Environmental Statement Volume 6: Ch.9 Ecology and Nature Conservation p.1 Environmental Statement Document 6.9.3 DOCUMENT 6.9.5 Great Crested Newt Survey Report The Yorkshire and Humber (CCS Cross Country Pipeline) Development Consent Order Under Regulation 5(2)(a) of the Infrastructure Planning (Applications: Prescribed Forms and Procedure) Regulations 2009 Application Reference: EN070001 June 2014 The Yorkshire and Humber CCS Cross Country Pipeline Environmental Statement Volume 6: Ch.9 Ecology and Nature Conservation p.i Environmental Statement Document 6.9.5 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Introduction 1 1.1 INTRODUCTION TO THE ONSHORE SCHEME 1 1.3 SITE DESCRIPTION 3 1.4 SURVEY AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 4 2 Legislation and Policy 5 2.1 RELEVANT LEGISLATION 5 2.2 PLANNING POLICY 6 2.3 UK POST-2010 BIODIVERSITY FRAMEWORK 6 2.4 LOCAL BIODIVERSITY ACTION PLAN (LBAP) 7 3 Methodology 8 3.1 CONSULTATION WITH NATURAL ENGLAND 8 3.2 DESK BASED STUDY 8 3.3 FIELD SURVEY 10 3.4 POPULATION SIZE CLASS ASSESSMENT 13 3.5 EVALUATION METHODOLOGY 14 3.6 SURVEY LIMITATIONS 16 3.7 QUALITY ASSURANCE 17 4 Results 18 4.1 CONSULTATION WITH NATURAL ENGLAND 18 4.2 DESK BASED STUDY 18 4.3 FIELD SURVEY 20 5 Evaluation 35 6 References 41 Figures and Appendices 42 Appendix A: Natural England Consultation 43 Appendix B: Habitat Suitability Index Assessment Results 44 The Yorkshire and Humber CCS Cross Country Pipeline Environmental Statement Volume 6: Ch.9 Ecology and Nature Conservation p.ii Environmental Statement Document 6.9.5 Appendix C: Detailed Survey Results – All Ponds 2012/2013 57 Appendix D: Great Crested Newt Ponds – Population Assessment Survey Results 58 Appendix E: Great Crested Newt Ponds – Photographs 65 The Yorkshire and Humber CCS Cross Country Pipeline Environmental Statement Volume 6: Ch.9 Ecology and Nature Conservation p.1 Environmental Statement Document 6.9.5 1 Introduction 1.1 INTRODUCTION TO THE ONSHORE SCHEME 1.1.1 AECOM was commissioned by National Grid Carbon (NGC) to undertake great crested newt (Triturus cristatus) surveys to inform the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the Yorkshire and Humber Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Cross Country Pipeline (Onshore Scheme). This was in order to determine the status of great crested newts in ponds which may be affected by the Onshore Scheme. 1.1.2 The Onshore Scheme (as shown on Figure 1) description, definitions of terminology and development are presented in Chapters 2: Onshore Scheme Development and Alternatives (Document 6.2) and Chapter 3: Onshore Scheme Description of the Environmental Statement (Document 6.3). 1.2 SUMMARY OF SCOPING: DEFINING THE STUDY AND SURVEY AREAS 1.2.1 The scoping assessment for the Onshore Scheme was undertaken in 2012 which defined the Desk Study Area, Study Area and Survey Area for the great crested newt habitat assessments and surveys. The areas were defined as follows: Desk Based Study Area 1.2.2 The ecological desk based study undertaken included the Preferred Route Corridor (PRC) (Figure 1) plus 1 kilometre (km) buffer zone from the PRC boundary to establish the presence of protected species, including great crested newt. This has been termed as the Desk Based Study Area. Study Area 1.2.3 An initial scoping exercise which comprised a desk based pond and habitat assessment was undertaken in early 2012. This was undertaken to map the location of all ponds located within the PRC and a buffer zone of 500 metre (m); this is the average distance great crested newts are known to move from their breeding ponds (English Nature, 2001). This area has been termed as the ‘Study Area’. Other standing waterbodies that had potential to support great crested newt were also assessed where relevant, this The Yorkshire and Humber CCS Cross Country Pipeline Environmental Statement Volume 6: Ch.9 Ecology and Nature Conservation p.2 Environmental Statement Document 6.9.5 included drains and lakes. The collective term ‘pond’ is used throughout the report and other types of waterbody are differentiated where necessary. 1.2.4 Ponds were then ‘scoped in or out’ to determine further assessment and survey work, for example, this was based on pond size, the presence/absence of significant barriers to great crested newt migration such as roads/rivers, and the presence/absence of habitat linkages to the PRC. 1.2.5 As the Onshore Scheme has evolved, a distance of 250 m from ponds was applied for potential temporary habitat loss/disturbance areas, whilst 500 m has been retained when assessing permanent habitat loss elements of the Onshore Scheme such as at Above Ground Installation (AGI) sites. Survey Area Initial Habitat Suitability Index Survey Area 1.2.6 An initial Habitat Suitability Index (HSI) Assessment (Oldham et al., 2000; ARG UK, 2010) was undertaken in 2012 of all ponds (as identified during the desk based study) located within the Study Area. HSI assessments continued in 2013 of ponds located within any land not previously accessed. The 2013 assessments were undertaken within the narrower Scoping Corridor (Figure 1) plus 250 m buffer zone which was informed by the results of the evolving environmental and engineering led investigations and included any ponds associated with the Construction Compounds. Presence/Absence Surveys 2012 1.2.7 Great crested newt presence/absence surveys began in 2012 on ponds identified during the HSI assessments, these included ponds within the PRC plus 500 m buffer zone. Presences/Absence Survey and Population Assessments 2013 1.2.8 In 2013, the remaining suitable ponds located within the Scoping Corridor plus 250 m buffer zone had presence/absence great crested newt surveys. Additionally, ponds within 500 m of proposed AGIs (where permanent habitat loss is predicted) had presence/absence surveys undertaken in 2013. 