PLYMOUTH & SW DEVON JOINT PLAN V.07/02/18 Habitat Regulations Assessment Plymouth & SW Devon Joint Local Plan Contents 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 5 1.1 Preparation of a Local Plan ........................................................................................................... 5 1.2 Purpose of this Report .................................................................................................................. 7 2 Guidance and Approach to HRA ............................................................................................................. 8 3 Evidence Gathering .............................................................................................................................. 10 3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 10 3.2 Impact Pathways ......................................................................................................................... 10 3.3 Determination of sites ................................................................................................................ 14 3.4 Blackstone Point SAC .................................................................................................................. 16 3.5 Culm Grasslands SAC ................................................................................................................... 19 3.6 Dartmoor SAC ............................................................................................................................. 21 3.7 Lyme Bay and Torbay SCI ............................................................................................................ 24 3.8 Plymouth Sound and Estuaries SAC ............................................................................................ 26 3.9 South Dartmoor Woods SAC ....................................................................................................... 35 3.10 South Devon Shore Dock SAC ..................................................................................................... 37 3.11 South Hams SAC .......................................................................................................................... 40 3.12 Start Point to Plymouth Sound and Eddystone SCI ..................................................................... 42 3.13 Tamar Estuaries Complex SPA .................................................................................................... 44 3.14 Determination of sites: conclusion ............................................................................................. 49 3.15 In Combination Plans / Projects .................................................................................................. 49 4 Screening of options ............................................................................................................................. 51 4.1 Joint Local Plan Options .............................................................................................................. 51 4.2 Screening of Options ................................................................................................................... 51 4.3 Option 1a: Urban intensification: only within Plymouth administrative boundaries ................. 52 4.4 Option 1b: Urban intensification: including urban extensions into the city’s urban fringe ........ 53 4.5 Option 2a: Concentration of development in Plymouth urban area: Concentration on Plymouth & adjoining settlements, creating a ‘necklace’ of settlements / garden villages. .................................... 54 4.6 Option 2b: Concentration of development in Plymouth urban area: Concentration on Plymouth and key transport corridor of A386 to the north of the city as far as Tavistock and to the east of the city along the A38, and taking in Ivybridge ..................................................................................................... 55 4.7 Option 2c: Concentration of development in Plymouth urban area: Concentration on Plymouth and new settlements ............................................................................................................... 56 4.8 Option 2d: Concentration of development in Plymouth and the Area Centres of Okehampton, Tavistock, Ivybridge, Totnes, Dartmouth and Kingsbridge ....................................................................... 57 4.9 Option 2e: Concentration of development in Plymouth and the Area Centres and Local Centres (as per 2d but also includes Local Centres of West Devon and South Hams) .......................................... 58 4.10 Option 2f: Concentration of development in Plymouth and the Area Centres and Local Centres and sustainable villages outside of the AONB .......................................................................................... 59 4.11 Option 2g: Concentration of development in Plymouth and the Area Centres and Local Centres and sustainable villages including within the AONB ................................................................................ 60 4.12 Option 3a: Dispersal of development - Dispersal with Plymouth delivering what it can and remainder being dispersed across the rest of the Joint Plan area ........................................................... 61 4.13 Option 3b: Dispersal of development - Complete dispersal with development being shared out evenly across all settlements of the Joint Plan Area ................................................................................ 62 4.14 Conclusion of Option Screening .................................................................................................. 62 5 Screening of Policies for Likely Significant Effects ................................................................................ 64 5.1 Screening Methodology .............................................................................................................. 64 5.2 Screening of Policies ................................................................................................................... 64 5.3 Initial Screening of Local Plan Policies ........................................................................................ 65 6 Appropriate Assessment – Air Quality.................................................................................................. 84 6.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 84 6.2 European Site background .......................................................................................................... 87 6.3 Appropriate Assessment ............................................................................................................. 94 6.4 Other plans and projects ........................................................................................................... 105 6.5 Mitigation for air quality ........................................................................................................... 106 6.6 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................... 108 7 Appropriate Assessment – Water Quality .......................................................................................... 110 7.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 110 7.2 European Site background ........................................................................................................ 111 7.3 Appropriate Assessment ........................................................................................................... 115 7.4 Other plans and projects ........................................................................................................... 117 7.5 Mitigation and monitoring recommendations for water quality .............................................. 117 7.6 Conclusion/response to recommendations .............................................................................. 122 8 Appropriate Assessment – Hydrology ................................................................................................ 124 8.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 124 8.2 European Site background ........................................................................................................ 126 8.3 Appropriate Assessment ........................................................................................................... 127 8.4 Other plans and projects ........................................................................................................... 128 8.5 Mitigation recommendations ................................................................................................... 128 8.6 Conclusion/response to recommendations .............................................................................. 130 9 Appropriate Assessment – Land Take ................................................................................................ 131 9.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................