Co-Ordination Determination of Project Requiring Consent of Runnymede Borough Council and Surrey Heath Borough Council

Regulation 65 (1) (b) Co-ordination determination of project requiring consent of Runnymede Borough Council and Surrey Heath Borough Council

The Conservation Habitats and Species Regulations 2010

By:

Runnymede Borough Council Technical Services Civic Offices Station Road Addlestone Surrey KT15 2DZ

Natura 2000 Site:

Thursley, Ash, Pirbright and Chobham Special Area of Conservation (SAC)

Date:

______

Status: DRAFT

IA Reference Number F43.40.001

Application Reference numbers Runnymede Borough Council - RU.12/1120 Surrey Heath Borough Council – xxxxx/xxxx

Regulation 65 Co-ordination determination of most appropriate competent authority in consideration of Regulation 61, 66 and 62 of the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 on the Natura 2000 site – Thursley, Ash, Pirbright and Chobham Special Area of Conservation (SAC) IA Reference No. F43.40.001

Introductory note

This introductory note will not form part of this determination.

The following co-ordination statement is issued pursuant to Regulation 65 (1) (b) and (2) of The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulation 2010 (the “Regulations”) to document the decision’s of both Runnymede Borough Council and Surrey Borough Council as Competent Authorities (CA) required to give consent to proposals as detailed within planning applications RU.12/1120 and xxxx/xxxx (the “Project”) to be considered pursuant to Section 92 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) to provide outline consent for the re-development of the formally known DERA site located at Longcross (the “Site”).

The consideration comprises the following parts:

 Regulation 65 (2) Determination;

 Part A – Description of proposal;

 Part B – Description of designated site;

 Part C – Screening assessment

 Part D – Reason for Coordination Determination

 Appendix 1 – Designated Site Location Map;

Part A – Regulation 65 (2) Determination

Regulation 65 (2) of The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulation 2010 provides for coordination between one or more competent authority as defined by Regulation 6 to determine which would be a more appropriate competent authority to assess implications of a plan or project requiring a their joint consent, permission or other authorisation of a plan or project likely to result in significant effect (s) on a Natura 2000 site.

Coordination DRAFT Issue Date: Status:

Issued for: RU.12/1120 & xxxx/xxxx for the redevelopment of DERA North Site, Longcross

Coordination Statement:

Pursuant to Regulation 65 (1)(b) and (2) of the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 for the reasons set out in Parts A to E of this statement, it is the signatory’s opinion that the proposal referred to in Part B to which this coordination agreement relates is more appropriately assessed by Runnymede Borough Council.

Issued by and signed for and on Runnymede Borough Council behalf of:

Name:

Date:

Accepted by and signed for and on Surrey Heath Borough Council behalf of:

Name:

Date:

Part B – Description of proposal (Data sourced from the Runnymede Borough Council planning application file RU.12/1120 as of the date of issue)

1.1 Location: Former DERA Site, Chobham Lane, Chertsey and centred at National Grid Reference SU 987 657. 1.2 Distance from designated Western boundary of site adjacent to designated site. site boundary to PP boundary: 1.3 Site area (ha): Approximately 129ha 1.4 Application Type: Outline 1.5 Application No: Runnymede Borough Council – RU.12/1120 Surrey Heath Borough Council – xxxx/xxxx 1.6 IA Screening No. F55.42.002 1.7 Brief description of Proposals comprises of “Outline planning application for the proposal: demolition of existing buildings and the mixed used redevelopment of the site to provide; up to 79,000sqm, (GEA) of Class B1 employment uses; parking for B1 uses; up to 36,000sqm (GEA) of sui generis Data Centres use (including ancillary facilities); parking for Data Centre; up to 200 dwellings, including garages, roadways (including driveways and pavements), fencing and walling; up to 6,300sqm (GEA) of ancillary uses, including Class A1 - A5 uses (i.e. retail uses, cafe/restaurants and a public house up to 1,550sqm GEA), Class D1 uses (i.e. childcare facilities up to 600sqm GEA); Class D2 uses (i.e. Health and Leisure up to 1900sqm GEA) and a primary education facility (up to 2250sqm GEA); the creation of ecological habitats, general amenity areas ( including informal and formal open spaces), equipped play areas, publicly accessible semi- natural greenspace and landscaped areas; new vehicular accesses from the existing public highway network; vehicle and cycle parking; bin stores; landscape compound; car parking (for railway station); electricity sub-stations; lighting; drainage and associated infrastructure works, including sustainable drainage systems (SUDS); noise attenuation features; and associated engineering and service operations, with access to be determined at the Outline stage.” 1.8 Total number of new and 200 or additional residential units: 1.9 Brief description of Normal construction methods expected. manner in which PP is proposed to be carried out: 1.10 Is the PP directly No connected with or necessary to the site management for nature conservation?

