David Leach Ecology Ltd. Environmental Consultants Land at Long Landsley Salisbury Road Shaftesbury Dorset Ecological Survey Date: November 2018 - updated April 2019 Report compiled by M. Haines Report checked and authorised by D. V. Leach. M.C.I.E.E.M Phone: 01258 840773 Mobile: 07756 855212 E-mail: [email protected] Copyright David Leach Ecology Ltd Registered Office: Arrowsmith Court, Station Approach, Broadstone, Dorset, BH18 8AT Company Reg. No. 8846666 Contents Executive summary ................................................................................................................. 2 1.0 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 3 1.1 Background ................................................................................................................. 3 1.2 Aims of the Survey ...................................................................................................... 3 1.3 Site Description ........................................................................................................... 3 2.0 Methodology ................................................................................................................... 4 2.1 Desk Study .................................................................................................................. 4 2.2 Site Survey .................................................................................................................. 4 3.0 Results ..........................................................................................................................77 3.1 Desk Study .................................................................................................................77 3.2 Site Survey .................................................................................................................77 4.0 Assessment ....................................................................................................................10 5.0 Mitigation and Compensation .......................................................................................11 5.1 Habitat ........................................................................................................................11 5.2 Bats. ...........................................................................................................................11 5.3 Birds ...........................................................................................................................12 5.4 Reptiles ......................................................................................................................12 6.0 Enhancements ...............................................................................................................12 6.1 Bats ............................................................................................................................12 6.2 Birds ...........................................................................................................................13 6.3 Insects ........................................................................................................................13 7.0 Limitations of the survey. ..............................................................................................13 Appendices Appendix 1) Legislation .......................................................................................................14 Appendix 2) References .......................................................................................................15 Appendix 3) Location of Site ...............................................................................................17 Appendix 4) Photographs ....................................................................................................20 Appendix 5) Proposed site plan ..........................................................................................20 Appendix 6) Proposed elevations showing enhancment feature locations .....................20 Appendix 7 Bat boxes. ........................................................................................................31 Appendix 8) Bird Boxes .......................................................................................................36 Appendix 9) Insect Boxes ....................................................................................................36 1 Executive summary The proposal is to fully demolish an already partially demolished building and erect a replacement dwelling in the northeast corner of site. The site is approximately 0.1 hectares and consists of a burnt out house sited on recently cleared land. The site is situated in Donhead St. Mary approximately 2.3km east of Shaftesbury. The plot on which the house is to be constructed forms part of larger plot (approximately 1.2 ha) that has also recently been cleared and bulldozed, plant machinery was present on site at the time of survey. Bordering the site to the north is broadleaved deciduous and ancient and semi natural woodland. Adjacent to the wider plot to the east is mixed, mainly conifer woodland. No statutory designated sites are located within 1km of site. There is a County Wildlife Site (CWS) 150m northeast of the survey site. There is unlikely to be any significant impact on this site due to the poposed demolition and re-build proposed for the site. A search of ordnance survey maps found one pond 485 northeast of site. In the current state (recently cleared) the site does not exhibit suitable terrestrial habitat for great crested newts. The perimeter vegetation on site offers potential for nesting birds; recommendations have been made in section 5 to minimise impacts to nesting birds should these features be impacted by proposals. The building had been badly damaged by fire and is now just a shell of standing walls with no roof or ceilings. The building has negligible potential for bats due to a lack of suitable roosting features. There are no proposals to remove any more trees or cut back limbs from the trees at the perimerter of the site. Any trees or large limbs that may have had potential roosting features had been removed prior to this survey. The proposals are unlikey to have a significant effect on the trees at the site perimeters. In the current state (recently cleared) the site does not exhibit potential for reptiles. From examination of aerial images (2014/15) it appeared the site may have exhibited reptile potential prior to clearance. No further survey work is required, however measures have been recommended to compensate for the clearance of potentially suitable reptile habitat. Enhancement measures have been recommended to be incorporated in to the proposed dwelling and surrounding habitat (section 6). 2 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Background Client: Mr J. Fear Property Surveyed: Long Landsley, Salisbury Road Donhead St Mary Shaftesbury Dorset SP7 8BX Grid reference: ST88262238 Date of Surveys: 13th October 2018. 27th March 2019 10th April 2019 Lead Surveyor: Michelle Haines (Natural England WML CL18 registered bat worker) David Leach BSc. (Hon), CBiol., M.R.S.B., M.C.I.E.E.M. (Natural England WML CL18 & 21 registered bat worker). 1.2 Aims of the Survey The proposal is to fully demolish an already partially demolished building and erect a replacement dwelling in the northeast corner of site. A survey was commissioned to check for protected species or potential for protected species that would be affected by any proposed works, and to produce a mitigation plan if signs of any protected species were found, and/or recommend further surveys if there was potential for protected species on the site. 1.3 Site Description The site is approximately 0.1 hectares and consists of a burnt out house sited on 3 recently cleared land. The site is situated approximately 2.1km east of Shaftesbury. The plot on which the house is to be constructed forms part of larger plot (approximately 1.2 ha) that has also recently been cleared and bulldozed; plant machinery was present on site at the time of survey. Bordering the site to the north is broadleaved deciduous and ancient and semi natural woodland. Adjacent to the plot to the east is mixed, mainly conifer woodland. 2.0 Methodology 2.1 Desk Study The Magic.gov web site was accessed to determine whether there were any nature reserves or protected areas local to the site that would be affected by the proposed works. Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 scale maps were accessed to identify ponds within 500m of the site with potential to support great crested newts. If signs or potential for protected species was found then a full data search may be undertaken to look for records of protected species in the area around the site. 2.2 Site Survey This consisted of a walkover survey of the application site and land within 50m of the application site boundaries where possible. Any habitats identified as having potentially high botanical value will be subject to further botanical surveys, if deemed necessary. The site was inspected for non-native invasive species such as Japanese Knotweed (Fallopia japonica), Giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) and Himalayan Balsam (Impatiens glandulifera). The survey methodology included an assessment of the potential for habitats on or immediately adjacent to the site to support legally protected or conservation-notable species. The location and nature of any signs of the presence