Wycombe District Local Plan Revised Habitats Regulations Assessment Report – including Appropriate Assessment January 2019 Wycombe District Local Plan– Revised Habitats Regulations Assessment Report (January 2019) This page is left intentionally blank. 2 Wycombe District Local Plan– Revised Habitats Regulations Assessment Report (January 2019) Contents Chapter 1 – Introduction .................................................................................. 7 HRA and other assessments .......................................................................... 7 Legislative context .......................................................................................... 7 Sites integrity .................................................................................................. 9 Chapter 2 – Methodology ............................................................................... 12 Stages of HRA .............................................................................................. 12 Scope of the Report ..................................................................................... 13 Assessment Steps ........................................................................................ 15 Chapter 3 – Special Areas of Conservation ................................................... 17 SACs assessed in this Report - Overview .................................................... 17 Site Improvement Plans ............................................................................... 19 Aston Rowant SAC ....................................................................................... 20 Features of European interest .................................................................. 20 Conservation objectives ............................................................................ 21 Management regime /ownership and current pressures ........................... 21 Past trends of environmental conditions ................................................... 23 Burnham Beeches SAC ............................................................................... 23 Features of European interest .................................................................. 24 Conservation objectives ............................................................................ 24 Management regime /ownership and current pressures ........................... 25 Past trends of environmental conditions ................................................... 26 Chilterns Beechwoods SAC ......................................................................... 27 Features of European interest .................................................................. 30 Conservation objectives ............................................................................ 30 Management regime /ownership and current pressures ........................... 31 3 Wycombe District Local Plan– Revised Habitats Regulations Assessment Report (January 2019) Past trends of environmental conditions ................................................... 33 Chapter 3 conclusion .................................................................................... 40 Chapter 4 –Wycombe District Local Plan ....................................................... 41 Context - Abolition of the South East Plan and new distribution of growth ... 41 Analysis of Wycombe District Local Plan ..................................................... 42 Scope of the Wycombe District Local Plan ............................................... 42 Spatial Distribution .................................................................................... 43 Proximity of proposed allocations with relevant SACs .............................. 49 Chapter 5 - Trends and other plans and projects ........................................... 63 Key emerging trends .................................................................................... 63 Other plans and programmes which may have potential in-combination implications ................................................................................................... 64 Neighbouring authorities Local Plans ....................................................... 64 Other plans and strategies ........................................................................ 74 Neighbourhood Development Plans ......................................................... 76 Transport issues and interventions ........................................................... 78 Chapter 6. Likely Significant Effects ............................................................... 82 Potential direct effects of the Local Plan ...................................................... 82 Potential indirect effects of the Local Plan .................................................... 82 Water quality and resources ......................................................................... 83 Sewage treatment ..................................................................................... 83 Water quality ............................................................................................. 84 Air pollution................................................................................................... 86 Context, attenuating factors and external influences ................................ 86 The 200 metres principle .......................................................................... 90 Air Pollution Information System (APIS) information ................................. 92 4 Wycombe District Local Plan– Revised Habitats Regulations Assessment Report (January 2019) Sites at potential risk of increased nitrogen deposition from traffic ........... 97 Air pollution increase analysis ................................................................... 99 Aston Rowant SAC ................................................................................. 128 Burnham Beeches SAC .......................................................................... 130 Air pollution section LSE conclusion ....................................................... 131 Recreational pressures .............................................................................. 131 Open Space requirements in new developments ................................... 132 Wider policy and strategy framework ...................................................... 134 Recreational impacts dispersion ............................................................. 135 Potential LSE .......................................................................................... 136 Conclusion for Chapter 6 ............................................................................ 137 Chapter 7. Appropriate Assessment ............................................................ 138 Air pollution................................................................................................. 140 Air quality modelling and ecological interpretation .................................. 140 Air pollution conclusion ........................................................................... 144 Recreational pressure ................................................................................ 144 Chapter 8. Conclusion and next steps ......................................................... 158 Conclusions from this report ....................................................................... 158 Consultation arrangements ........................................................................ 162 Appendices .................................................................................................. 164 Appendix 1 – Glossary of Terms .................................................................. 165 Appendix 2 – SSSI Conditions Surveys Reports.......................................... 171 ASTON ROWANT SAC .............................................................................. 171 BURNHAM BEECHES SAC ....................................................................... 178 CHILTERNS BEECHWOODS SAC (SSSI relevant to Wycombe District Local Plan) ........................................................................................................... 182 5 Wycombe District Local Plan– Revised Habitats Regulations Assessment Report (January 2019) ASTON ROWANT WOODS - BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, OXFORDSHIRE (SOUTH OXFORDSHIRE ....................................................................... 182 BISHAM WOODS - BERKSHIRE (WINDSOR AND MAIDENHEAD) ..... 193 BRADENHAM WOODS, PARK WOOD & THE COPPICE - BUCKINGHAMSHIRE (WYCOMBE) ...................................................... 195 ELLESBOROUGH AND KIMBLE WARRENS - BUCKINGHAMSHIRE (WYCOMBE) .......................................................................................... 200 HOLLOWHILL AND PULLINGSHILL WOODS - BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, (WYCOMBE,) ......................................................................................... 203 NAPHILL COMMON - BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, (WYCOMBE) .................. 204 WINDSOR HILL - BUCKINGHAMSHIRE (WYCOMBE) ......................... 205 Appendix 3 - APIS data for affected sites (200 m principle) ......................... 208 1. Site relevant critical load information ...................................................... 209 Aston Rowant SAC ................................................................................. 209 Burnham Beeches SAC .......................................................................... 214 Chilterns Beechwoods SAC ...................................................................