Uttlesford District Council Habitats Regulations Assessment Uttlesford District Council October 2018 Uttlesford District Council Habitats Regulation Assessment Quality information Prepared by Checked by Approved by Will West Isla Hoffmann Heap James Riley Ecologist Senior Ecologist Technical Director (Ecology & Habitat Regulations Amelia Kent Assessment) Ecologist George Wilkinson Seasonal Ecologist Revision History Revision Revision date Details Authorized Name Position 0 8th June 2018 Draft for client JR James Riley Associate Director comment 1 14th June 2018 Final following JR James Riley Associate Director Client comments and Cabinet amendments 2 4th October 2018 Incorporating JR James Riley Technical Director ‘Addendum of Focussed Changes, October 2018’ AECOM Uttlesford District Council Habitats Regulation Assessment Prepared for: Uttlesford District Council Prepared by: AECOM Infrastructure & Environment UK Limited Midpoint, Alençon Link Basingstoke Hampshire RG21 7PP United Kingdom T: +44(0)1256 310200 aecom.com © 2018 AECOM Infrastructure & Environment UK Limited. All Rights Reserved. This document has been prepared by AECOM Infrastructure & Environment UK Limited (“AECOM”) for sole use of our client (the “Client”) in accordance with generally accepted consultancy principles, the budget for fees and the terms of reference agreed between AECOM and the Client. Any information provided by third parties and referred to herein has not been checked or verified by AECOM, unless otherwise expressly stated in the document. No third party may rely upon this document without the prior and express written agreement of AECOM. AECOM Uttlesford District Council Habitats Regulation Assessment Table of Contents 1. Introduction ...................................................................................................... 6 Background to the Project ................................................................................................................................. 6 Legislation ........................................................................................................................................................ 6 Scope of the Project.......................................................................................................................................... 7 This Report ....................................................................................................................................................... 8 2. Methodology .................................................................................................... 9 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................... 9 Description of HRA Tasks .................................................................................................................................. 9 HRA Task 1 – Likely Significant Effects (LSE) .................................................................................................... 9 HRA Task 2 – Appropriate Assessment (AA) .................................................................................................... 10 HRA Task 3 – Avoidance and Mitigation ........................................................................................................... 10 Principal Other Plans and Projects that May Act ‘In Combination’ ..................................................................... 10 3. Pathways of Impact ....................................................................................... 12 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................... 12 Disturbance from Recreational Activities and Urbanisation ............................................................................... 12 Mechanical/abrasive Damage and Nutrient Enrichment .................................................................................... 12 Disturbance .................................................................................................................................................... 13 Atmospheric Pollution ..................................................................................................................................... 15 4. Task 1: Likely Significant Effects Test ............................................................ 17 Likely Significant Effects Test of Policies .......................................................................................................... 17 Likely Significant Effects Test of Site Allocations ............................................................................................... 69 5. Task 2: Appropriate Assessment: Recreational Pressure .............................. 74 Epping Forest SAC ......................................................................................................................................... 74 6. Task 2: Appropriate Assessment: Air Quality ................................................. 76 Epping Forest SAC ......................................................................................................................................... 78 7. Summary of Conclusions ............................................................................... 79 Policy EN8 - Protecting and Enhancing the Natural Environment ...................................................................... 79 Epping Forest SAC: Recreational Pressure ..................................................................................................... 79 Epping Forest SAC: Atmospheric Pollution ...................................................................................................... 79 8. HRA of Focused Changes ............................................................................. 80 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................... 80 Likely Significant Effects Test of Focused Changes .......................................................................................... 80 Conclusions of the Likely Significant Effects Test of Focused Changes ............................................................. 84 Appendix A Figures .................................................................................................. 85 Figure A1: Location of European Sites ............................................................................................................. 85 Figure A2: Location of Site Allocations ............................................................................................................. 85 Appendix B – Background to European Site: Epping Forest SAC ............................ 86 Epping Forest SAC ......................................................................................................................................... 86 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................... 86 Reasons for Designation ................................................................................................................................. 86 Current Pressures and Threats........................................................................................................................ 86 Conservation Objectives ................................................................................................................................. 86 Table of Figures Figure 1: The legislative basis for Appropriate Assessment ................................................................................. 7 AECOM Uttlesford District Council Habitats Regulation Assessment Table of Tables Table 1. Housing levels to be delivered within neighbouring authorities and those members of the HMA, provided for context ...................................................................................................................................................... 11 Table 2. Main sources and effects of air pollutants on habitats and species ....................................................... 15 Table 3. Screening assessment of Policies, other than those which provision new Site Allocations (these are covered in Table 4).......................................................................................................................................... 17 Table 4. Screening assessment for Site Allocations .......................................................................................... 69 Table 5 Screening assessment of focused changes to the Plan ........................................................................ 80 AECOM Uttlesford District Council Habitats Regulation Assessment 1. Introduction Background to the Project 1.1 AECOM was appointed by Uttlesford District Council to assist the Council in undertaking a Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) of its Regulation 19 Pre-Submission Local Plan (hereafter referred to as the ‘Plan’). The objective of this assessment was to identify any aspects of the Plan that would cause an adverse effect on the integrity of Natura 2000 sites, otherwise known as European sites (Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), Special Protection Areas (SPAs) and, as a matter of Government policy, Ramsar sites), either in isolation or in combination