DAVID TYLDESLEY AND ASSOCIATES PLANNING, LANDSCAPE AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANTS Habitat Regulations Assessment: Breckland Council Submission Core Strategy and Development Control Policies Document Durwyn Liley, Rachel Hoskin, John Underhill-Day & David Tyldesley 1 DRAFT Date: 7th November 2008 Version: Draft Recommended Citation: Liley, D., Hoskin, R., Underhill-Day, J. & Tyldesley, D. (2008). Habitat Regulations Assessment: Breckland Council Submission Core Strategy and Development Control Policies Document. Footprint Ecology, Wareham, Dorset. Report for Breckland District Council. 2 Summary This document records the results of a Habitat Regulations Assessment (HRA) of Breckland District Council’s Core Strategy. The Breckland District lies in an area of considerable importance for nature conservation with a number of European Sites located within and just outside the District. The range of sites, habitats and designations is complex. Taking an area of search of 20km around the District boundary as an initial screening for relevant protected sites the assessment identified five different SPAs, ten different SACs and eight different Ramsar sites. Following on from this initial screening the assessment identifies the following potential adverse effects which are addressed within the appropriate assessment: • Reduction in the density of Breckland SPA Annex I bird species (stone curlew, nightjar, woodlark) near to new housing. • Increased levels of recreational activity resulting in increased disturbance to Breckland SPA Annex I bird species (stone curlew, nightjar, woodlark). • Increased levels of people on and around the heaths, resulting in an increase in urban effects such as increased fire risk, fly-tipping, trampling. • Increased levels of recreation to the Norfolk Coast (including the Wash), potentially resulting in disturbance to interest features and other recreational impacts. • Increased water abstraction requirements to meet the additional water supply needs. • Increased water discharges to meet the additional waste water treatment needs. • Increased levels of traffic generated air pollution affecting sensitive features of SAC habitats. • Potential reduction in the density of Habitats Directive Annex I bird species associated with the SPA, due to avoidance of areas close to new roads. As a result of the assessment, a detailed package of mitigation measures has been identified, amendments to the Core Strategy are recommended and additional action is highlighted where further clarification is needed. The direct effect of built development and road improvements, the indirect effect of disturbance to Annex 1 birds, the effects of urbanisation and recreational pressure on the north Norfolk coast, can all be mitigated for with the application of the avoidance/mitigation measures proposed. With recommendations for zones of restricted development to protect Annex 1 species, Breckland District Council were able to confirm that and road infrastructure requirements of development proposed within the Core Strategy would need to be focused upon the A11 only, thus enabling it to also be ascertained that the Core Strategy would not result in any adverse effects arising from air pollution as a result road improvements within 200m of the Breckland SAC. Further clarification and categorisation is required in order for it to be ascertained that the impact of water demand, water treatment and discharge requirements, and the inadequacy of sewer systems to cope with flood events, will not result in adverse effects upon a number of European sites with water sensitivities. It is anticipated that Breckland District Council will be able obtain the necessary clarification, in order to be able to categorise housing numbers into those that can be taken forward and those that must be reviewed again in light of further information at the next plan review. 3 Contents Summary ................................................................................................................................................... 3 Contents.................................................................................................................................................... 4 1. Introduction...................................................................................................................................... 6 1.1. Overview of process to date ............................................................................................... 6 1.2. Background to the Habitats Regulations Assessment ..................................................... 6 1.3. Outline of the Habitats Regulations Assessment process................................................ 8 2. European Sites Potentially Affected by the Core Strategy .................................................... 10 3. Baseline Conditions Affecting the European and International Sites ................................... 13 4. Consideration of the East of England Regional Spatial Strategy .......................................... 21 5. Review of Background Documents ........................................................................................... 24 6. Review of the ‘Check for Likely Significant Effects’ undertaken by Breckland District Council .................................................................................................................................................... 26 7. Review of Commissioned Research........................................................................................... 30 8. Scope of the Appropriate Assessment ...................................................................................... 32 9. Appropriate Assessment of Residential, Employment and Tourism Related Development Proposals (Policies CP1, CP3 and DC8) ............................................................................................. 34 9.1. Housing Provision.................................................................................................................. 34 9.2. Employment Provision ......................................................................................................... 35 9.3. Promotion of Tourism Related Development .................................................................. 36 9.4. Direct impacts of built development on Breckland SPA Annex 1 bird species......... 37 9.5. Indirect effects of residents from additional housing, and incoming tourists, in terms of disturbance Breckland SPA Annex 1 bird species (Policies CP1 and DC8)......................... 43 9.6. Other urban effects (All policies taken to appropriate assessment, particularly CP1 and CP3, and to some extent DC8 and DC12) ........................................................................... 51 9.7. Indirect Effects of Increased Recreational Pressure the SPAs, SACs and Ramsar sites at the North Norfolk Coast (Policies CP1 and DC8)..................................................................... 58 10. The Appropriate Assessment of Potential Effects on Water Cycles (Impacts Arising as a Result of Policies CP1, CP3 and DC8)................................................................................................. 64 10.1. Overview of Issues and Sources of Information Available ............................................ 64 10.2. Flood Risk Identification ...................................................................................................... 65 10.3. Wastewater Discharges and Treatment Works Capacity............................................. 66 10.4. River Discharges and Current Water Quality .................................................................. 69 10.5. Water Resources and Water Supply................................................................................. 74 11. Appropriate Assessment of New or Improved Infrastructure (Policy CP4, and also Road Improvement Requirements as a Result of Policies CP1 and CP3) .................................... 79 11.1. New or Improved Infrastructure Provision ........................................................................ 79 11.2. The Impact of Air Pollution on SAC habitats.................................................................... 81 11.3. The Avoidance of Roads by Stone Curlews .................................................................... 82 12. Mitigation................................................................................................................................... 85 12.1. Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 85 12.2. Direct effects of built development ................................................................................. 85 12.3. Indirect effects: disturbance to Annex I birds associated with the SPA...................... 89 12.4. Other urban effects.............................................................................................................91 12.5. Recreational Pressure to the North Norfolk Coast.......................................................... 93 12.6. Flood Risk............................................................................................................................... 95 12.7. Water Quality and Waste Water Discharge.................................................................... 97 12.8. Water Supply ........................................................................................................................ 99 12.9. Air pollution