ED.3.17 Habitats Regulations Assessment of the Stratford-on-Avon District Council Core Strategy Screening Report Client: Stratford-on-Avon District Council Report Title: Habitats Regulations Assessment of the Stratford-on-Avon Core Strategy Status: Final Version: 1 Filename: LC-0026_Stratford_Core_Strategy_HRA_2_060712MGP Date: 6th July 2012 Author: Mike Paginton Checked: Nick Hargreaves Approved: Neil Davidson Habitats Regulations Assessment of the Stratford-on-Avon Core Strategy July, 2012 LC-0026_Stratford_Core_Strategy_HRA_2_060712MGP Contents Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................... i 1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 1 2 About the Core Strategy ..................................................................................................... 5 3 Methodology ..................................................................................................................... 11 4 Determination of Need ..................................................................................................... 15 5 European Sites ................................................................................................................... 17 6 Screening: Initial Appraisal ............................................................................................... 25 7 Screening: Further Assessment ........................................................................................ 41 8 Conclusions ........................................................................................................................ 49 References ................................................................................................................................. 51 Appendix A European Site Record .......................................................................................... 53 Lepus Consulting Habitats Regulations Assessment of the Stratford-on-Avon Core Strategy July, 2012 LC-0026_Stratford_Core_Strategy_HRA_2_060712MGP List of Tables and Figures Figure 1.1: Location of Stratford-on-Avon District Figure 3.1: The 13 Key Stages of the Habitats Regulations Appraisal Process Figure 4.1: Determining if a plan should be subject to a Habitats Regulations Appraisal Figure 5.1: Location of European sites within proximity to Stratford-on-Avon District Figure 7.1: Water Quality in the Warwickshire Avon Catchment Table 2.1: Core Strategy Policies Table 3.1: Stages of HRA Table 3.2: Dealing with Uncertainty Table 5.1: Criteria for identification of European sites Table 5.2: European sites within the vicinity or connected to Stratford District Table 5.3: Identified vulnerabilities of European sites Table 6.1: Screening Matrix Table 6.2: In-combination matrix of Stratford Draft Core Strategy 2012 policies Table 6.3: In-combination matrix of Stratford Draft Core Strategy with other plans and strategies Table 7.1: Warwickshire Avon Catchment Key Statistics Table 7.2: WwTW without Consented Headroom (Source URS, 2012) Table 8.1: Potential Impacts of Policy CS16 upon European Sites Table 8.2: Potential Impacts of Policy CS22 upon European Sites Table 8.3: Potential Impacts of Policy CS23 upon European Sites Table 8.4: Potential Impacts of Policy CS24 upon European Sites Table 8.5: Potential Impacts of Policy CS26 upon European Sites Table 8.6: Potential Impacts of Policy CS28 upon European Sites Table 9.1: Mitigation measures for potential impacts upon European sites Lepus Consulting Habitats Regulations Assessment of the Stratford-on-Avon Core Strategy July, 2012 LC-0026_Stratford_Core_Strategy_HRA_2_060712MGP Abbreviations AQMA Air Quality Management Area CAMS Catchment Area Management Strategy CLG Department of Communities and Local Government CO2 Carbon dioxide GI Green Infrastructure HRA Habitats Regulations Assessment IROPI Imperative Reason for Overriding Public Interest NPPF National Planning Policy Framework RBMP River Basin Management Plan RoC Review of Consent SAC Special Area of Conservation SFRA Strategic Flood Risk Assessment SPA Special Protection Areas SPD Supplementary Planning Document SSSI Site of Special Scientific Importance STW Severn Trent Water SuDS Sustainable Drainage Systems WFD Water Framework Directive WRMP Water Resource Management Plan WwTW Waste Water Treatment Works Lepus Consulting Ltd Habitats Regulations Assessment of the Stratford-on-Avon Core Strategy July, 2012 LC-0026_Stratford_Core_Strategy_HRA_2_060712MGP This page is intentionally blank for the purposes of double-sided printing. Lepus Consulting Ltd Habitats Regulations Assessment of the Stratford-on-Avon Core Strategy July, 2012 LC-0026_Stratford_Core_Strategy_HRA_2_060712MGP Executive Summary E1 Introduction E1.1 