Habitats Regulations Assessment
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Regulation 19 Pre-Submission Draft Shropshire Local Plan 2016 to 2038 Habitats Regulations Assessment December 2020 Regulation 19 Pre-Submission Draft Shropshire Local Plan 2016-2038 : HRA Contents 1. Introduction ______________________________________________________ 4 The Habitats Regulations Assessment process __________________________________ 4 Background to the Regulation 19: Pre-Submission Draft Shropshire Local Plan 2016 – 2038 and the HRA Screening Reports _________________________________________ 5 2. Stage 1 Screening __________________________________________________ 7 Aims of the screening process and methods used _______________________________ 7 Identification of international sites requiring consideration _______________________ 7 Collation of information on the selected international sites _______________________ 9 Identifying possible mechanisms for significant effects (impact pathways) ___________ 9 Screening of international sites and potential impact pathways from policies, settlements, allocated and saved sites in the DLP _______________________ 12 Air pollution ____________________________________________________________ 12 Diffuse or regional air pollution ____________________________________________________ 13 Local sources of air pollution ______________________________________________________ 15 Hydrological impacts _____________________________________________________ 28 Recreation and other disturbance pathways __________________________________ 34 Light pollution ___________________________________________________________ 43 Screening of the elements of the Pre-Submission Draft Shropshire Local Plan 2016 – 2038 (DLP) _________________________________________________ 43 Results of the screening of the Vision, Strategic Policies (SPs) and Development Policies (DPs) __________________________________________________________________ 46 Results of the screening of Settlement, Strategic Settlement and Strategic Site Policies 47 Summary of Stage 1 Screening _______________________________________ 49 International sites ________________________________________________________ 49 Local Plan Vision, Strategic Policies (SPs), Development Management Policies (DPs), Settlement and Strategic Site Policies (Ss) ____________________________________ 51 In-combination effects (within this Local Plan and with other plans and projects) ____ 52 3. Stage 2 Appropriate Assessment _____________________________________ 53 International sites requiring further consideration ______________________ 53 Severn Estuary SAC/SPA/Ramsar Site ________________________________________________ 57 River Clun SAC __________________________________________________________________ 62 River Dee and Bala Lake SAC _______________________________________________________ 66 Montgomery Canal SAC __________________________________________________________ 69 Stiperstones and The Hollies SAC ___________________________________________________ 73 Page 1 Regulation 19 Pre-Submission Draft Shropshire Local Plan 2016-2038 : HRA Fenn’s, Whixall, Bettisfield, Wem and Cadney Mosses SAC and Ramsar. ____________________ 75 Berwyn SPA ____________________________________________________________________ 78 Berwyn and South Clwyd Mountain SAC _____________________________________________ 80 Hencott Pool, Midlands Meres and Mosses Ramsar Phase 2 ______________________________ 82 Fenemere, Midland Meres and Mosses Phase 1 Ramsar Site _____________________________ 84 Marton Pool (Chirbury), Midland Meres and Mosses Ramsar Site Phase 1 ___________________ 86 Morton Pool and Pasture, Midland Meres and Mosses Phase 2 ___________________________ 88 Brown Moss SAC and Midland Meres and Mosses Ramsar Phase 1 ________________________ 89 Cole Mere, Midland Meres and Mosses Ramsar Phase 2 ________________________________ 94 Cole Mere and White Mere, Midland Meres and Mosses Ramsar Site Phase 2 and minerals allocations _____________________________________________________________________ 98 Tanat and Vyrnwy Bat Sites SAC ____________________________________________________ 99 Additional Development Policies screened into the appropriate assessment _______________ 101 Assumptions made when undertaking this Habitats Regulations Assessment 103 Summary of Stage 2 Appropriate Assessment _________________________ 104 4. Conclusions of the Habitats Regulations Assessment of the Pre-Submission Draft Shropshire Local Plan _____________________________________________ 105 Integrity Test ___________________________________________________________ 105 5. References and Abbreviations ______________________________________ 107 References _____________________________________________________________ 107 Previous Shropshire HRA documents _______________________________________ 108 Abbreviations and definitions _____________________________________________ 109 Representations from Natural England and Natural RW ________________________ 109 Public consultation ______________________________________________________ 110 Appendix 1: Maps of international sites considered in this report ______________ 112 Appendix 2 Description of international sites ______________________________ 113 Table 1: Berwyn SPA _____________________________________________________ 113 Table 2: Berwyn and South Clwyd Mountain SAC _____________________________ 115 Table 3: Brown Moss ____________________________________________________ 121 Table 4: Cannock Chase SAC _______________________________________________ 122 Table 5: Downton Gorge _________________________________________________ 124 Table 6: Elenydd SAC ____________________________________________________ 125 Table 7: Fenn`s, Whixall, Bettisfield, Wem and Cadney Mosses __________________ 128 Table 8: Fens Pools SAC __________________________________________________ 129 Table 9: Granllyn SAC ____________________________________________________ 130 Page 2 Regulation 19 Pre-Submission Draft Shropshire Local Plan 2016-2038 : HRA Table 10: Johnstown newt sites SAC ________________________________________ 132 Table 11: Montgomery Canal ______________________________________________ 133 Table 12: Mottey Meadows SAC ___________________________________________ 134 Table 13: Rhos Goch SAC _________________________________________________ 135 Table 14: River Clun SAC __________________________________________________ 139 Table 15: River Dee and Bala Lake (England) SAC ______________________________ 140 Table 16: River Dee and Bala Lake (Wales) SAC _______________________________ 142 Table 17: Severn Estuary SAC/SPA/European Marine Site(EMS), Ramsar. __________ 146 Table 18: River Wye SAC__________________________________________________ 148 Table 19: Tanat & Vrynwy Bat Sites _________________________________________ 150 Table 20: The Stiperstones and the Hollies SAC _______________________________ 152 Table 21: West Midland Mosses (only site in Shropshire is Clarepool Moss) ________ 153 Table 22: Midland Meres and Mosses (Ramsar Phase 1) ________________________ 155 Table 23: Midland Meres and Mosses (Ramsar Phase 2) ________________________ 156 Table 24: Midland Meres & Mosses Ramsar Phases 1 and Phase 2 – individual sites and features _______________________________________________________________ 158 Table 25: Ramsar Midland Meres & Mosses Phase 1 individual site descriptions ____ 159 Table 26: Ramsar Midland Meres & Mosses Phase 2 ___________________________ 162 Appendix 3: Tables of Impact pathways and international sites potentially affected by them __________________________________________________________ 169 Table 1: Air pollution potential impact pathways _____________________________ 169 Table 2: Hydrological potential effect pathways ______________________________ 170 Table 3: Recreational potential effect pathways ______________________________ 171 Table 4: Biosecurity potential effect pathways________________________________ 172 Table 5: Other effects of development ______________________________________ 173 Appendix 4: Summary of screening of international sites _____________________ 174 Appendix 5: Summary of screening of elements of the Regulation 18: Pre-Sumbmission Draft Local Plan __________________________________________________ 175 Appendix 6: Other plans and projects assessed for in-combination effects _______ 176 Appendix 7: SAMDev Plan HRA of Minerals Allocations ______________________ 177 Page 3 Regulation 19 Pre-Submission Draft Shropshire Local Plan 2016-2038 : HRA 1. Introduction 1.1. It is a legal requirement for Local Authorities to prepare a Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) for plans and projects which have the potential to impact on habitats of European importance. 1.2. This Habitats Regulations Assessment forms part of the consultation on the Pre-Submission Draft Shropshire Local Plan 2016 - 2038. 1.3. A summary of this HRA (the Pre-Submission Draft Shropshire Local Plan 2016 – 2038 Habitats Regulations Assessment Summary) is also available on Shropshire Council’s website. The Habitats Regulations Assessment process 1.4. Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) (required under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 or the ‘Habitats Regulations’) plays an important role in protecting the conservation objectives of the Natura 2000 network of sites. These sites, often referred to as ‘European Sites’, include Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), Special Protection Areas (SPAs) and Candidate SACs (cSACs). Following UK government policy, potential SPAs (pSPAs), possible SACs (pSACs) and proposed and listed Wetlands