SADPD SUPPORTING EVIDENCE Phase 1 Ecological Surveys John Wenman Ecological Consultancy June 2010 Phase 1 Ecological Survey Site Allocation Development Plan Document Bracknell Forest Borough Council Broad Area 1: SHLAA Sites within South West Sandhurst Ref: R70/b June 2010 100 New Wokingham Road, Crowthorne, Berkshire, RG45 6JP Telephone/Fax: 01344 780785 Mobile: 07979 403099 E-mail: [email protected] www.wenman-ecology.co.uk John Wenman Ecological Consultancy LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales with registered number OC339057. Registered office: 100 New Wokingham Road, Crowthorne, Berkshire RG45 6JP where you may look at a list of members’ names. 1 SUMMARY........................................................................................................ 3 2 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................... 4 3 LEGISLATIVE BACKGROUND – PROTECTED SPECIES .............................. 6 4 POLICY BACKGROUND ................................................................................ 10 5 SURVEY METHOD ......................................................................................... 11 6 SURVEY FINDINGS........................................................................................ 12 7 DISCUSSION .................................................................................................. 19 8 RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................................................... 23 9 REFERENCES................................................................................................ 25 APPENDIX 1 PHASE 1 SURVEY PLAN................................................................. 26 APPENDIX 2 SITE PHOTOGRAPHS ..................................................................... 27 APPENDIX 3 TARGET NOTES .............................................................................. 28 APPENDIX 4 PLANT SPECIES RECORDED DURING THE SURVEY .................. 29 1 SUMMARY 1.1.1 John Wenman Ecological Consultancy LLP was commissioned by Bracknell Forest Council to undertake a phase 1 ecological survey of the land within the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) sites and adjoining land within Broad Area 1 of the draft Site Allocation Development Plan Document. 1.1.2 The survey site covered a total area of 41.9 hectares in south west Sandhurst, Berkshire. The Broad Area largely comprised of grazed fields of improved and poor semi-improved grassland dominated by widespread and abundant plant species of no special conservation importance, mixed woodland in the north and patches of amenity grassland on the residential plots. 1.1.3 The land within the Broad Area is not statutorily or non-statutorily designated for its wildlife interest and the only records of legally protected or notable species held for the site by the Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre are those of the birds: spotted flycatcher (Muscicapa striata) and whinchat (Saxicola rubetra). 1.1.4 The majority of the land in the Broad Area was heavily grazed and improved grassland of limited ecological value and was of no special conservation importance; however the hedgerows, stream, ditches and areas of taller grassland in the Broad Area are likely to act as the focus for biodiversity within the Area and may provide habitat of local importance for legally protected and key species of national and local conservation importance such as reptiles, amphibians, birds, water voles, bats and invertebrates, and are likely to connect key habitats such as the wetland habitats to the south with woodland habitats to the north for example. 1.1.5 Further species specific surveys for key and protected species including reptiles, great crested newts, bats, breeding birds, water voles and badgers would be required to fully establish the ecological value of habitats within the Broad Area. John Wenman Ecological Consultancy 01/07/2010 Broad Area 1, SW Sandhurst - phase 1 ecological survey (R70b) - 3 - 2 INTRODUCTION 2.1 Background 2.1.1 John Wenman Ecological Consultancy LLP was commissioned by Bracknell Forest Council to undertake a phase 1 ecological survey of the land within the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) sites and adjoining land in Broad Area 1 of the draft Site Allocation Development Plan Document in south west Sandhurst, Berkshire: Site 30 - land adjacent to Church Lane and site 287 - land between Wokingham Road & Ambarrow Lane. 2.1.2 The survey was commissioned in connection with the preparation of the draft Site Allocation Development Plan Document for Bracknell Forest Borough. 