West Suffolk District Local Plan Habitats Regulations Assessment Issues and Options Version West Suffolk District Council Project number: 60598646 September 2020 West Suffolk District Local Plan West Suffolk District Council Project number: 60598646 Quality information Prepared by Checked by Verified by Approved by Amelia Kent James Riley Max Wade James Riley Senior Ecologist Technical Director Technical Director Technical Director (ACIEEM) Revision History Revision Revision date Details Authorized Name Position 1 19/05/20 Draft Report JR James Riley Technical Director 2 August 2020 Updated draft JR James Riley Technical Director following client review 3 September 2020 Final Version JR James Riley Technical Director Distribution List # Hard Copies PDF Required Association / Company Name Prepared for: West Suffolk District Council AECOM West Suffolk District Local Plan West Suffolk District Council Project number: 60598646 Prepared for: West Suffolk District Council Prepared by: 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. Prepared for: West Suffolk District Council AECOM West Suffolk District Local Plan West Suffolk District Council Project number: 60598646 Table of Contents 1. Introduction ...................................................................................................... 1 Background to the Project ....................................................................................................................................... 1 Legislation ............................................................................................................................................................... 1 Report Layout.......................................................................................................................................................... 2 2. Methodology .................................................................................................... 3 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................. 3 The Process of HRA ............................................................................................................................................... 3 A Proportionate Assessment ................................................................................................................................... 4 The Scope ............................................................................................................................................................... 5 The ‘in Combination’ Scope .................................................................................................................................... 6 3. Pathways of Impact ......................................................................................... 8 Urbanisation ............................................................................................................................................................ 8 Recreational Pressure ............................................................................................................................................. 9 Hydrological Changes ........................................................................................................................................... 12 Atmospheric Pollution (Atmospheric Nitrogen Deposition) .................................................................................... 13 4. Test of Likely Significance ............................................................................. 16 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................... 16 Potential Impacts Associated with Increased Development within West Suffolk District ....................................... 16 Summary of Test of Likely Significance ‘Alone’ ..................................................................................................... 27 Summary of Test of Likely Significance ‘In Combination’ ...................................................................................... 28 5. Conclusions and Recommendations ............................................................. 29 Urbanisation .......................................................................................................................................................... 29 Functionally linked land ......................................................................................................................................... 29 Recreational pressure ........................................................................................................................................... 29 Water quality (runoff) ............................................................................................................................................. 30 Air quality .............................................................................................................................................................. 30 Water quality (sewage effluent) ............................................................................................................................. 30 Appendix A European Site Background Information ................................................. 31 Waveney & Little Ouse Valley Fens SAC .............................................................................................................. 31 Redgrave and South Lopham Fens Ramsar (Part of Waveney and Little Ouse Valley Fens SAC) ...................... 31 Fenland SAC ......................................................................................................................................................... 32 Chippenham Fens Ramsar (Part of Fenland SAC) ............................................................................................... 33 Wicken Fen Ramsar (Part of Fenland SAC) ......................................................................................................... 34 Devils Dyke SAC ................................................................................................................................................... 35 Rex Graham Reserve SAC ................................................................................................................................... 35 Breckland SAC ...................................................................................................................................................... 36 Breckland SPA ...................................................................................................................................................... 37 Appendix B SHELAA Site Screening: Likely Significant Effects ............................... 39 Figures Figure 1 – Ecological Buffers and Designated Sites Prepared for: West Suffolk District Council AECOM West Suffolk District Local Plan West Suffolk District Council Project number: 60598646 Tables Table 1: Physical Scope of the HRA ........................................................................................................................ 5 Table 2: Main sources and effects of air pollutants on habitats and species ......................................................... 13 Table 3. Susceptibility of each European site to impact pathways due to increased housing and employment development.......................................................................................................................................................... 17 Table 4. West Suffolk Strategic Growth Options ................................................................................................... 24 Prepared for: West Suffolk District Council AECOM West Suffolk District Local Plan West Suffolk District Council Project number: 60598646 1. Introduction Background to the Project 1.1 AECOM has been appointed by West Suffolk District Council to assist in producing a report to inform the councils Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) of the potential effects of West Suffolk Local Plan on the Natura 2000 Network and Ramsar sites. The objectives of the assessment are to: • Identify any aspects of the Local Plan that would cause an adverse effect on the integrity of Natura 2000 sites, otherwise known as European sites (Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), Special Protection Areas (SPAs), protected SPAs (pSPAs) and, as a matter of Government policy, Ramsar sites), either alone or in combination with other plans and projects; and • To advise on appropriate policy mechanisms for delivering mitigation where such effects were identified. 1.2 The HRA of the West Suffolk Local Plan is required to determine if there are any