LONDON BOROUGH OF BEXLEY SITES OF IMPORTANCE FOR NATURE CONSERVATION REPORT DECEMBER 2016 Table of contents Bexley sites of importance for nature conservation PART I. Introduction ...................................................................................................... 5 Purpose and format of this document ................................................................................ 5 Bexley context ................................................................................................................... 5 What is biodiversity? ......................................................................................................... 6 Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINCs) ....................................................... 6 Strategic green wildlife corridors ....................................................................................... 8 Why has London Borough of Bexley adopted a new SINC assessment? ........................ 10 PART II. Site-by-site review ......................................................................................... 12 Sites of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation ....................................... 13 M015 Lesnes Abbey Woods and Bostall Woods ........................................................... 13 M031 the River Thames and tidal tributaries ................................................................. 15 M041 Erith Marshes ...................................................................................................... 19 M105 Ruxley Gravel Pits .............................................................................................. 21 M106 the River Cray ..................................................................................................... 23 M107 Crayford Marshes ............................................................................................... 27 M118 Chalk Wood and Joyden’s Wood ........................................................................ 29 M123 Crayford Rough ................................................................................................... 31 Sites of Borough Importance for Nature Conservation – Grade I .............................. 33 BxBI01 Crossways Lake Nature Reserve and Thameside Walk Scrub ......................... 33 BxBI02 Belvedere Dykes .............................................................................................. 35 BxBI03 Franks Park, Belvedere .................................................................................... 37 BxBI04 Erith Quarry and Fraser Road .......................................................................... 39 BxBI05 Hollyhill Open Space ........................................................................................ 42 BxBI06 Sidcup Golf Course and Lamorbey Lake .......................................................... 44 BxBI07 Danson Park..................................................................................................... 46 BxBI08 Bexley Park Woods .......................................................................................... 48 BxBI09 Bexleyheath Golf Course .................................................................................. 50 BxBI11 Home Wood and Bunkers Hill Ponds ................................................................ 52 BxBI12 Woodlands Farm, Dryden Road open land and Hillview Cemetery ................... 54 BxBI13 Braeburn Park .................................................................................................. 56 BxBI14 Thamesview Golf Course ................................................................................. 58 BxBI15 Hall Place (North) and Shenstone Park ............................................................ 60 BxBI16 River Shuttle ..................................................................................................... 62 BxBI17 Sands Spinney ................................................................................................. 65 2 December 2016 Bexley sites of importance for nature conservation Table of contents BxBI18 Crayford landfill and Howbury Grange ..............................................................67 Sites of Borough Importance for Nature Conservation – Grade II ............................. 69 BXBII01 Blackfen Woods ..............................................................................................70 BxBII02 Southmere Park &Yarnton Way/Viridion Way ..................................................72 BxBII04 Rutland Shaw ..................................................................................................74 BxBII05 Bursted Wood open space ...............................................................................76 BxBII06 Martens Grove ................................................................................................. 78 BxBII08 The Warren ......................................................................................................80 BxBII09 Wyncham Stream ............................................................................................ 82 BxBII10 Mount Mascal Farm and the Grove ..................................................................83 BxBII12 Churchfield Wood, Meadows and St Mary’s Church ........................................86 BxBII14 Railsides from Bexleyheath to Slade Green Triangle .......................................88 BxBII15 Slade Green Recreation Ground ......................................................................93 BxBII17 Upper College Farm ........................................................................................95 BxBII18 Rectory Lane Pond ..........................................................................................97 BxBII19 East Wickham Open Space .............................................................................99 BxBII20 St John the Baptist Churchyard, Erith ............................................................101 BxBII21 Streamway, Chapmans Land and Erith Cemetery ......................................... 103 BxBII23 Sidcup Line railsides ......................................................................................105 BxBII24 St Paulinus Churchyard, Crayford ..................................................................111 BXBII25 Crossness Sewage Treatment Works Pond .................................................. 113 BxBII27 Normans’ Wood and Tile Kiln Lane ................................................................115 BxBII28 Perry Street Farm ..........................................................................................117 BxBII29 Queen Mary’s Hospital Grounds ....................................................................119 BxBII30 Barnehurst Golf Course .................................................................................121 Sites of Local Importance for Nature Conservation.................................................. 123 BxL05 The Hollies Open Space ..................................................................................123 BxL06 Sidcup Place and Green ..................................................................................125 BxL07 Crossway Park and Tump 52 ...........................................................................127 BxL09 Belmont Primary School Nature Area ...............................................................129 BxL10 Land at Larner Road, Erith ...............................................................................131 BxL11 Edendale Road, Barnehurst .............................................................................133 BxL13 Hoblands Wood ...............................................................................................135 BxL14 A2 Rochester Way East Embankment .............................................................137 BxL15 Abbey Hill Park ................................................................................................138 December 2016 3 Table of contents Bexley sites of importance for nature conservation BxL16 The Ridgeway .................................................................................................. 141 BxL17 Bexleyheath Cemetery ..................................................................................... 143 BxL18 Our Lady of Angels Cemetery .......................................................................... 145 PART III. Bexley’s designated Strategic Green Wildlife Corridors ....................... 146 PART IV. Appendices ............................................................................................... 150 Appendix A: Desktop and field survey 2013 .................................................................. 150 Executive summary .................................................................................................... 150 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 150 Part 1: Desktop survey ................................................................................................ 151 Part 2: Fieldwork surveys ............................................................................................ 153 Part 3: Fieldwork survey results .................................................................................. 155 Desktop and field survey references ........................................................................... 158 Appendix B: Policy