Assessment under the Habitats Regulations Screening Assessment Whitby Business Park Area Action Plan North York Moors National Park Authority Scarborough Borough Council Publication – November 2013 Whitby Business Park Area Action Plan Development Plan Document Habitats Regulations Assessment – Screening Assessment i Whitby Business Park Area Action Plan Development Plan Document Habitats Regulations Assessment – Screening Assessment Contents 1. Summary of Habitats Regulations Assessment 1 2. Introduction 2 3. Screening Assessment 5 4. Screening Conclusion 20 Appendices 1. Habitats Regulations Assessment of Core Policy H 21 2. Details and locations of Natura 2000 sites 22 3. Possible activities impacting on SACs and SPAs 33 4. Assessment of Other Plans and Projects 34 5. Assessment of Options 43 6. Assessment of Objectives 45 ii Whitby Business Park Area Action Plan Development Plan Document Habitats Regulations Assessment – Screening Assessment iii Whitby Business Park Area Action Plan Development Plan Document Habitats Regulations Assessment – Screening Assessment 1. Summary 1.1 The Habitats Directive requires an assessment to be undertaken for plans and projects that are likely to have a significant effect, alone or in combination with other plans and projects, on one or more European sites. The first stage of this is screening, to ascertain whether or not there is likely to be a significant effect. The key principle is to adopt the precautionary approach and to preserve the integrity of sites. 1.2 There are four Special Areas of Conservation and one Special Protection Area within the vicinity of Whitby Business Park: Arnecliff and Park Hole Woods SAC Beast Cliff to Whitby SAC Fen Bog SAC North York Moors SAC North York Moors SPA 1.3 The Whitby Business Park Area Action Plan will set the planning policy framework for future development and expansion of the Business Park. The Plan will address a number of issues including highway layout, the amount and type of employment land that will be needed on the site in the future and environmental improvements. 1.4 This Screening Assessment has examined the potential effects arising from further development at Whitby Business Park against the vulnerabilities and conservation objectives of the Natura 2000 sites. This Screening Assessment has concluded that an Appropriate Assessment will be required in relation to effects from increased vehicular movements and increased levels of activity. This is contained in a separate report. 1 Whitby Business Park Area Action Plan Development Plan Document Habitats Regulations Assessment – Screening Assessment 2. Introduction Requirement to carry out an assessment under the Habitats Regulations 2.1 Articles 6(3) and 6(4) of the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora (Habitats Directive) (Directive 92/43/EEC) require an assessment to be undertaken for plans and projects that are likely to have a significant effect, alone or in combination with other plans and projects, on one or more European sites (Special Protection Areas and Special Areas of Conservation). Article 6(3) states: ‗Any plan or project not directly connected with or necessary to the management of the site but likely to have a significant effect thereon, either individually or in combination with other plans and projects, shall be subject to appropriate assessment of its implications for the site in view of the site‘s conservation objectives. In light of the conclusions of the assessment of the implications for the site and subject to the provisions of paragraph 4, the competent national authorities shall agree to the plan or project only after ascertained that it will not adversely affect the integrity of the site concerned and, if appropriate, after having obtained the opinion of the general public.‘ 2.2 This is translated into UK statute via The Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) (Amendment) Regulations 2007 and via The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 which state: 61.—(1) A competent authority, before deciding to undertake, or give any consent, permission or other authorisation for, a plan or project which – (a) is likely to have a significant effect on a European site or a European offshore marine site (either alone or in combination with other plans or projects), and (b) is not directly connected with or necessary to the management of that site, must make an appropriate assessment of the implications for that site in view of that site‘s conservation objectives. Purpose of the Screening Assessment 2.3 The purpose of a Screening Assessment under the Habitats Regulations is to determine if the Plan is likely to give rise to significant effects, either alone or in combination with other plans and/or projects, which would harm the integrity of Natura 2000 sites. If a likely significant effect is identified then an Appropriate Assessment will be necessary. The precautionary principle must be applied, if significant effects cannot be ruled out then an Appropriate Assessment must be undertaken. 