Kennet District Local Plan - Adopted April 2004 NATURAL 5 RESOURCES INTRODUCTION 5.01 Chapter One sets out the Foundations of this Local Plan and identifies Sustainable Development as the underlying Goal. The principle of protecting our natural environment, whether it be land, water or air, and the diversity and abundance of all life-forms within it is, therefore, of fundamental importance to the Plan. This Chapter deals with biodiversity, landscapes, the use of land, water and energy. The relevant Environmental Aims of the Local Plan are:- O use energy, water and other natural resources efficiently and with care; O limit pollution to levels which do not 5 damage natural systems; O value and protect the diversity of nature; natural O create or enhance places, spaces and buildings that work well, wear well and look well; O value and protect diversity and local distinctiveness and strengthen local community and cultural identity; and resources O protect human health and amenity through safe, clean and pleasant environments. 5.02 The delivery of these aims is essential to achieve the goal of the Council to allow the communities of the District to enjoy "an acceptable quality of life in a healthy and pleasant environment". The maintenance and protection of natural systems is also, and more importantly, an international aim supported by the Government. Its purpose is to safeguard the long term prospects for all living things, including man, and the environment which they depend upon. Species and their habitats need to be protected from not only the direct adverse effects of development, but also from secondary effects such as the pollution of air, water or land and the diminution of limited resources including water and other elements of life sustaining importance. The 93 Kennet District Local Plan - Adopted April 2004 protection of the Natural Environment should be regarded as an integral part of Policy NR1 the development process, not as a laudable aim to be addressed at the end of the EUROPEAN SITES process when all other objectives have been met. In undertaking the task in this Development not directly connected manner, proper account can be taken of with or necessary for the management natural systems and their needs dealt with of a European site, and which is likely to greater effect. to have a significant effect on the site (either individually or in combination BIODIVERSITY with other plans or projects) will be subject to the most rigorous 5.03 Biodiversity is a term that means the variety examination. Where it cannot be of life around us, ranging from bacteria to ascertained that the development the tallest tree, and is the living component would not adversely affect the integrity of the natural world. Biodiversity is vital for of the site it will not be permitted the quality of life and the loss of biodiversity unless:- runs contrary to the aims and objectives of a) there are imperative reasons of sustainable development. In national terms, over-riding public interest for the over 100 species have become extinct this development; and century and many natural and semi-natural b) there is no alternative. habitats such as meadows, unimproved chalk grassland and ancient woodland have Where the site concerned hosts a been subject to a significant reduction in priority natural habitat type and/or a area. priority species, development will not be permitted unless it is necessary for Habitat Protection imperative reasons of human health or public safety or for benefits of primary 5.04 The importance attached to the role of importance for the environment. 5 biodiversity in promoting sustainable development can be gauged from the Where development is permitted, the use of conditions or planning natural Government's designations for sites of International and National importance. obligations will be considered in order Under the European Communities Council to avoid and minimise the harm to the Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds, site, to enhance the site's nature the majority of Salisbury Plain in Kennet conservation interest and to secure has been designated as a "Special any compensatory measures and Protection Area" (SPA). In addition, appropriate management that may be resources "Special Areas of Conservation" (SAC) have required. been identified where protection is required for the most highly threatened European 5.05 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) habitats. English Nature has identified such are identified by English Nature as being of areas in Kennet:- Jones's Mill, Pewsey; the national importance for nature conservation. River Avon, south of Upavon; Salisbury In Kennet, 20 SSSI have been identified, Plain; the Kennet and Lambourne two of which are also designated as Floodplain to the east of the District; and National Nature Reserves (NNR) and these Pewsey Downs National Nature Reserve are also shown on the Proposals and Inset have been identified as candidate SAC. Maps. Recognition as being of national Under the Conservation (Natural Habitats) importance provides Statutory protection, Regulations 1994, candidate sites are now and development which would harm, either treated as European sites for the purposes directly or indirectly, the wildlife or of those Regulations. These European geological interest should not be permitted, sites are shown on the Proposals and Inset except under exceptional circumstances. Maps and development which would harm their integrity or conflict with the conservation objectives of these designations will not be permitted. 