; Habitat Regulations Assessment of the Wokingham Draft Local Plan Update Wokingham Borough Council Project number: 60610735 60613744 Habitat Regulations Assessment of the Wokingham Local Plan Update Quality information Prepared by Checked by Approved by Damiano Weitowitz James Riley Max Wade Consultant Ecologist Technical Director Technical Director Revision History Revision Revision date Details Authorized Name Position 0 15/01/20 Draft for Council JR James Riley Technical comment Director 1 03/02/20 Final for JR James Riley Technical consultation Director Prepared for: Wokingham Borough Council AECOM Habitat Regulations Assessment of the Wokingham Local Plan Update Prepared for: Wokingham Borough Council Prepared by: Damiano Weitowitz Consultant Ecologist E: [email protected] AECOM Infrastructure & Environment UK Limited Midpoint, Alencon Link Basingstoke Hampshire RG21 7PP United Kingdom T: +44(0)1256 310200 aecom.com © 2020 AECOM Infrastructure & Environment UK Limited. All Rights Reserved. This document has been prepared by AECOM Infrastructure & Environment UK Limited (“AECOM”) for sole use of our client (the “Client”) in accordance with generally accepted consultancy principles, the budget for fees and the terms of reference agreed between AECOM and the Client. Any information provided by third parties and referred to herein has not been checked or verified by AECOM, unless otherwise expressly stated in the document. No third party may rely upon this document without the prior and express written agreement of AECOM. This report was undertaken in line with AECOM’s Integrated Management System (IMS). Our IMS places great emphasis on professionalism, technical excellence, quality, environmental and Health and Safety management. All staff members are committed to establishing and maintaining our certification to the international standards BS EN ISO 9001:2008 and 14001:2004 and BS OHSAS 18001:2007. In addition, our IMS requires careful selection and monitoring of the performance of all sub-consultants and contractors. All AECOM Ecologists working on this project are members (at the appropriate level) of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM) and follow their code of professional conduct (CIEEM, 2017). Prepared for: Wokingham Borough Council AECOM Habitat Regulations Assessment of the Wokingham Local Plan Update Table of Contents 1. Background ................................................................................................................................... 6 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 6 Legislative Context ............................................................................................................. 6 Scope of the Project ........................................................................................................... 7 2. Methodology ................................................................................................................................. 9 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 9 Description of HRA Tasks ................................................................................................... 9 2.2.1 HRA Task 1 – Likely Significant Effects (LSE) .................................................................... 9 2.2.2 HRA Task 2 – Appropriate Assessment (AA) ..................................................................... 9 2.2.3 HRA Task 3 – Avoidance and Mitigation ........................................................................... 10 Physical Scope of the HRA .............................................................................................. 10 3. Relevant European Sites ............................................................................................................ 12 Chilterns Beechwoods SAC ............................................................................................. 12 Thames Basin Heaths SPA .............................................................................................. 13 Thursley, Ash, Pirbright and Chobham SAC .................................................................... 14 Windsor Forest and Great Park SAC ............................................................................... 16 4. Impact Pathways ......................................................................................................................... 18 Impact Pathways Considered ........................................................................................... 18 Background to Recreational Pressure .............................................................................. 18 4.2.1 Disturbance to breeding birds ........................................................................................... 18 4.2.2 Trampling damage, erosion and nutrient enrichment ....................................................... 19 Background to Atmospheric Pollution ............................................................................... 21 Background to Water Quantity, Level and Flow ............................................................... 25 Background to Loss of Functionally Linked Land ............................................................. 26 Summary .......................................................................................................................... 27 5. Test of Likely Significant Effects (LSEs) ..................................................................................... 28 Overview of strategic policies providing for residential and employment growth ............. 28 5.1.1 Strategic policies............................................................................................................... 28 5.1.2 Local plans to be considered ‘in-combination’ .................................................................. 29 Recreational Pressure ...................................................................................................... 30 5.2.1 Thames Basin Heaths SPA .............................................................................................. 30 5.2.2 Thursley, Ash, Pirbright & Chobham SAC ........................................................................ 30 5.2.3 Chilterns Beechwoods SAC ............................................................................................. 31 5.2.4 Windsor Forest & Great Park SAC ................................................................................... 31 Atmospheric Pollution ....................................................................................................... 32 5.3.1 Thames Basin Heaths SPA .............................................................................................. 32 5.3.2 Thursley, Ash, Pirbright & Chobham SAC ........................................................................ 32 5.3.3 Chilterns Beechwoods SAC ............................................................................................. 33 5.3.4 Windsor Forest & Great Park SAC ................................................................................... 33 Loss of Functionally Linked Land ..................................................................................... 34 5.4.1 Thames Basin Heaths SPA .............................................................................................. 34 Water Quantity, Level and Flow ........................................................................................ 34 5.5.1 Thursley, Ash, Pirbright & Chobham SAC ........................................................................ 34 5.5.2 Chilterns Beechwoods SAC ............................................................................................. 35 5.5.3 Windsor Forest and Great Park SAC ............................................................................... 35 Summary .......................................................................................................................... 36 6. Appropriate Assessment ............................................................................................................. 37 Recreational Pressure ...................................................................................................... 37 6.1.1 Thames Basin Heaths SPA .............................................................................................. 37 Prepared for: Wokingham Borough Council AECOM Habitat Regulations Assessment of the Wokingham Local Plan Update 6.1.1.1 Overview of In-Combination Visitor Survey Results as Relevant to Wokingham Borough ............................................................................................................................ 37 6.1.1.2 In-Combination Approach to Mitigation in the Thames Basin Heaths SPA ................ 38 6.1.1.3 Relevant Mitigation in the Wokingham Local Plan Update ......................................... 39 6.1.1.4 Recommendations ...................................................................................................... 45 6.1.2 Thursley, Ash, Pirbright & Chobham SAC ........................................................................ 45 6.1.2.1 Overview of In-Combination Visitor Survey Results as Relevant to Wokingham Borough ...........................................................................................................................