Long Bennington, Lincolnshire
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ECOLOGY AND PROTECTED SPECIES SURVEY FEN LANE, LONG BENNINGTON, LINCOLNSHIRE SEPTEMBER 2018 The Old School House Chapel Road Tumby Woodside Boston Issued to: PE22 7SP Mike Sibthorp Mike Sibthorp Planning Telephone:01526 344726 or 01205 723342 Logan House E-mail: [email protected] Lime Grove Grantham Company registration number:8087266 NG31 9JD VAT registration number:994957340 Fen Lane, Long Bennington September 2018 ECOLOGY AND PROTECTED SPECIES SURVEY FEN LANE, LONG BENNINGTON, LINCOLNSHIRE Report to: Mike Sibthorp Mike Sibthorp Planning Logan House Lime Grove Grantham NG31 9JD Report title: Ecology and Protected Species Survey, Fen Lane, Long Bennington, Lincolnshire Revision: Final Original issue date: September 2018 Amended: N/A Originated by: Rachel McNally Date: Assistant ecologist 7th September 2018 Reviewed by: Helen Scarborough Date: Director 11th September 2018 Approved by: Ian Nixon Date: Director 12th September 2018 Scarborough Nixon Associates Ltd ii Fen Lane, Long Bennington September 2018 ECOLOGY AND PROTECTED SPECIES SURVEY FEN LANE, LONG BENNINGTON, LINCOLNSHIRE Contents 1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 1 2 METHODS ........................................................................................................................... 2 2.1 Data search ............................................................................................................................ 2 2.2 Bats ........................................................................................................................................ 2 2.2.1 Preliminary roost assessment ............................................................................................. 2 2.2.2 Assessment of commuting and foraging habitats ............................................................... 3 2.3 Birds ....................................................................................................................................... 3 2.3.1 Common bird species ......................................................................................................... 3 2.3.2 Schedule 1 species ............................................................................................................. 3 2.4 Habitats and plant species ...................................................................................................... 3 2.5 Survey constraints and limitations .......................................................................................... 4 3 SITE ASSESSMENT ........................................................................................................... 4 3.1 Location and grid reference .................................................................................................... 4 3.2 The barn ................................................................................................................................. 5 3.3 Site boundaries and surrounding habitats .............................................................................. 7 4 RESULTS ............................................................................................................................ 8 4.1 Data search ............................................................................................................................ 8 4.2 Bats ........................................................................................................................................ 8 4.2.1 Preliminary roost assessment ............................................................................................. 8 4.2.2 Assessment of commuting and foraging habitats ............................................................... 9 4.3 Birds ..................................................................................................................................... 10 4.3.1 Common bird species ....................................................................................................... 10 4.3.2 Schedule 1 species ........................................................................................................... 10 4.4 Habitats and plant species .................................................................................................... 10 Scarborough Nixon Associates Ltd iii Fen Lane, Long Bennington September 2018 5 DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................................... 11 5.1 Bats ...................................................................................................................................... 11 5.1.1 Legal protection ................................................................................................................ 11 5.1.2 Recommendations ............................................................................................................ 11 5.2 Birds ..................................................................................................................................... 12 5.2.1 Legal protection ................................................................................................................ 12 5.2.2 Recommendations for common bird species .................................................................... 12 5.3 Recommendations for ecological enhancement ................................................................... 13 6 SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................ 14 7 REFERENCES .................................................................................................................. 14 APPENDIX 1 ............................................................................................................................ 16 Data search results ........................................................................................................................... 16 APPENDIX 2 ............................................................................................................................ 17 Procedure to follow in the event of finding a bat ............................................................................... 17 APPENDIX 3 ............................................................................................................................ 19 Bat roost units ................................................................................................................................... 19 Scarborough Nixon Associates Ltd iv Fen Lane, Long Bennington September 2018 Photographs Photograph 1: External view of the barn................................................................................................. 6 Photograph 2: Central area of the barn .................................................................................................. 6 Photograph 3: Roof void area ................................................................................................................. 6 Photograph 4: Northern elevation of the barn......................................................................................... 6 Photograph 5: Internal view, central area ............................................................................................... 6 Photograph 6: Internal view, eastern wing.............................................................................................. 6 Photograph 7: Internal view, western wing ............................................................................................. 7 Photograph 8: Internal view, western wing ............................................................................................. 7 Photograph 9: Development to the east of the barn ............................................................................... 8 Photograph 10: Area to the south of the barn......................................................................................... 8 Photograph 11: Disused swallow nest .................................................................................................. 10 Photograph 12: Disused swallow nest .................................................................................................. 10 Tables Table 1: Assessment of the barn to support roosting bats...................................................................... 9 Table 2: Assessment of surrounding habitats to support commuting and foraging bats ......................... 9 Table 3: Common bird species seen on the site ................................................................................... 10 Figures Figure 1: Aerial view of the survey site (outlined in red) ......................................................................... 5 Scarborough Nixon Associates Ltd v Fen Lane, Long Bennington September 2018 ECOLOGY AND PROTECTED SPECIES SURVEY FEN LANE, LONG BENNINGTON, LINCOLNSHIRE 1 INTRODUCTION Scarborough Nixon Associates Ltd has been commissioned by Mike Sibthorp to undertake an ecology and protected species survey of a barn at Fen Lane, Long Bennington in Lincolnshire. The survey is required in connection with plans to convert the barn to residential use. The site was surveyed on the 23rd August 2018 in dry and fine conditions, by Helen Scarborough (registered to use Natural England Class Licences WML-CL08 to survey great crested newts; registration number CLS000487, WML-CL19 and WML-CL20 to survey bats; registration numbers