Monmouthshire LDP Ecological Assessment of Alternative Sites September 2012 Issuing office Wyastone Business Park | Wyastone Leys | Monmouth | NP25 3SR T: 01600 891576 | W: www.bsg-ecology.com | E: [email protected] Client Monmouthshire County Council Job Monmouthshire LDP Report title Ecological Assessment of Alternative Sites Draft version/final FINAL File reference 4770.02_R_ag_190912.docx Name Position Date Originated Anna Gundrey Senior Ecologist 21 May 2012 Reviewed James Gillespie Partner 29 May 2012 Approved for issue to client James Gillespie Partner 29 May 2012 Issued to client Anna Gundrey Senior Ecologist 30 May 2012 Amendments Anna Gundrey Senior Ecologist 19 September 2012 Disclaimer This report is issued to the client for their sole use and for the intended purpose as stated in the agreement between the client and BSG Ecology under which this work was completed, or else as set out within this report. This report may not be relied upon by any other party without the express written agreement of BSG Ecology. The use of this report by unauthorised third parties is at their own risk and BSG Ecology accepts no duty of care to any such third party. BSG Ecology has exercised due care in preparing this report. It has not, unless specifically stated, independently verified information provided by others. No other warranty, express of implied, is made in relation to the content of this report and BSG Ecology assumes no liability for any loss resulting from errors, omissions or misrepresentation made by others. Any recommendation, opinion or finding stated in this report is based on circumstances and facts as they existed at the time that BSG Ecology performed the work. Nothing in this report constitutes legal opinion. If legal opinion is required the advice of a qualified legal professional should be secured. Offices: Derbyshire, Oxford, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Monmouth and Swansea | BSG Ecology is a trading name of Baker Shepherd Gillespie LLP Registered in: England and Wales No. OC328772 | Registered address: Wyastone Business Park, Wyastone Leys, Monmouth, NP25 3SR Monmouthshire LDP Contents 1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................... 2 2 Methodology .................................................................................................................................................. 3 3 Results ........................................................................................................................................................... 6 4 Summary ....................................................................................................................................................... 8 5 References .................................................................................................................................................... 9 Appendix 1: Site Report Forms .......................................................................................................................... 10 Appendix 2: SINC Reporting Forms ................................................................................................................... 11 1 19/09/2012 Monmouthshire LDP 1 Introduction 1.1 Ecological site assessment was required for 30 ‘Alternative Sites’ following the 2009 assessment of 275 sites by Gwent Ecology (Gwent Ecology 2010) and subsequent assessment of a further 32 ‘Village Sites’ by BSG Ecology (BSG Ecology 2010) on behalf of Monmouthshire County Council (MCC). These assessments use a purpose-designed methodology (Gwent Ecology 2010) based upon the JNCC Phase 1 habitat survey method (JNCC 2003), modified to gather additional information in relation to notable species and habitats. The survey and reporting methods were designed by MCC in conjunction with Gwent Wildlife Trust (GWT) (Gwent Ecology 2010) to provide an evidence base of ecological data to inform the preparation, appraisal and examination of the Local Development Plan by MCC. 1.2 The survey and site reports establish the ecological value of the proposed LDP sites, principally based on botanical survey and assessment of existing data provided by the South East Wales Biological Records Centre (SEWBReC). The survey and reports also consider potential protected or Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP including local and national) species that may be present, for example otter, dormouse, great crested newt and horseshoe bats. 1.3 Sites were also assessed for their potential to qualify as Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINCs) using the Guidelines for the Selection of Wildlife Sites in South Wales (SWWP 2004) and subsequent updates produced by MCC and GWT (GWT 2009). 1.4 Finally the application of the evaluation methodology along with the information gathered during the desk and field surveys was discussed with MCC on 16th May 2012 before the production of this report, to ensure that the evaluation of the Alternative Sites is consistent with the previous work conducted by Gwent Ecology and BSG Ecology. 2 19/09/2012 Monmouthshire LDP 2 Methodology Desk Study 2.1 Each site was subject to a desk-based assessment using historical records, existing protected sites data and aerial photographs, as listed below. Information regarding records of protected and national and local BAP species was obtained from SEWBReC for a 500m buffer surrounding each site. These were supplied and copied onto the Site Report forms (See Appendix 1) supplied by MCC to inform the site surveys. 2.2 Desk-based assessments for sites used the following sources of information: Local Wildlife Site/SINC GIS data provided by MCC. Protected species search within 500m of each site from SEWBReC. Protected site search within 500m of each site from SEWBReC. Aerial Photos: web based images. SINC GIS layer provided by MCC. Field Survey 2.3 Thirty sites identified as Alternative Sites by MCC were subject to Phase 1 Habitat Survey following the JNCC methodology (JNCC 2003). The surveys were undertaken by Anna Gundrey and Stephanie Boocock during April 2012. The survey methodology was extended in the field to gather appropriate information as follows: Habitats present and features of apparent nature conservation interest. Presence of protected or BAP species and habitat that may support such species. Potential each site to qualify as SINC. Hedgerows - condition and length. Veteran trees - presence of mature trees. Present land use (where discernible). Consideration of all hedgerows in the context of the Hedgerow Regulations. Potential requirement for further ecological survey should development take place. Land use of adjacent areas. 2.4 Data were recorded in the field onto paper site maps and then onto a copy of the Site Report Form along with the desk study information. Biodiversity Assessment and Evaluation Criteria 2.5 Using the results of the desk-based survey and field assessments, an evaluation of the ecological status of the site was made using classifications of High, Medium or Low value. Where present, species or habitat features that should be retained or protected by way of their legal or otherwise notable status were identified. Further surveys, constraint and enhancement issues were also defined for each site. 2.6 Sites were evaluated as High, Medium or Low using the following qualifying criteria that were established by MCC and Gwent Ecology (Gwent Ecology 2010) based on the Ratcliffe Criteria and Local Wildlife Site guidelines SWWP 2004). International designated sites were not included in the criteria, so for the purposes of this assessment, SACs have been treated as for SSSIs. No SPAs or Ramsar sites are affected. 3 19/09/2012 Monmouthshire LDP 2.7 The following is taken from Gwent Ecology 2010. 2.8 HIGH (Red) Site already designated as SSSI/LWS/ANSW. Site assessed and of Local Wildlife Site quality. Protected species recorded on site. Site of great value for connecting semi-natural habitats in the landscape. 2.9 MEDIUM (Orange) Site close to Local Wildlife Site but threshold for designation not reached, based on the limited data that could be gathered through this survey contract. Presence of UKBAP habitat. Local Wildlife Site present within site of lower biodiversity value. Veteran mature tree/s present. Important hedgerow/s present. Possible chance of protected species on site or very near to site. Site adjacent to a SSSI/LWS/ANSW. Site of value for connecting semi-natural habitats in the landscape. 2.10 LOW (Green) Site assessed as not of Local Wildlife Site quality. Limited or no features of biodiversity interest. No protected species on or near site. Site not near any protected sites/ANSW. Site of very limited current value for connecting semi-natural habitats in the landscape. SINC Designation 2.11 All sites were assessed against the criteria in the Guidelines for the Selection of Wildlife Sites in South East Wales (SWWP 2004) including the revised SINC guidelines established for Monmouthshire. Recommendations for SINC designation were based on the presence of qualifying habitats or species established during the desk and field survey. Data Capture and Transfer to Geographical Information System 2.12 Following the existing format for spatial data provided by MCC, data gathered in the field was input to GIS using ArcMap to produce three maps as described below: Map 1: Phase 1 survey. Map 2: Biodiversity Features Layer - detailed mapping of areas of importance for biodiversity.