contents Page Number 1.0 Introduction 1 2.0 Survey Methodology 4 3.0 Results 8 4.0 Conclusions and Recommendations 18 5.0 References 21 Drawings M13.157.D.001 Extended Phase 1 Habitat Survey Appendices Appendix 1 - Information obtained from the National Biodiversity Network (NBN) database Appendix 2 - Information obtained from Staffordshire Ecological Record Appendix 3 - HSI Calculations for all ponds on and adjacent to the site Appendix 4 - Photographs Appendix 5 - Wildlife Legislation Appendix 6 - Woodland Management Guidance Appendix 7 - Managing habitats for Water Voles guidance S:\M13.157 Walleys Quarry - Extended P1HS\Reports\M13.157.R.001 Extended Phase 1 Habitat Survey\M13.157.R.002.Extended Phase 1 Habitat Survey no photos - Rev A.doc Pleydell Smithyman Limited Printed copies of this document may be out of date April 2014 EXTENDED PHASE 1 HABITAT SURVEY – WALLEY’S QUARRY, NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYME 1.0 INTRODUCTION Background and Proposals 1.1 Pleydell Smithyman Limited was instructed by David L Walker Limited on behalf of their client; Lafarge Tarmac, to undertake an extended Phase 1 habitat survey of Walley’s Quarry, Newcastle-under-Lyme (hereafter referred to as the site). Please see Drawing Number M13.157.D.001 for a plan showing the site boundary. 1.2 The survey was required to inform the submission of a Review of Old Mineral Permissions (ROMP) application and to help ensure compliance with national and European legislation. Site Location 1.3 Walley’s Quarry is located off Cemetery Road in Silverdale, approximately 1.6km to the west of Newcastle-under-Lyme town centre in Staffordshire (NGR: SJ831460). Site Description 1.4 The site is comprised of an active landfill site surrounded by mixed plantation woodland, along with areas of species-poor semi-improved grassland and scrub. 1.5 There are also two active lagoons within the site boundary as well as a ditch which runs along the eastern boundary of the site and part of the southern boundary. The ditch was partially dry at the time of the survey assessment. Please see Appendix 4 for site photographs. Aims and Objectives of the Survey 1.6 The key objective of the extended Phase 1 habitat survey was to classify the main habitats present according to the Phase 1 habitat survey methodology and establish the potential of the site to support protected species of which account must be taken prior to and during the planned works in accordance with the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended), the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 and the Protection of Badgers Act 1992. The survey assessment also aimed to identify notable habitats and species, including those recognised within national and local Biodiversity Action Plans (BAPs) and those of Principal Importance listed on Section 41 (S41) on the Natural Environment and Rural Communities (NERC) Act 2006. Notable birds (on the Birds of Conservation Concern (BoCC) Red or Amber List) were also identified and commented upon. S:\M13.157 Walleys Quarry - Extended P1HS\Reports\M13.157.R.001 Extended Phase 1 Habitat Survey\M13.157.R.002.Extended Phase 1 Habitat Survey no photos - Rev A.doc Pleydell Smithyman Limited Printed copies of this document may be out of date April 2014 1 EXTENDED PHASE 1 HABITAT SURVEY – WALLEY’S QUARRY, NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYME 1.7 Where necessary, further species specific surveys and mitigation measures are recommended to help safeguard any significant existing ecological interest within the site and where appropriate, opportunities for ecological enhancement are proposed with reference to national and local BAPs. 1.8 Furthermore, the survey assessment recommendations are guided by the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), where the policies in paragraphs 18 to 219, taken as a whole, constitute the Government’s view of what sustainable development in England means in practice for the planning system. The following paragraphs of the NPPF are of particular relevance: With regard to paragraph 117, in order to minimise impacts on biodiversity and geodiversity, planning policies should: - plan for biodiversity at a landscape-scale across local authority boundaries; - promote the preservation, restoration and re-creation of priority habitats, ecological networks and the protection and recovery of priority species populations, linked to national and local targets, and identify suitable indicators for monitoring biodiversity in the plan; - where Nature Improvement Areas are identified in Local Plans, consider specifying the types of development that may be appropriate in these areas. With reference to paragraph 118, when determining planning applications, local planning authorities should aim to conserve and enhance biodiversity by applying the following principals: - if significant harm resulting from a development cannot be avoided (through locating on an alternative site with less harmful impacts), adequately mitigated, or, as a last resort, compensated for, then planning permission should be refused; - proposed development on land within or outside a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) likely to have an adverse effect on a SSSI (either individually or in combination with other developments) should not normally be permitted; - development proposals where the primary objective is to conserve or enhance biodiversity should be permitted; - opportunities to incorporate biodiversity in and around developments should be encouraged; S:\M13.157 Walleys Quarry - Extended P1HS\Reports\M13.157.R.001 Extended Phase 1 Habitat Survey\M13.157.R.002.Extended Phase 1 Habitat Survey no photos - Rev A.doc Pleydell Smithyman Limited Printed copies of this document may be out of date April 2014 2 EXTENDED PHASE 1 HABITAT SURVEY – WALLEY’S QUARRY, NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYME - planning permission should be refused for development resulting in the loss or deterioration of irreplaceable habitats, including ancient woodland and the loss of aged or veteran trees found outside ancient woodland, unless the need for, and benefits of, the development in that location clearly outweigh the loss; and - the following wildlife sites should be given the same protection as European sites: potential Special Protection Areas (SPA), possible Special Areas of Conservation (SAC); listed or proposed Ramsar sites and sites identified, or required, as compensatory measures for adverse effects on European sites, potential SPA, possible SAC, and listed or proposed Ramsar sites. 1.9 The site visit also focussed on assessing the potential of the site to support populations of priority species, whose protection and recovery is promoted in paragraph 117, especially those given protection under British or European wildlife legislation as stated above. 1.10 The survey assessment recommendations are also guided by the relevant legislation: The NERC Act 2006 states: “Every public authority must, in exercising its functions, have regard, so far is consistent with the proper exercise of those functions, to the purpose of conserving biodiversity”. S:\M13.157 Walleys Quarry - Extended P1HS\Reports\M13.157.R.001 Extended Phase 1 Habitat Survey\M13.157.R.002.Extended Phase 1 Habitat Survey no photos - Rev A.doc Pleydell Smithyman Limited Printed copies of this document may be out of date April 2014 3 EXTENDED PHASE 1 HABITAT SURVEY – WALLEY’S QUARRY, NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYME 2.0 SURVEY METHODOLOGY 2.1 The extended Phase 1 habitat survey was undertaken on the site on 13th and 18th March 2014 by Kelly Downward of Pleydell Smithyman Limited. The weather conditions on the first survey date were thick fog with a cool air temperature of approximately 7˚C. Due to health and safety concerns caused by the thick fog the survey was postponed until the second date when the weather conditions were 100% cloud cover, with light showers and an air temperature of approximately 10˚C. Desk Study 2.2 In order to obtain information on sites of nature conservation interest in the area the Multi-Agency Geographical Information for the Countryside