Appendix 11.5: Statutory Designated Sites Within 10 km of the Application Area.

Designation Reason for designation Distance Name and direction from application area

Severn Estuary- The Severn Estuary is significant for its tidal bores and supports 900m south Special Area of internationally important populations of waterfowl, invertebrate Conservation and fish and its estuarine habitats are of European importance. (SAC), Special protection Area (SPA), SSSI, RAMSAR

Newport Of interest for its breeding and over-wintering birds, 1.1km west Wetlands National invertebrates, and aquatic and marginal flora. Also of special Nature Reserve interest for its ditch habitat and reedbeds. (NNR), SSSI

River Usk SAC, The site includes some short stretches of nutrient poor upland 2.7km west SSSI river in its headwaters but the majority of the plants and animals on this part of the Usk reflect a moderate nutrient status, due to the influence of sandstone and limestone rocks in the catchment area. It includes sections of river with water crowfoot (Ranunculus aquatilis), which are of European significance. The rare and scarce plants, including mosses, liverworts and lichens, are generally associated with submerged and riverside rocks, although some of the mosses grow on tree bases in the flood zone. Also identified as one of the best places in to find otters (Lutra lutra) and European salmon (Salmo salar)

Designation Reason for designation Distance Name and direction from application area

Magor Marsh This is a 90 acres (36 ha) wetland reserve with a rich variety of 3.8km north SSSI habitats, including damp hay meadows, sedge fen, reedbed, east scrub, wet woodland, a large pond and numerous reens. It includes breeding grounds for common snipe, common redshank, reed warbler, grasshopper warbler and Cetti's warbler. It is the richest site in Wales for wetland beetles and soldier-flies. It is the last remnant of fenland on the Caldicot and Wentloog Levels, and its pattern of drainage ditches and other features has remained unchanged since the 14th century.

Langstone – The SSSI is of special interest for its rare marshy grassland 4.4km north habitats. Meadows SSSI

Gwent Levels Part of the Gwent levels, a continuation of habitats and species 4.5km north SSSI – Redwick found within Nash and Goldcliff and – important reen east and Llandevenny and reclaimed wet pasture.

Gwent Levels Part of the Gwent levels, a continuation of habitats and species 5.2km north SSSI – Magor found within Nash and Goldcliff and Whitson – important reen east and Undy and reclaimed wet pasture. Significant for Shrill Carder Bee populations.

Penhow This reserve includes three areas of ancient semi-natural 5.7km north woodlands SSSI, woodland covering the slopes and summits of limestone hills. east NNR The types of woods found here, with their associated rare flowers, have a restricted distribution in Britain.

Gwent Levels Part of the Gwent levels, a continuation of habitats and species 6.1km west SSSI – St Brides found within Nash and Goldcliff and Whitson – important reen and reclaimed wet pasture.

Parc Seymour Large area of semi natural broadleaved woodland 7.4km north Woods, SSSI east

Designation Reason for designation Distance Name and direction from application area

Rectory Meadow The only extant and recorded native site of Meadow Clary Salvia 7.8km north – SSSI pratensis in Wales. This rare species is confined principally to a east few sites in Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire and is here at the western edge of its range.

The site is on deep clay soil overlying Carboniferous Limestone strata and is located close to the existing Burness Castle Quarry Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Gwent Levels Part of the Gwent levels, a continuation of habitats and species 9.1km west SSSI – Rumney found within Nash and Goldcliff and Whitson – important reen and and reclaimed wet pasture. Significant for Shrill Carder Bee populations

Brockwell This reserve is made up of four meadows, three of which make 9.4km north Meadows SSSI up one of the best areas of limestone grassland in Gwent. The east area also has a rich archaeological heritage – this includes evidence of activity from the Iron Age, Roman times and the Medieval period.

Appendix 11.5: Non Statutory Designated Sites Within Approximately 2 km of the Application Area.

Designation Name Reason for designation Distance and direction from application area

Gwent Wetlands Comprises a mosaic of wet grassland reed beds, open water, 100 m west Reserve Site of hedge rows and saline lagoon, which supports internationally Importance to Nature important numbers of wildfowl as well as UK BAP Priority Conservation (SINC) species such as water vole, great crested newt and brown hare.

Elver Pill Reen Lagoon with mosaic of swamp and marshy and dry semi- 200 m north Grassland and Pond improved neutral grassland; supports Cetti's warblers (Cettia east SINC cetti).

Spencer works 3 Marshy grassland with wet drains. 400 m north SINC east

Solutia Nature Connected to the . 1.8 km north Reserve, SINC west

Alpha Steel Site Area of former Levels, scrub and other habitats which 2.0 km west SINC supports a range of species including scarce moth species, birds such as Cetti's warbler, and plants including orchids (Epicactis palustris, Ophrys apifera, Anacamptis pyramidalis, Dactylorhiza spp.)

Julians Gout Land Maritime influenced semi-improved neutral grassland, with 2.8 km west SINC willow car and large populations of marsh helleborine (Epipactis palustris), marsh orchids (Dactylorhiza spp.) and narrow leaved bird's-foot-trefoil (Louts glaber)