Habitat Regulations Assessment of the: Submitted Managing Development Delivery Local Plan (as recommended for Adoption) (Assessment pursuant to Regulations 61 and 102 of “The Conservation of Species and Habitats Regulations 2010”) February 2014 Wokingham Borough Submitted Managing Development Delivery Local Plan (as recommended for Adoption) - Habitat Regulations Assessment (February 2014) Contents Summary ......................................................................................................... 6 1 Introduction ............................................................................................... 8 2 Assessment under the 2010 Habitats Regulations ................................... 9 3 Details of the Appropriate Assessment ................................................... 10 Stage 1 – Screening ................................................................................... 10 Is the project or plan directly connected with or necessary to the management of the site? ........................................................................ 10 Map 1: Natura 2000 sites within 15km of Wokingham Borough ..................... 11 Table 3.1 – Natura 2000 sites within 15km (linear) of Wokingham Borough .................................................................................................. 13 Describing the project or plan and description and characterisation of other projects or plans that in combination have the potential for having a significant effect on the Natura 2000 site ................................................ 13 Identifying the potential effects on the Natura 2000 site ......................... 15 Assessing the significance of any effects on the Natura 2000 site ......... 15 4 Conclusions ............................................................................................ 16 Appendix 1 - Organisations consulted on Screening Report .......................... 18 Appendix 2 – Statement of consultation on the Screening Report for the Habitat Regulations Assessment ................................................................... 19 Paragraph ................................................................................................... 19 Appendix 3 - Assessment under the Habitats Regulations 2010 ................... 21 Appendix 4 – Information on where people within Wokingham Borough undertake difference activities........................................................................ 23 Appendix 5 – Details of trips into Wokingham Borough. ................................ 26 Appendix 6 - Natura 2000 sites within 15 km of Wokingham Borough ........... 27 Aston Rowant SAC ..................................................................................... 28 Qualifying Features and Condition .......................................................... 28 Conservation Objectives ......................................................................... 28 Activities likely to harm site’s condition ................................................... 29 Significance of impacts of the MDD ........................................................ 29 Conclusions whether MDD is likely to generate significant effects upon Aston Rowant SAC ................................................................................. 31 Burnham Beeches SAC.............................................................................. 31 Qualifying Features and Condition .......................................................... 31 2 Wokingham Borough Submitted Managing Development Delivery Local Plan (as recommended for Adoption) - Habitat Regulations Assessment (February 2014) Conservation Objectives ......................................................................... 31 Activities likely to harm site’s condition ................................................... 32 Significance of impacts of the MDD ........................................................ 32 Conclusions whether MDD is likely to generate significant effects upon Burnham Beeches SAC .......................................................................... 33 Chilterns Beechwoods SAC ....................................................................... 33 Qualifying Features and Condition .......................................................... 34 Conservation Objectives ......................................................................... 34 Activities likely to harm site’s condition ................................................... 35 Significance of impacts of the MDD ........................................................ 36 Conclusion on whether the MDD is likely to generate significant effects upon Chilterns Beechwoods SAC ........................................................... 37 Hartslock Wood SAC .................................................................................. 37 Qualifying Features and condition .......................................................... 37 Conservation Objectives ......................................................................... 38 Activities likely to harm site’s condition ................................................... 38 Significance of impacts of the MDD ........................................................ 38 Conclusions on whether MDD is likely to generate significant effects upon Hartslock Wood SAC .............................................................................. 40 Thames Basin Heaths SPA ........................................................................ 40 Qualifying Features and conditions ......................................................... 40 Table A7.1: Urban Effects on Lowland Heaths and their Wildlife. ........... 42 Conservation Objectives ......................................................................... 43 Activities likely to cause harm to sites condition ..................................... 47 Significance of impacts of the MDD ........................................................ 47 Table A7.2 – Distribution of Wokingham Borough visitors according to their proximity to the SPA ....................................................................... 51 Map A7.1: Linear and travel distances zones of influence for the Thames Basin Heaths SPA ......................................................................................... 52 Map A7.2: Wokingham Borough’s visitors to the Thames Basin Heaths SPA 54 Table A7.3 – Thames Basin Heaths distance mitigation standards ........ 55 Conclusions on whether the MDD is likely to generate significant effects upon Thames Basin Heaths SPA ........................................................... 58 Thursley, Ash, Pirbright and Chobham SAC .............................................. 58 Qualifying Features and condition .......................................................... 58 Conservation Objectives ......................................................................... 59 Activities likely to harm site’s condition ................................................... 61 Significance of impacts of the MDD ........................................................ 61 Conclusions on whether the MDD is likely to generate significant effects upon Thursley, Ash, Pirbright and Chobham SAC .................................. 64 Windsor Forest and Great Park SAC ......................................................... 64 Qualifying Features and condition .......................................................... 64 Conservation Objectives ......................................................................... 65 Activities likely to harm sites condition .................................................... 66 3 Wokingham Borough Submitted Managing Development Delivery Local Plan (as recommended for Adoption) - Habitat Regulations Assessment (February 2014) Significance of impacts of the MDD. ....................................................... 66 Conclusions on whether the MDD is likely to generate significant effects upon Windsor Forest & Great Park SAC ................................................ 69 Appendix 8 – Details of plans and projects produced by local authorities within 15km of Wokingham Borough ........................................................................ 70 Appendix 9 – Further examination of air quality issues on Natura 2000 sites 76 Thursley, Ash, Pirbright & Chobham SAC .............................................. 76 Windsor Forest & Great Park SAC ......................................................... 78 Thames Basin Heaths SPA .................................................................... 78 Appendix 10 – Summary of potential impacts of proposed and approved plans as required for the supplementary screening ................................................. 80 Appendix 11 – Calculation of potential traffic flows through SACs attributable to development in Wokingham Borough ........................................................ 84 Appendix 12 - Development proposed within the authorities surrounding the Thames Basin Heaths SPA ........................................................................... 86 Appendix 13 – Measures incorporated into Core Strategy and subsequent policy documents (including the MDD) that address impacts upon the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area ........................................................... 87 How each SDL avoids impacts upon the SPA ............................................ 89 Arborfield Garrison SDL (policy CP18) ..................................................