West Sussex Minerals & Waste Development Framework Habitat Regulations Assessment – Appropriate Assessment of Sites For Issue June 2011 Prepared for West Sussex County Council West Sussex Minerals & Waste Development Framework Revision Schedule Appropriate Assessment Report June 2011 Rev Date Details Prepared by Reviewed by Approved by 01 November Draft for Graeme Down Dr James Riley Dr James Riley 2010 consultation Ecologist Principal Ecologist Principal Ecologist 02 June 2011 Incorporating Dr James Riley Natural Principal Ecologist England’s comments URS/Scott Wilson Scott House Alençon Link This document has been prepared in accordance with the scope of Scott Wilson's Basingstoke appointment with its client and is subject to the terms of that appointment. Scott Wilson accepts no liability for any use of this document other than for the purposes for which it Hampshire was prepared and provided. 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Tel 01256 310200 Fax 01256 310201 © Scott Wilson Ltd 2010 www.urs-scottwilson.com West Sussex County Council West Sussex Minerals & Waste Development Framework Table of Contents 1 Introduction ...................................................................................... 1 1.1 Legislation ........................................................................................................................ 1 1.2 Scope and objectives ....................................................................................................... 2 2 Methodology ..................................................................................... 4 2.1 Key principles ................................................................................................................... 4 2.2 Process ............................................................................................................................ 4 2.3 Likely Significant Effects (LSE) ........................................................................................ 5 2.4 Appropriate Assessment and Mitigation........................................................................... 6 2.5 Confirming other plans and projects that may act in combination.................................... 6 2.6 Physical scope of the assessment ................................................................................. 10 3 Pathways of impact........................................................................ 11 3.1 Introduction..................................................................................................................... 11 3.2 Atmospheric pollution ..................................................................................................... 11 3.3 Water quality and flows .................................................................................................. 20 3.4 Predation ........................................................................................................................ 21 3.5 Disturbance .................................................................................................................... 22 3.6 Coastal Squeeze ............................................................................................................ 24 3.7 Direct landtake ............................................................................................................... 24 3.8 Screening distance summary ......................................................................................... 26 4 Appropriate Assessment of Minerals Sites ................................. 27 4.2 M/CH/1A (Woodmancote), M/CH/1B (Common Road West), M/CH/1C (Common Road East), M/CH/1D (Slades Field)............................................................. 27 4.3 M/CH/7A (West Heath Common Extension) and M/CH/7B (East of West Heath Common)........................................................................................................................ 28 4.4 M/CH/8A (Minsted West)................................................................................................ 30 4.5 M/CH/10A – Duncton Common...................................................................................... 31 4.6 M/CH/11 – Horncroft ...................................................................................................... 32 4.7 M/HO/2 – Chantry Lane Extension................................................................................. 32 4.8 M/MS/1 – Land Adjacent to West Hoathly Brickworks, M/MS/2 – Philpots Extension........................................................................................................................ 33 4.9 Recommendations ......................................................................................................... 34 5 Minerals Sites Not Previously Screened ...................................... 36 5.2 M/HO/6B - Rudgwick East and M/HO/6A - Rudgwick West........................................... 36 West Sussex County Council West Sussex Minerals & Waste Development Framework 5.3 M/CH/8C - Severals West and M/CH/8D - Severals East .............................................. 36 6 Appropriate Assessment of Waste Sites ..................................... 38 6.2 W/AR/4 – Blue Prince Mushroom Site............................................................................ 38 6.3 W/CH/1B – Portfield, W/CH/1C – Fuel Depot, Bognor Road ......................................... 39 6.4 W/CH/4A – Land East of Tangmere Airfield, W/CH/4B – South East Corner of Tangmere Airfield, W/CH/4C – Woodhorn Farm............................................................ 40 6.5 W/CH/5 – Bognor Common Stone Quarry ..................................................................... 42 6.6 W/CH/6 – Duncton Quarry ............................................................................................. 43 6.7 W/HO/5 – Chantry Lane Sandpit.................................................................................... 43 6.8 W/HO/9 – Land at North Farm ....................................................................................... 44 6.9 W/HO/10 – Hampers Lane Engineering Works.............................................................. 45 6.10 W/MS/1 – Burleigh Oaks Farm....................................................................................... 45 6.11 W/MS/2 - Freshfield Lane Brickworks ............................................................................ 46 6.12 Recommendations ......................................................................................................... 47 7 Conclusions of Appropriate Assessment .................................... 49 7.2 Minerals and Waste Policy Options................................................................................ 49 Appendix 1 - ‘Tiering’ in Habitat Regulations Assessment................... 50 Appendix 2 - Background on European sites referenced in this document ........................................................................................ 51 Appendix 3 – Minerals and Waste Sites Screened Out of HRA ............ 56 West Sussex County Council West Sussex Minerals & Waste Development Framework 1 Introduction 1.1 Legislation 1.1.1 The need for Habitat Regulations Assessment is set out within Article 6 of the EC Habitats Directive 1992, and interpreted into British law by the Conservation (Natural Habitats &c) Regulations 1994 (as amended in 2007). The ultimate aim of HRA is to “maintain or restore, at favourable conservation status, natural habitats and species of wild fauna and flora of Community interest” (Habitats Directive, Article 2(2)). This aim relates to habitats and species, not the European sites themselves, although the sites have a significant role in delivering favourable conservation status. 1.1.2 The Habitats Directive applies the precautionary principle to protected areas (Special Areas of Conservation, SACs and Special Protection Areas, SPAs, collectively known as European sites and which comprise the Natura 2000 pan-European network). Plans and projects can only be permitted having ascertained that there will be no adverse effect on the integrity of the site(s) in question. Plans and projects may still be permitted if there are no alternatives to them and there are Imperative Reasons of Overriding Public Interest (IROPI) as to why they should go ahead. In such cases, compensation would be necessary to ensure the overall integrity of the site network. 1.1.3 In order to ascertain whether or not site integrity will be affected, an HRA should be undertaken of the plan or project in question: Box 1. The legislative basis for Appropriate Assessment Habitats Directive 1992 Article 6 (3) states that: “Any plan or project not directly connected with or necessary to the management of the site but likely to have a significant effect thereon, either individually or in combination with other plans or projects, shall be subject to appropriate assessment of its implications for the site in view of the site's conservation objectives.” Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 “A competent authority, before deciding to … give any consent for a plan or