Part C - Description of designated site

2.1 Name: Thursley, Ash, Pirbright and Chobham

2.2 Unitary Surrey Authority/Country: 2.3 Site designation Special Area of Conservation (SAC) Status: 2.4 Site description: The heathland is a series of large fragments of previously more continuous areas and is principally dominated by heather – dwarf gorse (Calluna vulgaris – Ulex minor) dry heathland. There are transitions to wet heath and valley mire, scrub, woodland and acid grassland, including types rich in annual plants. This habitat supports an important assemblage of animal species, including numerous rare and local invertebrate species, including the nationally rare white-faced darter Leuccorhinia dubia, as well as sand lizard Lacerta agilis and smooth snake Coronella austriaca.

This site supports the sole area of lowland northern Atlantic wet heath in south-east England. The wet heath at Thursley is mainly cross-leaved heath – bog-moss (Erica tetralix-Sphagnum compactum) and contains several rare plants, including great sundew Drosera anglica, bog hair-grass Deschampsia setacea, bog orchid Hammarbya paludosa and brown beak-sedge Rhynchospora fusca.

Depressions on peat substrates are widespread, both in bog pools, mires and in flushes where they occur as part of a mosaic associated with valley bog and wet heath. They show extensive representation of brown-beak sedge and are also important for great sundew and bog orchid Hammarbya paludosa. 2.5 Qualifying Annex 1 Habitats % cover habitats/species: Northern Atlantic wet heaths with Erica tetralix (Wet heathland 10 with cross-leaved heath) European dry heaths 70

Depressions on peat substrates of the Rhynchosporion 0.1 Atlantic acidophilous beech forests with Ilex and sometimes 1 also Taxus in the shrublayer (Quercion robori-petraeae or Ilici- Fagenion)* Alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior 1 (Alno-Padion, Alnion incanae, Salicion albae)*

% of GB Annex II Species Period population Great Crested Newt (Triturus cristatus)* 2.3 Non-qualifying species of interest: 2.4 Unit area (ha): 5138.00

2.5 Condition No Data – however ‘critical loads’ are already exceeded in respect of both Wet and Dry Heaths due to deposition.

Part D – Screening assessment

3.1 Has a HR94 Screening Opinion Yes carried out for Local Plan Policy LP08 DERA applicable – see been carried out: 3.2. 3.2 Screening Opinion Reference: HRA SR [i][1.0][1208300800] (Issued by RBC August 3, 2012)

3.3 Has the SO determined Likely Yes Significant Effect(s)

Part E – Reason for Coordination Determination

4.1 Location of site: The site is located within the administrative boundaries of both Runnymede and Surrey Heath Borough Council’s. The majority of the site and development is located within the Borough of Runnymede. 4.2 Quantum of proposed All proposed physical redevelopment is planned to take place development: within the Borough of Runnymede and is described as mixed used redevelopment of the site to provide:  up to 79,000sqm, (GEA) of Class B1 employment uses; parking for B1 uses;  up to 36,000sqm (GEA) of sui generis Data Centres use (including ancillary facilities); parking for Data Centre;  up to 200 dwellings, including garages, roadways (including driveways and pavements), fencing and walling;  up to 6,300sqm (GEA) of ancillary uses, including Class A1 - A5 uses (i.e. retail uses, cafe/restaurants and a public house up to 1,550sqm GEA), Class D1 uses (i.e. childcare facilities up to 600sqm GEA);  Class D2 uses (i.e. Health and Leisure up to 1900sqm GEA)  a primary education facility (up to 2250sqm GEA);  the creation of ecological habitats, general amenity areas ( including informal and formal open spaces), equipped play areas, publicly accessible semi-natural greenspace and landscaped areas;  new vehicular accesses from the existing public highway network;  vehicle and cycle parking;  bin stores;  landscape compound;  car parking (for railway station);  electricity sub-stations; lighting;  drainage and associated infrastructure works, including sustainable drainage systems (SUDS); noise attenuation features; and associated engineering and service operations, with access to be determined at the Outline stage.

APPENDIX 1 – DESIGNATED SITE LOCATION MAP