Middlewick Ranges Local Plan Housing Allocation: Ecological Evidence Base Report On behalf of Defence Infrastructure Organisation Project Ref: 50035/Eco | Rev: A | Date: Nov 2020 Registered Office: Buckingham Court Kingsmead Business Park, London Road, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, HP11 1JU Office Address: Caversham Bridge House, Waterman Place, Reading, Berkshire RG1 8DN T: +44 (0)118 950 0761 E: [email protected] Local Plan Housing Allocation: Ecological Evidence Base Report Middlewick Ranges Document Control Sheet Project Name: Middlewick Ranges Project Ref: 50035 Report Title: Local Plan Housing Allocation: Ecological Evidence Base Report Doc Ref: 50035_Ecology_EvidenceBase Date: November 2020 Name Position Signature Date Project Team Ecologists, led by Prepared by: Associate Ecologist RS October 2020 Rebecca Strawbridge Helen Evriviades Senior Associate October 2020 HE Ecologist Reviewed by: ER Elaine Richmond Director November 2020 November 2020 Approved by: Tim Allen Director TA For and on behalf of Stantec UK Limited Revision Date Description Prepared Reviewed Approved This report has been prepared by Stantec UK Limited (‘Stantec’) on behalf of its client to whom this report is addressed (‘Client’) in connection with the project described in this report and takes into account the Client's particular instructions and requirements. This report was prepared in accordance with the professional services appointment under which Stantec was appointed by its Client. This report is not intended for and should not be relied on by any third party (i.e. parties other than the Client). Stantec accepts no duty or responsibility (including in negligence) to any party other than the Client and disclaims all liability of any nature whatsoever to any such party in respect of this report. \\pba.int\cbh\Projects\50035 - Middlewick Training Area (prev. 40472)\Ecology\5. Reporting\Evidence Base\__EVIDENCE ii BASE\Middlewick Ranges Combined Evidence Base_Ecology_for issue_Nov 2020.docx Local Plan Housing Allocation: Ecological Evidence Base Report Middlewick Ranges Contents Executive Summary .............................................................................................................................. 1 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 3 1.1 Overview ........................................................................................................................ 3 1.2 Site Location and Setting .............................................................................................. 3 1.3 Strategic (Military) Background ..................................................................................... 4 1.4 Project Background ....................................................................................................... 4 1.5 Colchester Borough Council Local Plan Housing Allocation ......................................... 4 1.6 Evidence Base Aims and Objectives ............................................................................. 5 1.7 Evidence Base Structure: .............................................................................................. 7 2 Policy and Legislation.............................................................................................................. 8 2.1 Overview ........................................................................................................................ 8 2.1 Legislative Drivers ......................................................................................................... 8 2.2 Planning Policy Drivers ................................................................................................. 9 2.3 National Planning Policy Framework............................................................................. 9 2.4 Local Planning Policy .................................................................................................. 11 3 Methodology ........................................................................................................................... 13 3.1 Overview ...................................................................................................................... 13 3.2 Survey Areas ............................................................................................................... 13 3.3 Survey Types ............................................................................................................... 13 3.4 Survey Personnel ........................................................................................................ 15 3.5 Evaluation .................................................................................................................... 16 4 Results ..................................................................................................................................... 18 4.1 Overview ...................................................................................................................... 18 4.2 Designated Areas for Nature Conservation ................................................................ 18 4.3 Habitats ....................................................................................................................... 20 4.4 Species 21 4.5 Other Species .............................................................................................................. 27 5 Evaluation ............................................................................................................................... 29 6 Masterplan ............................................................................................................................... 33 6.2 Key Ecological Considerations .................................................................................... 33 6.3 Ecologically Viable Development Area........................................................................ 33 6.4 Masterplan Appraisal ................................................................................................... 34 7 Net Gain for Biodiversity – Mitigation Strategy ................................................................... 36 7.1 Overview ...................................................................................................................... 36 7.2 Mitigation Hierarchy ..................................................................................................... 36 7.3 Principles ..................................................................................................................... 37 8 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 53 9 References .............................................................................................................................. 54 \\pba.int\cbh\Projects\50035 - Middlewick Training Area (prev. 40472)\Ecology\5. Reporting\Evidence Base\__EVIDENCE iii BASE\Middlewick Ranges Combined Evidence Local Plan Housing Allocation: Ecological Evidence Base Report Middlewick Ranges 10 Figures ..................................................................................................................................... 58 Figures Figure 1 - Site Location Plan ................................................................................................................. 58 Figure 2 - Orientation Figure ................................................................................................................. 58 Figure 3 - European Designated Sites .................................................................................................. 58 Figure 4 - UK Statutory Designated Sites ............................................................................................. 58 Figure 5 - Non-Statutory Designated Sites ............................................................................................ 58 Figure 6 - Ancient Woodland and Habitats of Principal Importance (HPI) ............................................ 58 Figure 7a - Habitat Survey Areas and Results ...................................................................................... 58 Figure 7b – Habitat Photograph Locations ............................................................................................ 58 Figure 8 - Dormouse Survey (Nut Search) Locations ........................................................................... 58 Figure 9 - Otter Survey – Target Note Locations .................................................................................. 58 Figure 10 - Invertebrate Habitat Connectivity Considerations ............................................................... 58 Figure 11 - Invertebrate Habitat Appraisal Results ............................................................................... 58 Figure 12 - Habitat Appraisal: Generalist Breeding Birds ..................................................................... 58 Figure 13 - Habitat Appraisal: Ground Nesting Breeding Birds ............................................................. 58 Figure 14 - Habitat Appraisal: Woodland Breeding Birds ...................................................................... 58 Figure 15 - Habitat Appraisal: Breeding Nightingale ............................................................................. 58 Figure 16 - Activity Transect Route and Location of Automated Static Detectors