Serlby Park Academy Extended Phase 1 Habitat Survey Report PSDERSU2 October 2013 Document Control Sheet BPP 04 F8 Version 15; March 2013 Project: Serlby Park Academy Client: Education Funding Agency Project No: PSDERSU2 Document title: Extended Phase 1 Habit at Survey Report Origi nated by Checked by Reviewed by NAME NAME NAME ORIGINAL Lucy Besson Saffra Wright Saffra Wright NAME INITIALS Approved by As Project Manager I confirm that the Anne Laithwaite above document(s) have been subjected to For Data Protection Jacobs’ Check and Review procedure and that I approve them fo r issue DATE Octobe r 2013 Document status: FINAL NAME NAME NAME REVISION NAME As Project Manager I confirm that the INITIALS Approved by above document( s) have been subjected to Jacobs’ Check and Review procedure and that I approve them for issue DATE Document status NAME NAME NAME REVI SION NAME As Project Manager I confirm that the INITIALS Approved by above document(s) have been subjected to Jacobs’ Check and Review procedure and that I approve them for issue DATE Document status Jacobs U.K. Limited This document has been prepared by a division, subsidiary or affiliate of Jacobs U.K. Limited (“Jacobs”) in its professional capacity as consultants in accordance with the terms and conditions of Jacobs’ contract with the commissioning party (the “Client”). 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Should the Client wish to release this document to a third party, Jacobs may, at its discretion, agree to such release provided that (a) Jacobs’ written agreement is obtained prior to such release; and (b) by release of the document to the third party, that third party does not acquire any rights, contractual or otherwise, whatsoever against Jacobs and Jacobs, accordingly, assume no duties, liabilities or obligations to that third party; and (c) Jacobs accepts no responsibility for any loss or damage incurred by the Client or for any conflict of Jacobs’ interests arising out of the Client's release of this document to the third party. Executive Summary This report contains confidential/sensitive ecological records and as such should not be made available for public circulation. An extended Phase 1 habitat survey (P1HS) of Serlby Park Acade my was carrie d out on 5 th September 2 013. This survey included an external inspect ion of all the existing buildings on both sites for bat roost and breeding bird pote ntial. The field survey was supplemented by a data gathering exercise and desk top review. The survey area comp rises the area to be d eveloped and all ar eas to be used during construction. Habitats present were mapped and the pres ence of, or the potential for the habitats to support protected species, was noted. Th e proposed development shows the majority of buildings on site to be demolished, except for the leisure centre and plant room, so their potential for supporting prote cted species (in particular bats and breeding birds) was assessed. The habitats recorded within the study area are of limited botanical value, containing a low diversity of common and widespread plant specie s. The survey area is dominated by amenity grassland, building s and hard standing with introduce d shrubs and scattered trees with an area of tall ruderal and broad-le aved woodland which is part of a Local Wildlife Site (Snipe Park Wood) to the west. Woodland is also a UK BAP priority habitat, t herefore it is recommended that t his area of woodland remains unaffected as shown under the current development proposals. A small ornamental goldf ish pond was recorded in the study a rea, which is of limited value and is not considered to be suitable fo r great crested new t. T he pond is however adj acent to buildings to be demolished and should be dra ined down and animals pre sent (fish , common, a mphibians) tr anslocated into sui table alternative habitats (see section 4.2). The shrub beds with in the sch ool ground s adjacent to the b uildings to be demolished contain non-native Cotoneaster, which are listed as an invasive species on Schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act (WCA) 1981 (as amended), and should therefore be disposed of accordingly. It is an offence to cause the spread of this species in the wild. The buildin gs offer mo derate pote ntial for roo sting bat s a nd seve ral potential ba t roost features were id entified within the exi sting buildings wh ich are to be demolished. As such it is recommended that further surveys of the buildings will be required: two dusk emergence / pre-dawn re-entry surveys undertaken between July and August by suitably qualified ecologists. No other e cological surveys are required t o inform th e detailed design or t o accompany a planning application, but the timing of the demolition and a ny required vegetation removal should con sider the pot ential for n esting b irds. A pre- construction check for b adgers is a dvised if the construction moves within 30m of the woodland located on site and adjacent to site. Further asse ssments for protected species may also be required if the woodland area is affected. Contents 1 Introduction 1 1.1 Background 1 1.2 Aims and Objectives 1 1.3 Site Description 2 2 Methodology 3 2.1 Desk Study and Consultation 3 2.2 Extended Phase 1 Habitat Survey 3 2.3 Assessment of Bat Roost Potential 4 2.4 Constraints 5 3 Results 6 3.1 Data Search 6 3.2 Field Survey 7 4 Conclusions and Recommendations 14 4.1 Designated Sites 14 4.2 Habitats 14 4.3 Protected Species 14 5 References 18 Figures Appendix A Proposed Options Site Plans Appendix B Desk Study Results Appendix C Photographs Appendix D Target Notes Appendix E Protected Species Legislation 1 Introduction 1.1 Background Jacobs UK Ltd. (Jaco bs) was co mmissioned by the Ed ucation F unding Agency (EFA) to provide environmental support to the op tion selection process and possible submission of a plannin g application for the proposed development of a new three storey secondary school block and two storey primary schoo l block with associat ed car parking and landscaping at Serlby Park Academy, whi ch is locate d in Bircote s 13km south of Doncaster (grid reference SK62959200 see in set on Figure 1: Phase 1 Habitat Survey Map). The preferred options being considered for the location o f the new buildings ar e presented in Appendix A. The proposed works will comprise construction of a new primary and secondary school bu ilding and a ssociated works as outlined below, depending on the selected preferred option: construction of a new three storey secondary school a nd conjoined two storey primary school located on the ex isting playing fields and tennis court s to the north of the existing school location; demolition of al l main school buildings with retention of Bircotes Leisur e Centre and the existing plant room; removal of some existing vegetation in the footprint of the new building and a new car park, increasing current parking provision. 1.2 Aims and Objectives The aims of the survey were to record the habitats present and identify the presence of, or potential for, le gally protected specie s to occur within the proposed development area. It is unde rstood that this re port will info rm the detailed desi gn and may accompany a planning application for the proposed works. The objectives of the survey were to: undertake a desk study and consultation exercise to collect existing re cords of species a nd designated sites (st atutory and non statutory) within 2km of the proposed development site; undertake an extended Phase 1 habitat survey (P1HS) of the proposed development site; undertake an external inspection surv ey of the buildings for evidence indicating use by bats; assess t he potential of the building s and trees present to support roo sting bats, and identify the requirement for any further ecological surv eys necessary to accompany a planning application.