APPENDIX E HALTON CORE STRATEGY PROPOSED SUBMISSION DOCUMENT Habitats Regulations Assessment Appropriate Assessment OCTOBER 2010 Please acknowledge that this document is currently a working draft and includes inconsistencies in relation to the draft Proposed Submission Document. This document will be subject to change. HALTON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK It’s all happening IN HALTON A Spatial Strategy for Halton 2026 Halton Borough Council Core Strategy Habitats Regulations Assessment Revision Schedule HRA/AA Report October 2010 Rev Date Details Prepared by Reviewed by Approved by 01 22/10/10 AA Leila Payne Dr. James Riley Dr. Jo Hughes Draft for client Ecologist Principal Ecological Technical Director comment Consultant (Ecology) URS/Scott Wilson Scott House Alençon Link Basingstoke RG21 7PP This document has been prepared in accordance with the scope of Scott Wilson's appointment with its client and is subject to the terms of that appointment. 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The contents of this document do not provide legal or tax advice or opinion. www.urs-scottwilson.com Scott Wilson (2010) Halton Borough Council Core Strategy Habitats Regulations Assessment Table of Contents 1 Introduction .......................................................................................1 Halton Core Strategy ........................................................................................................ 2 2 Methodology......................................................................................4 Introduction....................................................................................................................... 4 A Proportionate Assessment ............................................................................................ 4 The Process of HRA......................................................................................................... 5 Stage Two: Likely Significant Effect Test (Screening) ...................................................... 6 Appropriate Assessment and Mitigation ........................................................................... 7 Physical scope of the HRA ............................................................................................... 8 The ‘in combination’ scope ............................................................................................... 9 John Lennon Liverpool Airport Extension....................................................................... 11 3 Pathways of Impact ........................................................................13 Introduction..................................................................................................................... 13 Disturbance..................................................................................................................... 13 Atmospheric pollution ..................................................................................................... 17 Water resources ............................................................................................................. 21 Water quality................................................................................................................... 22 Port and Channel Construction, Maintenance Shipping and Dredging .......................... 23 Coastal squeeze............................................................................................................. 24 4 Summary of screening ...................................................................26 5 Mersey Estuary SPA and Ramsar..................................................28 Introduction..................................................................................................................... 28 Reasons for Designation ................................................................................................ 28 Historic Trends and Existing Pressures.......................................................................... 29 Role of other plans and projects..................................................................................... 32 Appropriate Assessment................................................................................................. 33 Conclusion...................................................................................................................... 47 6 Mersey Narrows & North Wirral Foreshore pSPA / pRamsar site....................................................................................................48 Introduction..................................................................................................................... 48 Reasons for Designation ................................................................................................ 48 Historic Trends and Current Pressures .......................................................................... 49 Key potential pressures from Halton............................................................................... 50 Halton Borough Council Core Strategy Habitats Regulations Assessment Role of other plans and projects..................................................................................... 50 Appropriate Assessment................................................................................................. 51 Conclusion...................................................................................................................... 54 7 Sefton Coast SAC ...........................................................................55 Introduction..................................................................................................................... 55 Reasons for Designation ................................................................................................ 55 Historic Trends and Current Pressures .......................................................................... 55 Key potential pressures from Halton............................................................................... 56 Role of other plans and projects..................................................................................... 56 Recreational trampling.................................................................................................... 57 Air quality........................................................................................................................ 58 Conclusion...................................................................................................................... 59 8 Ribble and Alt Estuaries SPA / Ramsar site.................................60 Introduction..................................................................................................................... 60 Reasons for Designation ................................................................................................ 60 Historic Trends and Current Pressures .......................................................................... 61 Key potential pressures from Halton............................................................................... 63 Role of other plans and projects..................................................................................... 63 Appropriate Assessment................................................................................................. 64 Conclusion...................................................................................................................... 66 9 Liverpool Bay SPA and pRamsar ..................................................67 Introduction..................................................................................................................... 67 Reasons for Designation ................................................................................................ 67 Historic Trends and Current Pressures .......................................................................... 68 Key Pressures from Halton............................................................................................. 69 Role of other projects and plans..................................................................................... 69 Appropriate Assessment................................................................................................. 70 Conclusion...................................................................................................................... 72 10 The Dee Estuary SAC, SPA & Ramsar site, pSPA Extension .....73 Reasons for Designation ................................................................................................ 73 Historic Trends and Current Pressures .......................................................................... 76 Key potential pressures from Halton............................................................................... 76 Appropriate Assessment................................................................................................. 77 Conclusion...................................................................................................................... 79 11 Manchester Mosses SAC ...............................................................80 Halton Borough Council Core Strategy Habitats Regulations