WHISTLEY BRIDGE GREAT CRESTED NEWT MITIGATION STRATEGY Prepared for Mr and Mrs Gill by Hankinson Duckett Associates HDA ref: 952.1 November 2020 hankinson duckett associates t 01491 838175 f 01491 838997 e [email protected] w www.hda-enviro.co.uk The Stables, Howbery Park, Benson Lane, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BA Hankinson Duckett Associates Limited Registered in England & Wales 3462810 Registered Office: The Stables, Howbery Park, Benson Lane, Wallingford, OX10 8BA CONTENTS Page 1 Introduction 1 2 Waterbody descriptions 3 3 Evaluation 4 4 Mitigation and Site Safeguarding 5 5 Conclusion 9 6 References 10 HDA Document Control and Quality Assurance Record APPENDICES A Location of waterbodies within vicinity of site 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Site location and summary description 1.1.1 This document provides a reasonable ‘worst case scenario’ Great Crested Newt Mitigation Strategy in support of a planning application for the proposed development of approximately 1.1ha of land at Whistley Bridge, Whistley Green, Reading, hereinafter referred to as ‘the site’. The site centre is located by National Grid Reference SU 787 745. The study was commissioned by Mr and Mrs Gill in November 2020. 1.1.2 The site is located south of the town of Twyford and is bordered by a gravel pit to the south and west and Whistley Mill Lane with agricultural fields beyond to the north and east. The property itself is located off Whistley Mill Lane and comprises a residential house, lodge, associated outbuildings and garden. The wider area generally comprises residential development, grassland fields, gravel pits and areas of woodland. The location and boundary of the site are shown in Appendix A. A more detailed description of the habitats within the site and its surrounds is given in the Ecological Appraisal (HDA, 2020). 1.2 Background and legislative context 1.2.1 Five species of amphibian are widespread in England; the Common Frog Rana temporaria, Common Toad Bufo bufo, Smooth Newt Lissotriton vulgaris, Palmate Newt Lissotriton helveticus and Great Crested Newt Triturus cristatus. A sixth species of amphibian, the Natterjack Toad Bufo calamita, also occurs in England but this species has special habitat requirements that limit its range to certain sand dune and heathland sites. 1.2.2 Amphibians require aquatic habitat within which to breed and suitable terrestrial habitat to forage and hibernate. Suitable breeding waterbodies are usually well vegetated with still, shallow water that is not heavily shaded or very exposed. Terrestrial habitat includes woodland, scrub, field edges and gardens. Hibernation can occur under stone or log piles, in crevices or leaf litter and under the soil. Occasionally amphibians may be found hibernating in their breeding pools. 1.2.3 Over the last few decades all amphibians have suffered a decline in numbers. This is due to a combination of many factors, which include habitat destruction and fragmentation, loss of breeding pools through unsympathetic management and neglect, introduction of fish (which eat amphibian larvae) and pollution. 1.2.4 The Great Crested Newt is protected under the 2017 Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations. In relation to European Protected Species (EPS), the 2017 Regulations make it an offence to: • Deliberately capture, injure or kill any wild animal of an EPS; Whistley Bridge/Great Crested Newt Mitigation Strategy/952.1/CB/November 2020 1 • Deliberately disturb wild animals of any such species, in particular any disturbance which is likely to: (i) impair their ability to survive, to breed or reproduce, or to rear or nurture their young; or to hibernate or migrate; (ii) affect significantly the local distribution or abundance of the species to which they belong; • Damage or destroy a breeding site or resting place of such an animal; and/or • To (a) be in possession of, or to control; (b) to transport any live or dead animal or any part of an animal; (c) to sell or exchange or (d) offer for sale or exchange any live or dead animal or part of an animal of an EPS. 1.2.5 In addition, Great Crested Newts are protected under the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act (as amended). The Great Crested Newt is listed on Schedule 5 of the Act and is subject to the provisions of Sections 9.4b and 9.4c, which make it an offence to: • Intentionally or recklessly disturb a Great Crested Newt while it is occupying a structure or place which it uses for shelter or protection; and/or • Intentionally or recklessly obstruct access to any structure or place used for shelter or protection by a Great Crested Newt. 1.2.6 Where works are planned that may result in an offence under the current legislation then works should be carried out under an appropriate licence from Natural England. 