Llanarth Court, Raglan ECOLOGICAL APPRAISAL
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Llanarth Court, Raglan ECOLOGICAL APPRAISAL 784-B025749 Pre-Application Consultation Priory Group 20 January 2021 Prepared on Behalf of Tetra Tech Limited. Registered in England number: 01959704 Tetratecheurope.com Tetra Tech Bristol, 90 Victoria Street, Bristol, United Kingdom, BS1 6DP +44 (0)117 925 4393, [email protected], tetratecheurope.com Tetra Tech Limited. Registered in England number: 01959704 Registered Office: 3 Sovereign Square, Sovereign Street, Leeds, United Kingdom, LS1 4ER Document control Document: Ecological Appraisal Project: Llanarth Court, Raglan Client: Priory Group Job Number: B025749 File Origin: Z:\Projects\Projects 784-B000000\B025749 Llanarth Court Raglan\REPORTS Revision: 1 Status: PAC Issue Date: 20.01.21 Prepared by: Checked by Approved By: Sarah Dillon ACIEEM Patryk Gruba MCIEEM Candice Howe MCIEEM Principal Ecologist Senior Ecologist Principal Ecologist Description of revision: First Issue Revision: Status: Date: Prepared by: Checked by: Approved By: Description of revision: Revision: Status: Date: Prepared by: Checked by: Approved By: Description of revision: tetratecheurope.com i CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................................... 1 Glossary .................................................................................................................................. 3 1.0 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 4 1.1 Background ....................................................................................................................... 4 1.2 Site Location ...................................................................................................................... 4 1.3 Development Proposals ...................................................................................................... 4 1.4 Purpose of the Report ........................................................................................................ 4 2.0 METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................................... 5 2.1 Desk Study ........................................................................................................................ 5 2.1.1 Previous Reports ....................................................................................................... 5 2.1.2 Local Ecological Records Centre ................................................................................. 5 2.1.3 Online Resources ...................................................................................................... 5 2.2 Field Surveys ..................................................................................................................... 5 2.2.1 Habitats .................................................................................................................... 5 2.2.2 Protected & Notable Species ...................................................................................... 5 2.3 Limitations ......................................................................................................................... 8 3.0 BASELINE CONDITIONS ................................................................................................ 10 3.1 Designated Sites .............................................................................................................. 10 3.2 Habitats .......................................................................................................................... 10 3.2.1 Species-poor semi-improved grassland ..................................................................... 10 3.2.2 Amenity grassland ................................................................................................... 10 3.2.3 Hardstanding .......................................................................................................... 11 3.2.4 Spoil ....................................................................................................................... 11 3.2.5 Adjacent habitats .................................................................................................... 11 3.3 Protected & Notable Species ............................................................................................. 11 3.3.1 Great Crested Newts ............................................................................................... 11 3.3.2 Reptiles .................................................................................................................. 12 3.3.3 Bats ....................................................................................................................... 12 3.3.4 Badger ................................................................................................................... 13 3.3.5 Hazel Dormice ........................................................................................................ 13 3.3.6 Otter ...................................................................................................................... 13 tetratecheurope.com ii 3.3.7 Water Vole ............................................................................................................. 13 3.3.8 Birds ...................................................................................................................... 14 3.3.9 Invertebrates .......................................................................................................... 14 3.3.10 Other Notable Species ........................................................................................... 14 3.3.11 Invasive Species .................................................................................................... 14 3.4 Importance of Ecological Features .................................................................................... 14 4.0 RELEVANT PLANNING POLICY & LEGISLATION ........................................................... 16 4.1 Revised National Planning Policy Framework ...................................................................... 16 4.2 Environment (Wales) act .................................................................................................. 17 4.3 Local Biodiversity Action Plan ............................................................................................ 18 4.4 Local Plan ........................................................................................................................ 18 4.5 Legislation ....................................................................................................................... 20 5.0 DISCUSSION ................................................................................................................. 21 5.1 Designated Sites .............................................................................................................. 21 5.2 Habitats .......................................................................................................................... 21 5.3 Protected & Notable Species ............................................................................................. 22 5.3.1 Recommendations ................................................................................................... 22 5.3.2 Enhancements ........................................................................................................ 25 6.0 SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................... 26 7.0 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................. 27 FIGURES APPENDIX A – REPORT CONDITIONS APPENDIX B – DRAWINGS APPENDIX C – KEY LEGISLATION APPENDIX D – RELEVANT DESK STUDY DATA APPENDIX E – TARGET NOTES tetratecheurope.com iii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Contents Summary Site Location The site is located at Llanarth Court, Raglan, Abergavenny, Usk NP15 2YD and centred at OS National Grid Reference SO382107. The site is part of Llanarth Court Hospital complex and comprises spoil from a recently demolished building, poor semi-improved grassland, amenity grassland and hardstanding. Proposals It is proposed to re-build the mental health care facility using as much of the footprint of the recently razed Treowen building as possible to include 2 x 12 bed wards. Existing Site No existing information was provided Information Scope of this The scope of the survey was to conduct an Ecological Appraisal, including a Survey(s) desk-based study and an extended Phase 1 habitat survey of the site, to determine any changes from previous surveys and applications to help inform the potential ecological constraints to development. Results Designated sites • Closest Natura 2000 site is the River Usk SAC approximately 2.5 km south-west of the site; • Closest SAC designated for bats is Valley and Forest of Dean Bat Sites SAC located 9.01 km east of the site; and • Four locally designated sites. Habitats & Species Habitats on site are dominated by spoil and poor semi-improved grassland. Surrounding habitats include a network of ditches and Clawdd Brook. The site includes habitats with the potential to support reptiles and possibly GCN with foraging habitat for badger and hedgehog. In addition, the earth bank, ditch, brook immediately adjacent to the site provide suitable habitat for water vole, otter and polecat. Therefore,