94 Kennet District Local Plan - Adopted April 2004 Table NR1 : Regional Targets for Protecting Policy NR2 Existing Habitats relevant to Kennet District. NATIONAL SITES Reedbeds Maintain current 600 ha Development in or likely to have an adverse effect on a Site of Special Standing Open Maintain current areas Scientific Interest will be subject to Water of open water special scrutiny. Where such development could have an adverse Rivers and Maintain 40000 km of effect, directly or indirectly, on the Streams linear resource special interest of the site it will not be permitted unless the reasons for the Urban Green development clearly outweigh the Space Full extent unknown harm to the special nature conservation value of the site. Species-Rich Hedges Full extent unknown 5.06 Development should not lead to a loss of biodiversity and ideally should enhance it. Calcareous Important habitats and species should be (Chalk) Maintain current 25000 ha protected from development that would Grassland harm them. Adverse effects should be avoided, minimised and/or compensated Neutral where feasible and appropriate. The UK Grassland Maintain current 9000 ha Steering Group Report on Biodiversity Ancient identifies targets for habitats and species Woodland Maintain current 3657 ha judged to be of national importance. Regional Targets have also been set in Wood, Pasture Action for Biodiversity in the South West and Parkland Maintain current 11000 ha (1997). Until such time as County 5 Biodiversity targets have been set, Regional Field Boundary Targets for Biodiversity relevant to Kennet Systems and Full extent unknown natural District as included in Table NR1 should be Field Margins used and a contribution to the achievement of those targets sought. Monitoring Source: A Biodiversity Guide for the Planning activities will be undertaken in conjunction and Development Sectors in the South West. with other organisations, such as English ALGE and South West Biodiversity Partnership, March 2000. Nature and the Wildlife Trust to measure resources the level of success in meeting targets to result from the Policies of the Local Plan. 5.07 Some forms of development offer opportunities for habitat restoration where such action is technically feasible and cost effective and where such measures are required as a result of proposed development, their provision will be considered to be a planning obligation (see Chapter One). Measures for habitat restoration will be required where they are associated with:- types of development which inherently offer opportunities for habitat restoration/creation; development within or near sites identified in a Local Biodiversity Action Plan or Natural Area Profile where potential to meet restoration targets is highest; and in urban areas currently lacking in wildlife and where local communities have few opportunities for direct contact with nature. Regional Targets for Habitat Restoration are set out in Table NR2. Again, these targets will be used until 95 Kennet District Local Plan - Adopted April 2004 such time as County-wide targets have 5.08 The Council, in partnership with other been set in the Wiltshire Biodiversity Action District Councils, the County Council, Plan. English Nature and the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust has supported the production of a Table NR2 : Restoration targets for the Wiltshire Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP). South West Region relevant to Activities are currently underway to produce Kennet District. individual Species Action Plans and Habitat Action Plans. Part of the work for the Create 600 ha of production of the BAP included a survey to Reedbeds new reedbed by identify Sites of Nature Conservation 2005 Importance (SNCI) which met criteria established in the Action Plan. At present, Standing Open Water Create 2000 new 363 SNCI have been identified in the ponds by 2010 District and these are listed, together with Regionally Important Enhance value of Geological/Geomorphological Sites (see Rivers and Streams rivers and streams below) at Appendix NR1 to the Local Plan. in the SW English Nature has notified the Council of these sites as although they are not Provide wildlife acknowledged as being of National Urban Green Space greenspace within Significance, they are considered to make 300m of every an important contribution to biodiversity at home by 2020 the County level. When finalised, the Council will adopt the targets set in the Achieve favourable Wiltshire BAP and in the meantime will aim management of to maintain the current level of biodiversity Species-Rich Hedges species-rich by protecting sites identified as SNCI.