1.2.9 Population assessment great crested newt surveys were undertaken in 2013 on all ponds where great crested newts had been confirmed by presence/absence surveys in 2012 and 2013 which were located within the Scoping Corridor plus 250 m or 500 m buffer zones. The Yorkshire and Humber CCS Cross Country Pipeline Environmental Statement Volume 6: Ch.9 Ecology and Nature Conservation p.3 Environmental Statement Document 6.9.5 1.2.10 Collectively, the ponds included in the HSI Assessments, presence/absence great crested newt surveys and population assessment surveys are termed as the ‘Survey Area’. 1.2.11 For the purpose of this baseline report, the great crested newt results that are presented and discussed within the report include: • The Application Boundary plus 250 m buffer zone for potential temporary effects (this includes the Pipeline Envelope and Other Onshore Scheme Elements (see Chapters 2: Onshore Scheme Development and Alternatives (Document 6.2) and Chapter 3: Scheme Description of the Environmental Statement (Document 6.3)).; and • The AGI sites plus 500 m buffer zone for potential permanent effects. 1.3 SITE DESCRIPTION 1.3.1 The route of the Pipeline transverses through the two counties of East Riding of Yorkshire and North Yorkshire and contains a wide variety of habitats, characteristic of arable farmland. The habitats are dominated by arable land, towns/villages and woodland with areas of improved and semi- improved neutral grassland. Running water (rivers, canals, becks and drains) is present as is standing water in the form of lakes and ponds, which vary in size and uses. Arable field boundaries comprise mainly species- poor hedgerows and drains. 1.3.2 In relation to great crested newts, these habitats within and in close proximity to the Onshore Scheme are considered to provide suitable areas for supporting breeding, foraging and hibernating sites. 1.3.3 For the purpose of consultation and presenting the results, the Onshore Scheme is divided into four Onshore Scheme Sections as shown on Figure 1 and detailed below: • Camblesforth Multi-junction to Tollingham Block Valve (including the White Rose CCS connection; abbreviated to Camblesforth Multi-junction to Tollingham Block Valve in the remainder of this report); • Tollingham Block Valve to Dalton Block Valve; • Dalton Block Valve to Skerne Block Valve; and 1.3.4 Skerne Block Valve to Barmston Pumping Station (including Barmston Pumping Station to Mean Low Water Spring [MLWS], abbreviated to Skerne Block Valve to Barmston Pumping Station in the remainder of this report). The Yorkshire and Humber CCS Cross Country Pipeline Environmental Statement Volume 6: Ch.9 Ecology and Nature Conservation p.4 Environmental Statement Document 6.9.5 1.4 SURVEY AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1.4.1 The aim and objectives of the survey work and the subsequent report presented herein were to: Aim • To determine the status; distribution and population levels of great crested newts within and adjacent (up to 500m) to the Onshore Scheme Application Boundary in order to inform the Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA). Objectives • Undertake a Desk Based Study including consultation with Natural England on the proposed study and survey scope; and review of existing ecological data to identify any records for great crested newts within the Desk Based Study Area; • Identify ponds within the Study Area and scope in or out for HSI Assessment and further surveys; • Undertake great crested newt HSI assessments on those ponds scoped in for further survey within the Survey Area; • Undertake a great crested newt presence/absence survey on those ponds identified to have potential to support great crested newts within the Survey Area following the HSI assessment; • Determine the population size class estimate of great crested newts in those ponds with confirmed presence of great crested newts in the Survey Area; and • Record any other notable species such as other amphibians from the surveys. The Yorkshire and Humber CCS Cross Country Pipeline Environmental Statement Volume 6: Ch.9 Ecology and Nature Conservation p.5 Environmental Statement Document 6.9.5 2 Legislation and Policy 2.1 RELEVANT LEGISLATION 2.1.1 The decline in great crested newt conservation status across Europe has led to its listing on Annex IV (‘European Protected Species’) of the Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora, adopted in 1992.