Lepus Consulting on behalf of Stratford-on-Avon District Council is preparing an initial screening report for Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) of the Stratford- on-Avon District third Draft Core Strategy (February, 2012). The initial screening assessment focuses on the likely significant effects of the Core Strategy on the nature conservation interests of European-protected areas within 20km or connected to the Stratford-on-Avon District. It seeks to establish whether or not there could be any adverse effects on the ecological integrity of these European sites as a result of proposals in the plan. This initial screening assessment is designed to act as an early warning system that identifies any potential HRA issues at this early stage which could arise as a result of the proposals within the Core Strategy. E1.2 European sites are areas of international nature conservation importance that are protected for the benefit of the habitats and species they support. The report explores how the integrity of European sites within, close to or connected to the district has a bearing on core strategy principles. E1.3 This report identifies: European sites within proximity to the assessment area; European sites unlikely to suffer significant effects of the Draft Core Strategy; European sites likely to be effected by the policies of the Draft Core Strategy; Policies that will not lead to likely significant effects upon European sites; In-combination assessment of policies and their interaction with other plans and programmes; Assessment of the likely significant effects of Stratford-on-Avon District Draft Core Strategy policies upon European sites; and Appropriate avoidance and mitigation measures. E2 Scope E2.1 The following European sites were identified using a 20km area of search around Stratford District including sites which are potentially connected (e.g. hydrologically): Bredon Hill SAC; Dixton Wood SAC; Fens Pools SAC; Lyppard Grange Ponds SAC; Lepus Consulting Ltd i Habitats Regulations Assessment of the Stratford-on-Avon Core Strategy July, 2012 LC-0026_Stratford_Core_Strategy_HRA_2_060712MGP Oxford Meadows SAC; Severn Estuary SAC; Severn Estuary SPA; Severn Estuary Ramsar; and Wye Valley SAC. E3 Findings E3.1 Of the nine European sites identified, four were screened out. Assessment of their vulnerabilities coupled with absence of obvious links (e.g. hydrologically) by which impacts could be transferred, distance from Stratford-on-Avon District and small size are all reasons for this conclusion. The screened out sites are as follows: Bredon Hill SAC; Dixton Wood SAC; Fens Pools SAC; and Oxford Meadows SAC. E3.2 The five sites where potential significant effects could not be ruled out due to uncertainties in regards to impacts from a water resources and water quality perspective. These sites include: Lyppard Grange Ponds SAC; Severn Estuary SAC; Severn Estuary SPA; Severn Estuary Ramsar; and River Wye SAC. E3.3 The initial screening assessment identified that the following policies can be screened out as having no likely significant effects upon European sites: Policy CS1: Sustainable Development; Policy CS2: Climate Change and Sustainable Energy; Policy CS3: Safeguarding the Water Environment; Policy CS4: Managing Waste; Policy CS5: Minerals; Policy CS6: Green Belt; Policy CS7: Areas of Restraint; Policy CS8: Cotswolds AONB; Policy CS9: Vale of Evesham Control Zone; Policy CS10: Landscape; Policy CS11: Natural Features; Policy CS12: Heritage Assets; Policy CS13: Green Infrastructure; Policy CS14: Earlswood Lakes Country Park; Lepus Consulting Ltd ii Habitats Regulations Assessment of the Stratford-on-Avon Core Strategy July, 2012 LC-0026_Stratford_Core_Strategy_HRA_2_060712MGP Policy CS15: Design and Distinctiveness; Policy CS17: Affordable Housing; Policy CS18:Protection and Adaptation of the Existing Housing Stock; Policy CS19: Specialised Accommodation; Policy CS20: Housing Mix and Type; Policy CS21: Provision for Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople; Policy CS25: Countryside and Villages; Policy CS27: Community Facilities; and Policy CS29: Infrastructure for Growth and Developer Contributions. E3.4 Six policies were assessed in further detail to explore potential significant effects upon the integrity of European sites. These policies were as follows: Policy CS16: Spatial Distribution of Development; Policy CS22: Economic Development; Policy CS23: Retail Development – Town and Local Centres; Policy CS24: Tourism Development; Policy CS26: Large Rural Brownfield Sites; and Policy CS28: Transport and Communication. E3.5 Besides these six policies the following area policy profiles were appraised: APP1: Stratford-upon-Avon;