1.2.7 The Great Crested Newt, Natterjack Toad and Common Toad are also listed as priority species for conservation action under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) and are listed as Species of Principal Importance under Section 41 of the 2006 Natural Environment and Rural Communities (NERC) Act. Section 40 of the NERC Act requires that these species are a material consideration in the planning process. 1.3 Development proposals 1.3.1 Development proposals for the site include construction of a replacement residential dwelling and associated garden and infrastructure (Boyer, 2020). 1.4 Scope and purpose of the report 1.4.1 The Ecological Appraisal (HDA, 2020) identified no standing water within the site with potential to support breeding Great Crested Newts. However, a review of mapping and satellite imagery from the surrounding area indicated the presence of waterbodies within 250m of the site. Although many of these waterbodies are likely to be sub-optimal for breeding Great Crested Newts, comprising either flowing rivers/streams or larger waterbodies likely to support predatory fish, it was subsequently considered possible that Great Crested Newts could use the site during terrestrial phases. 1.4.2 Due to the timing of the instruction of the Great Crested Newt surveys in November 2020, it was not possible to carry out Great Crested Newt survey work within the March–June breeding season in support of the current application. In view of the above, and in advance of the proposed Great Crested Newt surveys between mid-April to June 2021, Section 4 Whistley Bridge/Great Crested Newt Mitigation Strategy/952.1/CB/November 2020 2 provides a precautionary approach to mitigation sufficient to demonstrate that the development proposals are able to mitigate effects on a large Great Crested Newt population associated with local waterbodies, including the gravel pit (Waterbody 1) immediately adjacent to the site, should such a population be identified during the 2021 survey. 2 WATERBODY DESCRIPTIONS 2.1 Five waterbodies with potential to support Great Crested Newts were identified within 250m of the site boundary during the desk study. The locations of the waterbodies are shown in Appendix A. • Waterbody 1 comprises a gravel pit located immediately adjacent to the southern and western site boundaries. The waterbody has a gravel base with shallow earth banks. The gravel pit supports marginal and aquatic species including Elodea densa, Bulrush, Yellow Flag Iris, Pendulous Sedge, Canary Grass, Teasel and Common Fleabane. The gravel pit is bordered by trees and supports a couple of tree covered islands which result in shading of approximately 80% of the perimeter of the waterbody. The water quality was assessed as moderate and it is assumed that the waterbody never dries. Features in the wider area include Whistley Mill Lane and the site to the north and east, and grassland fields and woodland to the south and west. • Waterbody 2 comprises a medium-sized pond located approximately 85m to the north of the site, and approximately 7m to the east of Waterbody 3. The waterbody is bordered by scattered trees and grassland habitats. Features in the wider area include Whistley Mill Lane to the south, Waterbody 3 to the north and west and Waterbody 6 to the east. • Waterbody 3 comprises a gravel pit located approximately 85m to the north of the site, and approximately 7m to the west of Waterbody 2. The waterbody is bordered by scattered trees and grassland habitats. Features in the wider area include Whistley Mill Lane and Waterbody 4 to the south, Copperbridge Brook and woodland to the west, a gravel pit to the north and Waterbodies 2 and 6 to the east. • Waterbody 4 comprises a medium-sized pond located approximately 190m to the north-west of the site, and approximately 8m to the south of Waterbody 3. The waterbody is bordered by grassland habitats. Features in the wider area include Whistley Mill Lane to the south, Copperbridge Brook and woodland to the west and Waterbody 3 to the north. • Waterbody 5 comprise a ditch located (at its closest point) approximately 70m to the north-east of the site. The waterbody is bordered by grassland and woodland habitats. Features in the wider area include Whistley Mill Lane to the south, Waterbodies 2 and 3 to the west, and Waterbody 6 and woodland to the east. Whistley Bridge/Great Crested Newt Mitigation Strategy/952.1/CB/November 2020 3 2.2 One further waterbody (Waterbody 6) is located within 250m of the site boundary. Waterbody 6 however comprises the River Loddon which due to its fast-flowing nature is unsuitable for breeding Great Crested Newts and likely to form a partial barrier to newt migration and dispersal. 3 EVALUATION 3.1 There are no waterbodies within the site that could provide suitable breeding habitat for Great Crested Newts and this species is therefore not expected to breed at the site.