Revised Local 2018-2033 Development Plan Screening Report Habitats Regulations Regulations Habitats Assessment December 2018 Regulations Habitats Assessment Revised Carmarthenshire Local Development Plan 2018 - 2033 Contents 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................ 2 1.1 Habitat Regulations Assessment (HRA) ........................................................................................................ 2 1.2 The application of Habitats Regulations to Development Plans................................................................... 2 1.3 Purpose of report.......................................................................................................................................... 4 1.4 Consultation .................................................................................................................................................. 4 1.5 Structure of report ........................................................................................................................................ 5 2. Methodology ...................................................................................................................................................... 6 2.1 Stage 1 – Screening ....................................................................................................................................... 6 2.2 Determining ‘likely significant effect’ ........................................................................................................... 6 2.3 Guidance for Habitats Regulations Appraisal/Appropriate Assessment ...................................................... 7 Regulations: .................................................................................................................................................... 7 Guidance: ........................................................................................................................................................ 7 3. Screening ............................................................................................................................................................ 8 3.1 Task 1: Identification and characterisation or European Sites ..................................................................... 8 3.2 Task 2: Screening of Preferred Strategy to identify potential likely effects on European Sites ................. 11 Scanning and selection European sites potentially affected. ....................................................................... 11 Screening of Preferred Strategy ................................................................................................................... 33 3.3 Task 3: Consideration of effects in combination with other plans, programmes and projects. ................. 36 3.4 Task 4: Screening Assessment Summary .................................................................................................... 38 Appendicies .......................................................................................................................................................... 39 Appendix 1. Conservation objectives of sites identified as within 15km buffer zone of Carmarthenshire. .... 39 Appendix 2.Nitrogen Deposition Data for SAC’s/SPA’s within Carmarthenshire and 15km Buffer Zone ........ 88 Appendix 3 Plans and Programmes with potential in-combination effects. .................................................... 93 Appendix 4 Preliminary screening of draft Strategic Objectives .................................................................... 110 Appendix 5 Preliminary screening of draft Strategic Policies ......................................................................... 112 HRA Screening Report December 2018 1 Revised Carmarthenshire Local Development Plan 2018 - 2033 1. Introduction 1.1 Habitat Regulations Assessment (HRA) 1.1.1 European Directive 92/43/EEC on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and Wild Flora and Fauna (known as the ‘Habitats Directive’), implemented in the UK by the Habitat Regulations 2010, provides legal protection for a range of habitats and species identified as being of European importance. 1.1.2 Article 2 of the Directive requires the maintenance or restoration of these habitats and species, in a favourable condition, and is achieved through the establishment and maintenance of protected areas referred to as Natura 2000 sites. These are comprised of Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) designated under European Directive 92/43/EEC on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and Wild Fauna and Flora (‘the Habitats Directive 1992’), implemented in Britain by the Conservation (Natural Habitats & c) Regulations 2010 (‘the Habitat Regulations’); and Special Protection Areas (SPA) designated under EC Directive 79/409 on the Conservation of Wild Birds (‘the Birds Directive’) and Ramsar site under the Ramsar Convention on the Conservation of Wetlands of Importance. 1.1.3 Sites designated as wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention are subject to the same provisions as Natura 2000 sites. 1.2 The application of Habitats Regulations to Development Plans 1.2.1 Part IVA of the Conservation (Natural Habitats &c.) Regulations 1994 (“the Habitats Regulations”) transposes the requirements of article 6(3) and (4) of the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) in relation to “land use plans”. These plans are defined in regulation 85A and include the following: Local development plans adopted or approved under the 2004 Act; and Unitary development plans adopted or approved under the 1990 Act, in accordance with the transitional agreements. 1.2.2 WAG’s Technical Advice Note 5, Annex 6 states that The HRA process should consist of the following elements: Determining whether the development plan, alone or in combination with other plans or projects, is likely to have significant effect on any European sites or European offshore marine sites and if so, scoping the “appropriate assessment”; Undertaking the “appropriate “assessment” (in consultation with NRW and/or Natural England) to identify any significant effects that the development plan may have on any European sites or European offshore marine sites, either alone or in combination with other plans or projects, in view of those sites’ conservation objectives; Where the “appropriate assessment” identifies potentially significant impacts on a European site or European offshore marine site, identifying whether there are possible alternative solutions or mitigation measures which, if adopted, will avoid or counteract those adverse impacts; HRA Screening Report December 2018 2 Revised Carmarthenshire Local Development Plan 2018 - 2033 Determining, in light of the “appropriate assessment”, whether the development plan will or will not adversely affect the integrity of any European site or European offshore marine site, either alone or in combination with other plans or projects; Where there is a possibility that the plan could have such an adverse effect, determining whether there are any alternative solutions to the development plan, or to the potentially damaging elements within that plan, which would avoid or reduce such effects upon the European site(s) or European offshore marine site(s); and Where there are no such alternative solutions, determining whether there are imperative reasons of overriding public interest for giving effect to the development plan. 1.2.3 The methods and approach used for this screening are based on guidance currently available and emergent practice, which recommends that HRA is approached in four main stages - outlined in Table 1 below. This report outlines the method and findings for stage 1 of the HRA process. Table 1 Habitats Regulations Assessment: Key Stages Habitats Regulation Purpose Task Assessment Stage 1. Screening Process for identifying impacts of Description of the plan a plan or project on a European Identification of site, either individually or in potential effects on combination, and consideration European Sites of whether likely effects will be Assessing the effects significant. on European Sites. 2. Appropriate Assessment Consideration of impacts on Gather information integrity of the site, either (plan and European individually or in combination Sites) with other plans and projects, Impact prediction having regard to the site’s Evaluation of impacts structure, function and in view of conservation conservation objectives. Where objectives adverse impacts are identified, assess mitigation options to identify impacts on the integrity of the site. This stage should involve consultation. If mitigation options do not result in avoidance of adverse effects permission can only be granted if the remaining 2 stages are followed. 3. Assessment of alternative Review and examine alternatives Where impacts solutions to achieve objectives; would considered to affect these alternative solutions avoid qualifying features, or have less adverse effects on identify alternative the European sites? options Assess alternative options If no alternatives exist, define and evaluate HRA Screening Report December 2018 3 Revised Carmarthenshire Local Development Plan 2018 - 2033 mitigation measures where necessary 4. Assessment of any Where no suitable alternative Identify ‘imperative ‘imperative reasons of solution exists and adverse reasons of overriding overriding public interest’