Preliminary Ecological Appraisal
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Preliminary Ecological Appraisal of Land at Chantry Vale, Ipswich. Tel. 07812925622 Email: [email protected] Preliminary Ecological Appraisal: Chantry Vale, Ipswich Survey Commissioned by: Taylor Wimpey Strategic Land Project Number: AE18021 Date of survey: 8th & 9th July 2018 Surveyor: Mary Power BSc (Hons) MSc MCIEEM Project Report Report Title Revision Issued number Ref. Preliminary Ecological Appraisal of AE18021 AE18021-1 Draft 20th July 2018 Land at Chantry Vale, Ipswich. Disclaimer The findings detailed in this report are based on evidence from thorough survey, where every effort has been taken to provide an accurate assessment of the site at the time of the survey. No liability can be assumed for omissions or changes after the survey has taken place. This report was instructed by Taylor Wimpey Strategic Land, and following the brief agreed. Aspen Ecology has made every effort to meet the client’s brief. Neither Aspen Ecology, nor any associated company, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or any third party's use of the report. We disclaim any responsibility to the Client and others in respect of any matters outside the scope of the above. This report is confidential to the Client and we accept no responsibility of whatsoever nature to third parties to whom this report, or any part thereof, is made known. Any such party relies on the report at their own risk. Information supplied by the Client or any other parties and used in this report is assumed to be correct and Aspen Ecology accepts no responsibility for inaccuracies in the data supplied. © Aspen Ecology 2018 (Copyright of this report remains with Aspen Ecology: Content must not be reproduced, in whole or part, without written consent) AE18021-1 20 July 2018 Taylor Wimpey Strategic Land Page 2 of 51 Preliminary Ecological Appraisal: Chantry Vale, Ipswich 1 Executive Summary Aspen Ecology was instructed by Taylor Wimpey Strategic Land to carry out a Preliminary Ecological Appraisal (PEA) of the site at Chantry Vale, Ipswich, hereafter referred to as ‘the Site’. The central grid reference for the Project Site is TM 1303 4393. The site survey was undertaken on the 8th and 9th July 2018. The Site supports arable land and grassland meadows cut for hay with boundary hedgerows and ditches. Margins at the boundaries of the arable crop varied from 0 to 8m and generally comprised arable weeds and ruderal vegetation. Areas of semi-improved grassland and grassland/ruderal mosaic were present towards the centre and west of the site with a small pocket of woodland to the north. The River Gipping formed the northern boundary of the site. There are three statutory conservation sites within 2km of the site (all Local Nature Reserves), and two European designated sites are present within 13km. Twelve County wildlife site are also present within 2km of the site with one, Chantry park adjacent to the eastern boundary. Direct impacts to the adjacent Chantry Park CWS should be considered and precautionary working practices employed to ensure that impacts through creation of noise/dust/light pollution during the construction phase are minimised. A 100m buffer is proposed around Chantry Park within the Ipswich Borough Council Adopted Core Strategy to protect Ecological Corridors, this should be incorporated into the site design. No direct operational or construction stage impacts to any of the European sites are predicted due to distance between site and designated sites, however there may be increase recreational pressure on these and the local county wildlife sites. A Habitats Regulation Assessment Screening report should be prepared by the competent authority to assess the requirement for an Appropriate Assessment. A badger sett was recorded towards the western boundary of the site and the Schedule 9 Invasive Species giant hogweed was recorded along the River Gipping corridor to the north. In order to inform the production of an Ecological Impact Assessment the following surveys are recommended: Species/Feature Description Timings A survey of the site should be undertaken to assess Badgers the extent to which badgers use the site and to October to April classify any setts recorded. Manual surveys: Between mid-March and mid- June; half of which should be Surveys for great crested newts to be undertaken on between mid-April and mid-May. Great crested newts suitable ponds within 500m of the Site boundary to eDNA sampling surveys: determine if they are present in the area. Water samples must be taken between the 15th April and 30th June If surveys are required. Dormouse tubes must be Surveys for dormice should be undertaken of any deployed within suitable areas of Hazel dormouse suitable habitat. habitat and surveys must be undertaken once per month between April and November Bats (activity) Transect Surveys: One visit per transect per month, April to October for each month between April and October inclusive One visit per transect per month AE18021-1 20 July 2018 Taylor Wimpey Strategic Land Page 3 of 51 Preliminary Ecological Appraisal: Chantry Vale, Ipswich for walked transects. Two people must be present on each transect. Transects will incorporate all areas of suitable habitat. Particular focus will be on commuting bats using the hedgerows and tree lines. The transect route will depend on suitable and safe access. Automated/Static Activity Surveys: Two locations per transect with data to be collected on five consecutive nights per month, for each month between April and October inclusive for remote detector surveys. The devices will placed out and retrieved after each session. Recordings are then analysed in the office. Bats (roosting) Any trees to be removed which have been assessed Summer Roosts: May to as having low potential to support roosting bats will September. Up to three visits. not be subject to further surveys, but precautionary measures may be appropriate during felling or Winter Roosts: October - April pruning activities. Any trees to be removed which have been assessed as having moderate or high potential to support roosting bats may require a further Potential Roost Feature (PRF) climbed inspection survey and/or will require presence/absence surveys to be undertaken To establish roost presence or likely absence up to three manual surveys (dusk/dawn) are to be completed following the Bat Survey Guidelines Reptiles Presence/ likely absence surveys in suitable areas of Seven surveys to be undertaken habitat using artificial refugia between April and September, avoiding the summer months of July and August if possible. Breeding birds Breeding bird surveys to be undertaken within Four visits between April and suitable areas of habitat within the site to assess July. presence, population and activity of birds. Particular focus will be paid to protected/priority species breeding in grassland, woodland, hedgerows and scrub and ground nesting birds in particular skylark in areas of arable land. Otter An otter survey of the River/ditches within the site Anytime (April-October optimal) and extending 100m upstream and 25m downstream (where access is possible) should be undertaken if any works are proposed within 50m of the river/stream bank Water vole If any works are proposed within 5m of the river/ditch Two surveys required: one mid- banks water vole surveys should be undertaken April to June, and another July to September, at least 2 months apart. Surveys of areas of grassland & grassland/ruderal One site visit in Spring/ early mosaic where access was impeded should be Botany Summer before vegetation undertaken to assess the presence of any notable growth is to vigorous. species. Surveys of areas of grassland, wide arable margins A number of survey visits may and the River Gipping corridor should be undertaken Invertebrates be required between April and to assess the presence of any protected rare or September. notable invertebrates. AE18021-1 20 July 2018 Taylor Wimpey Strategic Land Page 4 of 51 Preliminary Ecological Appraisal: Chantry Vale, Ipswich Contents 1 Executive Summary ....................................................................................................... 3 2 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 7 2.1 Background ............................................................................................................. 7 2.2 Aims and Scope of Report....................................................................................... 7 2.3 Site Description ....................................................................................................... 7 2.4 Planning Policy and Legislation ............................................................................... 8 2.4.1 Planning Policy................................................................................................. 8 3 Methodology ................................................................................................................. 12 3.1 Site Survey ............................................................................................................ 12 3.2 Desk Study and Biodiversity Information Consultation ........................................... 13 4 Results and Discussion ................................................................................................ 14 4.1 Desk Study ...........................................................................................................