Wycombe District Local Plan Revised Habitats Regulations Assessment Report July 2018 Wycombe District Local Plan– Revised Habitats Regulations Assessment Report (July 2018) This page is left intentionally blank. 2 Wycombe District Local Plan– Revised Habitats Regulations Assessment Report (July 2018) 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 ............................................................................ 20 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 (July 2018) 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 ........................................................... 77 Chapter 6. Likely Significant Effects ............................................................... 81 Potential direct effects of the Local Plan ...................................................... 81 Potential indirect effects of the Local Plan .................................................... 81 Water quality and resources ......................................................................... 82 Sewage treatment ..................................................................................... 82 Water quality ............................................................................................. 83 Air pollution................................................................................................... 85 Context, attenuating factors and external influences ................................ 85 The 200 metres principle .......................................................................... 89 Air Pollution Information System (APIS) information ................................. 90 Sites at potential risk of increased nitrogen deposition from traffic ........... 96 4 Wycombe District Local Plan– Revised Habitats Regulations Assessment Report (July 2018) Air pollution increase analysis ................................................................... 97 Aston Rowant SAC ................................................................................. 126 Burnham Beeches SAC .......................................................................... 128 Air pollution section LSE conclusion ....................................................... 129 Recreational pressures .............................................................................. 129 Open Space requirements in new developments ................................... 130 Wider policy and strategy framework ...................................................... 132 Recreational impacts dispersion ............................................................. 133 Potential LSE .......................................................................................... 134 Conclusion for Chapter 6 ............................................................................ 135 Chapter 7. Appropriate Assessment ............................................................ 136 Air pollution................................................................................................. 138 Air quality modelling and ecological interpretation .................................. 138 Air pollution conclusion ........................................................................... 142 Recreational pressure ................................................................................ 142 Chapter 8. Conclusion and next steps ......................................................... 155 Conclusions from this report ....................................................................... 155 Consultation arrangements ........................................................................ 159 Appendices .................................................................................................. 161 Appendix 1 – Glossary of Terms .................................................................. 162 Appendix 2 – SSSI Conditions Surveys Reports.......................................... 167 ASTON ROWANT SAC .............................................................................. 167 BURNHAM BEECHES SAC ....................................................................... 174 CHILTERNS BEECHWOODS SAC (SSSI relevant to Wycombe District Local Plan) ........................................................................................................... 178 ASTON ROWANT WOODS - BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, OXFORDSHIRE (SOUTH OXFORDSHIRE ....................................................................... 178 5 Wycombe District Local Plan– Revised Habitats Regulations Assessment Report (July 2018) BISHAM WOODS - BERKSHIRE (WINDSOR AND MAIDENHEAD) ..... 189 BRADENHAM WOODS, PARK WOOD & THE COPPICE - BUCKINGHAMSHIRE (WYCOMBE) ...................................................... 191 ELLESBOROUGH AND KIMBLE WARRENS - BUCKINGHAMSHIRE (WYCOMBE) .......................................................................................... 196 HOLLOWHILL AND PULLINGSHILL WOODS - BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, (WYCOMBE,) ......................................................................................... 199 NAPHILL COMMON - BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, (WYCOMBE) .................. 200 WINDSOR HILL - BUCKINGHAMSHIRE (WYCOMBE) ......................... 201 Appendix 3 - APIS data for affected sites (200 m principle) ......................... 204 1. Site relevant critical load information ...................................................... 205 Aston Rowant SAC ................................................................................. 205 Burnham Beeches SAC .......................................................................... 210 Chilterns Beechwoods SAC .................................................................... 213 2. Sample locations for each SAC sites