2.2 Site location and context 2.2.1 Site 30 covers an area of approximately 7.4 hectares between Lower Church Road and Wokingham Road in south west Sandhurst (OS grid reference SU825621). The site – principally agricultural fields grazed by horses - is located immediately to the west of a residential estate, south of site 287, north of a large residential plot and east of land associated with St Michaels Church of England Primary School, Church Farm and three fishing lakes adjacent to Blackwater River. 2.2.2 Site 287 covers an area of approximately 23 hectares between Lower Church Road and Wokingham Road in south west Sandhurst (OS grid reference SU822623). The site, an equestrian farm called Perry Bridge Farm, is located immediately to the west of Ambarrow Court Local Nature Reserve (LNR), south of two residential plots (Ambarrow Farm and Yonder), east of Horseshoe Lake Water Sports Centre and north of agricultural fields similar to those found on the site. 2.2.3 A drain runs between the two sites from the north east to the south west joining the Blackwater River to the south east of Broad Area 1. A wet ditch and public footpath run from north to south through Ambarrow Farm plot and the fields of site 287 to Horseshoe Lake further south. John Wenman Ecological Consultancy 01/07/2010 Broad Area 1, SW Sandhurst - phase 1 ecological survey (R70b) - 4 - 2.2.4 The remainder of the site comprises the residential plots of Ambarrow Farm and Yonder and their associated gardens to the north, and the Ambarrow Wood residential plot at the most northerly point of Broad Area 1 with associated woodland area. To the south east of site 30 there is Ryefield residential plot with associated gardens. 2.3 Report format 2.3.1 There follows: an overview of the protected species legislation in Section 3 and of the national and local wildlife policy background in Section 4; details of the survey method in Section 5; survey findings in Section 6 and 7; a discussion of the survey findings in Section 8 and recommendations are made in Section 9. The appendices present the phase 1 survey plan (Appendix 1), site photographs (Appendix 2), target notes (Appendix 3) and a plant species list recorded during the survey (Appendix 4). John Wenman Ecological Consultancy 01/07/2010 Broad Area 1, SW Sandhurst - phase 1 ecological survey (R70b) - 5 - 3 LEGISLATIVE BACKGROUND – PROTECTED SPECIES 3.1 Amphibians 3.1.1 The six native species of amphibian receive protection under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 (as amended). The four widespread and common amphibians (common frog, toad, smooth and palmate newts) receive limited protection – making their sale illegal. 3.1.2 Great crested newts receive full protection under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) and under the Conservation (Natural Habitats &c.) Regulations 2010 (‘Habitat Regulations’) (as amended). These make it illegal to • Intentionally or recklessly kill, injure or take a great crested newt; • Possess or control any live or dead specimen or anything derived from a great crested newt; • Damage or destroy a breeding site or resting place or intentionally or recklessly obstruct access to a structure or place used for shelter by a great crested newt; • Intentionally or recklessly disturb great crested newts; in particular any disturbance which is likely to impair their ability to survive, breed or reproduce or nurture their young; or in the case of hibernating or migrating animals, to hibernate or migrate. 3.2 Bats 3.2.1 All British bat species are fully protected by the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) and by the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 (‘Habitat Regulations’). In summary, the legislation combined makes it an offence to: • Damage or destroy a breeding site or resting place or intentionally or recklessly obstruct access to a structure or place used for shelter by a bat; John Wenman Ecological Consultancy 01/07/2010 Broad Area 1, SW Sandhurst - phase 1 ecological survey (R70b) - 6 - • Deliberately, intentionally or recklessly disturb bats; in particular any disturbance which is likely to impair the ability of bats to survive, breed or reproduce or nurture their young; or in the case of hibernating or migrating bats, to hibernate or migrate; or to affect significantly the local distribution or abundance of the species; • Deliberately kill, injure or take any bat. 3.3 Badgers 3.3.1 Badgers are protected by the Protection of Badgers Act 1992. The Act makes activities such as development that would harm or disturb badgers or damage, obstruct or destroy their setts illegal. If badgers are to be affected by the proposed development, activities can be undertaken only under a licence issued by Natural England. The issue of a licence would be subject to the development of a suitable mitigation strategy. 3.4 Birds 3.4.1 All wild birds are protected