2.4 An Appropriate Assessment identifies any adverse effects on the integrity of a SPA or SAC and, if necessary, identifies mitigation measures which will reduce (ideally eliminate) those effects. If effects cannot be reduced sufficiently then the Appropriate Assessment will conclude that an adverse effect on integrity will occur. If the competent authority wishes it to go ahead, then a case for Imperative Reasons of Overriding Public Interest has to be made, and any necessary compensatory measures will need to be secured. How does this differ from Strategic Environmental Assessment and Sustainability Appraisal? 2 Whitby Business Park Area Action Plan Development Plan Document Habitats Regulations Assessment – Screening Assessment 2.5 Strategic Environmental Assessment is required to be carried out as part of plan preparation under separate legislation and is used to inform decision making throughout the production of the Plan. Habitats Regulations Assessment on the other hand requires a certain standard to be met under the Habitats Regulations. Sustainability Appraisal, incorporating the requirements for Strategic Environmental Assessment, has been undertaken separately. Both assessments have helped to inform the development of the Whitby Business Park Area Action Plan. Guidance 2.6 The following guidance has been followed in undertaking the Habitats Regulations Assessment: Planning for the Protection of European Sites: Appropriate Assessment (Draft, DCLG, 2006) Assessment of Plans and Projects Significantly Affecting Natura 2000 Sites‘ (European Commission, 2001) Habitats Regulations Guidance Notes 1, 3 and 4 (English Nature 1997, 1999 and 2001) The Assessment of Regional Spatial Strategies and Sub-Regional Strategies under the Provisions of the Habitats Regulations (David Tyldesley and Associates for Natural England, 2006) ODPM Circular 06/2005 Biodiversity and Conservation The Appropriate Assessment of Spatial Plans in England – A Guide to How, When and Why to do it (RSPB, 2007) Consultation 2.7 The 2007 Regulations, which relate to land use plans, require ‗The plan making authority shall for the purposes of the assessment consult the appropriate nature conservation body and have regard to any representations made by that body within such reasonable time as the authority specifies.‘ Natural England is defined as the appropriate body and have been consulted on this Screening Assessment. 2.8 At the Draft AAP consultation stage comments were received from Natural England in support of the conclusions of the Screening Assessment and Appropriate Assessment subject to the inclusion of the recommended mitigation measures (see paragraph 3.27 below). No further comments were received in relation to the Habitats Regulations Assessment. Methodology 2.9 The process of carrying out the Habitats Regulations Assessment is set out in Chart 1 overleaf. The Tasks AA1 – AA3 have been taken from the 2006 draft DCLG guidance and the detailed stages have been adapted from the 2001 European Commission guidance. 3 Whitby Business Park Area Action Plan Development Plan Document Habitats Regulations Assessment – Screening Assessment Chart 1 - Procedure and Methodology for applying Assessment under the Habitats Regulations Is the Plan directly connected with or necessary to the site management for nature conservation? Yes No No need to progress with HRA Proceed to Task AA1 Task AA1 – Assessing likely significant effects Liaise with 1. Description of the proposed plan Natural 2. Characteristics of the sites England 3. Assessment of effects 4. Assessment of in-combination effects 5. Assessment of significance 6. Produce Screening Report 7. Does the screening assessment conclude that the Plan will not give rise to significant effects that would harm the integrity of Natura 2000 sites? Yes. No further assessment is No. Proceed to Task AA2 required. Produce the Plan and publish the Screening Assessment alongside the draft Plan Task AA2 – Appropriate Assessment Liaise with 1. Carry out Appropriate Assessment on the implications for the site‘s Natural conservation objectives England Task AA3 - Mitigation Consult 1. Can the adverse effect(s) could be avoided e.g. through Natural alternatives or through mitigation measures? England Yes. Proceed to tasks 2 and 3 No. Do not proceed with the Plan below or make a case for ―Imperative reasons of overriding public interest‖ following the relevant requirements 2. Produce Appropriate Assessment Report Consult 3. Taking account of representations