NEWINGTON QUARRY Sand & Gravel Extraction Environmental Statement ANNEX C - ECOLOGY ASSESSMENT 47072089.ES AECOM March 2015 Newington Quarry Additional Sand & Gravel Extraction Environmental Statement Annex C: Ecology 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Context This document comprises an Ecological Impact Assessment for the proposed additional sand extraction at Newington Quarry. Please note, this annex must be read in conjunction with the main text of the Environmental Statement (ES) which contains: a detailed description of the proposed development; development drawings; and a summary of other assessments undertaken in relation to the proposed development which may be relevant. A full description of the Scheme is given in Section 4 of the ES main text. 1.2 Introduction Hanson Aggregates currently work Newington South quarry, which is to the south of Slaynes Lane; Newington North is to the north of Slaynes Lane and restored to nature conservation end use that comprises wet grassland and associated shallow ephemeral scrapes and permanent stretches of open water, principally for breeding and over wintering waders and wildfowl. Misson quarry, a small adjunct to Newington North, is worked on an occasional basis and is located at the north east end of Newington North. This assessment relates to proposed additional mineral extraction to the west of Newington North quarry (Newington West) and a proposed Additional Working Area (AWA) within Newington South quarry. 1.3 Scope An Environmental Impact Assessment scoping opinion was sought from Nottinghamshire Council (NCC) through submission of a scoping report for the project in August 2014. There was a commitment in the scoping report to include a chapter on Nature Conservation within the ES that would include: a Phase 1 vegetation and habitat survey; a desk study for known information; any necessary protected species surveys; and an assessment of the impact of the development with measures to avoid/minimise/mitigate and compensate for any identified significant adverse impacts. The following responses were received with respect to ecology in the formal scoping response received 19th November 2014; the NCC ecologist noted: a desk study to include information on statutory and non-statutory sites, protected and notable species and this should be done through consultation with a range of recorders and groups; the Phase 1 survey should also include a search for signs and appraisal of habitats for protected/notable species; targeted surveys could be required for wintering and breeding birds, badgers, reptiles and water voles; the assessment should cover habitats and species, ecosystem structures and functioning, landscape features and hydrology issues; the evaluation should include reference to Legislation, Policy Section 41, the LBAP, etc.; impacts of the scheme, both negative and positive to be assessed including effects on the nearby Idle Washlands SSSI; and opportunities for enhancement through restoration to be provided. 47072089: ES Annex C AECOM March 2015 1 Newington Quarry Additional Sand & Gravel Extraction Environmental Statement Annex C: Ecology The response from Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust (NWT) followed very much the same requests with the addition that surveys could be required for bats, amphibians, invertebrates and otter and they strongly supported the restoration to floodplain wetland habitats. NWT is involved in the restoration of both Newington North and Newington South. The scope of the ecological evaluation of the application areas and assessment of the proposed Scheme has included: a desktop data review of existing biological records and search for statutory and non-statutory designated sites of ecological importance through consultation with the relevant local biological records holders and investigation of Natural England’s interactive, web-based MAGIC (Multi Agency Geographic Information for the Countryside) database; and field surveys for flora and fauna involving: i. a Phase 1 Habitat survey (to standard JNCC method) to record type, location and extent of vegetation and habitats within the application area boundary, including notable hedgerows; ii. an appraisal of habitats present within the application areas for their suitability to support protected or notable species of fauna, including birds, mammals, herpetofauna and invertebrates. Use has also been made of data that has been collected at the quarries to satisfy planning conditions. This includes monthly bird data and walkover surveys of each phase, particularly ditches for water vole, prior to commencement of soil stripping. 47072089: ES Annex C AECOM March 2015 2 Newington Quarry Additional Sand & Gravel Extraction Environmental Statement Annex C: Ecology 2. LEGISLATIVE AND PLANNING POLICY CONTEXT This section lists the legislation and planning policy relevant to the protection and enhancement of habitats and species. The framework for the assessment of the potential ecological effects of the proposed development is based on current legislation and UK government and local authority policies that relate to nature conservation. See Appendix 1 for details of the relevant legislation and planning policies. Below is a summary of the plans and policies. 2.1 National Legislation The main relevant legislation for the protection of wildlife and ecology in the UK comprises: The Wildlife and Countryside Act (WCA) 1981 (as amended); The Countryside and Rights of Way (CroW) Act 2000; The Natural Environment and rural Communities (NERC) Act 2006; and The Conservation of Habitats & Species Regulations 2010 (as amended). 2.2 National Planning Policy The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) sets out the Government planning policies for England and how these are expected to be applied. Appendix 1 provides the relevant Policies in detail but in summary: “The planning system should contribute to and enhance the natural and local environment by minimising impacts on biodiversity and providing net gains in biodiversity where possible, contributing to the Government’s commitment to halt the overall decline in biodiversity, including by establishing coherent ecological networks that are more resilient to current and future pressures”; “to minimise impacts on biodiversity and geodiversity through planning policies”; and “when determining planning applications, local planning authorities should aim to conserve and enhance biodiversity.” 2.3 Local Planning Policy Nottinghamshire County Council is in the latter stages of producing a New Minerals Local Plan but until such time that this is adopted, the Nottinghamshire Minerals Local Plan (adopted 2005) has a number of saved policies relevant to ecology and biodiversity. These can be found in Appendix 1 but in brief they are: Policy M3.17: Biodiversity; Policy M3.18: Special Areas for Conservation; Policy M3.19: Site of Special Scientific Interest; and Policy M3.20: Regional and Local Designated Sites. Policy M3.21: Protected Species - this is a policy that has not been saved and relies on the fact that the species receive statutory protection under UK legislation. 2.4 Biodiversity Action Plans 2.4.1 National Strategy In July 2012 the UK Post-2010 Biodiversity Framework was published. This covers the period 2011 - 2020 and forms the UK Government’s response to the UN convention on Biological Diversity held in Nagoya in 2010. This contained 5 strategic goals (“Aichi” Goals). The Framework recognised that the Biodiversity Action Plan should now be delivered through strategies for each of the 4 countries comprising United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. In England this is embodied in Biodiversity 2020: A strategy for England’s wildlife and ecosystem services. These country strategies replace the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UKBAP). In England the priority species and habitat for action are those listed on Section 41 of the NERC Act (2006). 47072089: ES Annex C AECOM March 2015 3 Newington Quarry Additional Sand & Gravel Extraction Environmental Statement Annex C: Ecology Relevant habitat action plans includes hedgerows and species; water voles, reptiles and farmland birds. 2.4.2 Nottinghamshire Biodiversity Action Plan The Nottinghamshire Biodiversity Action Plan was produced in 1998 but is kept updated through the Biodiversity Action Group (http://www.nottsbag.org.uk/). Relevant habitats include; fen, marshes and swamps, ditches, farmland, lowland wet grassland, hedgerows and rivers and streams. Relevant species include; water vole and otter. 47072089: ES Annex C AECOM March 2015 4 Newington Quarry Additional Sand & Gravel Extraction Environmental Statement Annex C: Ecology 3. ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY 3.1 Introduction The methodology used to assess the significance of impacts on ecological receptors is based on the Guidelines for Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA) published by the Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (IEEM) (Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management, 2006). Areas and/or species of ecological value within the Site are identified and the main factors contributing to their value are described. An ecological resource or feature is considered to be valuable (or have potential value) at the following scales: International; UK; National (i.e. England/Northern Ireland/Scotland/Wales); Regional; County; District (or Unitary Authority, City or Borough); Local (or Parish); or within immediate zone of influence only1. The impact on a feature has a number of characteristics that need to be fully described before significance can be assessed.