Wales Spatial Plan Update Habitats Regulations Assessment & Appropriate Assessment June 2008 Centre for Sustainability at TRL Limited Project Report Number 149. Version: Final By: Paul Tomlinson and Rob Gardner (C4S at TRL Limited) Client: Welsh Assembly Government Copyright: TRL Limited June 2008 This report has been prepared for the Welsh Assembly Government is unpublished and should not be referred to in any other document or publication without the permission of the Welsh Assembly Government. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the Welsh Assembly Government. Approvals Project Manager Rob Gardner Quality Reviewed Paul Tomlinson WSP Habitats Regulations Assessment Report June 2008 Table of Contents Executive Summary ............................................................................................................. i PARTA 1 Introduction.............................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Context .......................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Wales Spatial Plan Update............................................................................................ 2 1.3 Habitats Regulations Assessment................................................................................. 2 1.4 Structure of this report................................................................................................... 4 2 European Sites......................................................................................................... 6 3 Methodology ............................................................................................................ 8 3.1 Approach to the Screening............................................................................................ 8 PART B 4 Wales Spatial Plan Update – Screening Results ..................................................10 4.1 National Frameworks................................................................................................... 10 4.2 North West Wales........................................................................................................ 10 4.3 North East Wales......................................................................................................... 11 4.4 Central Wales.............................................................................................................. 11 4.5 South East Wales........................................................................................................ 12 4.6 Swansea Bay............................................................................................................... 13 4.7 Pembrokeshire ............................................................................................................ 14 4.8 Conclusion................................................................................................................... 16 PART C 5 Appropriate Assessment .......................................................................................17 5.1 Introduction.................................................................................................................. 17 5.2 Potentially Affected Sites............................................................................................. 17 5.3 Site Characterisation ................................................................................................... 20 5.4 Potentially Adverse WSPU Actions............................................................................. 23 5.5 Other Plans/Strategies and Projects ........................................................................... 24 5.6 Prediction of Potentially Significant Effects ................................................................. 29 6 Avoidance and Additional Measures.....................................................................33 6.1 Introduction.................................................................................................................. 33 6.2 Avoidance Measures................................................................................................... 33 6.3 Additional Measures.................................................................................................... 36 6.4 North West Wales........................................................................................................ 37 6.5 North East Wales......................................................................................................... 37 6.6 Central Wales.............................................................................................................. 38 6.7 South East Wales........................................................................................................ 39 6.8 Pembrokeshire ............................................................................................................ 40 6.9 Swansea Bay............................................................................................................... 40 7 Conclusions and Next Steps..................................................................................41 7.1 Screening the WSPU................................................................................................... 41 7.2 Appropriate Assessment ............................................................................................. 41 7.3 Avoidance/ Mitigation and Monitoring ......................................................................... 43 7.4 Conclusion................................................................................................................... 43 WSP Habitats Regulations Assessment Report June 2008 Executive Summary This report has been prepared to meet the requirement to undertake Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) in accordance with Part iVA the Conservation (Natural Habitats, & c.) (Amendment) (England and Wales) Regulations 20041. It considers the likelihood of the policies and statements contained within the Welsh Spatial Plan Update (WSPU) to have significant adverse effects either alone, or in combination upon European sites designated under the EC Birds and Habitats Directives2 as well as sites designated under the Ramsar Convention3. The likelihood for significant adverse effects has been considered based on the Final Wales Spatial Plan Update sent for approval to the National Assembly for Wales on 8th July. Thus changes made since that date may give rise to iteration and amendments to this Habitat Regulations Assessment Report. The policy context for performing Habitat Regulations Assessment (HRA) is partly set by European Case Law and partly by Regulations and guidance. Currently, guidance on the Habitats Regulations Assessment is subject to consultation4. Annex 3 of this draft guidance offers a perspective on the application of the regulations to plans and projects likely to affect European or Ramsar sites. This was superseded by the consultation on the Habitats Regulation Assessment issued in October 2006. In conducting this HRA, it is necessary to recognise that the WSPU does not generally identify specific locations for specific projects although it does suggest areas for interventions or development themes that could, in some circumstances, give rise to effects on European sites (either alone or in combination with other plans and projects). The screening process considered whether there was sufficient information to identify which site or sites could be at risk of suffering significant effects as a result of a particular action or statement. Generally, it proved not to be possible, given the WSPU statements, to infer a link with a European site(s) since the detailed planning and development considerations were to be 1 As amended by the Conservation (Natural Habitats &c) (Amendment) (England and Wales) Regulations 2007. 2 Council Directive of April 2, 1979 on the conservation of wild birds (79/409/EEC) and Council Directive of May 21 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (92/43/EEC) 3 Convention on wetlands of international importance especially as waterfowl habitat, Ramsar, Iran, 2 February 1971 as amended by the Paris Protocol 3 December 1992 and the Regina amendments adopted by extraordinary conference of contracting parties at Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada between 28 May and 3 June 1987. 4 Welsh Assembly Government, Consultation on Draft Revised Technical Advice Note 5, Nature Conservation and Planning, January 2006 WSP Habitats Regulations Assessment Report i June 2008 made at a lower tier planning and consenting level. Thus, the screening phase of the HRA had to consider whether the proposal could theoretically have a significant effect on 84 European or Ramsar sites (alone or in combination with other plans and projects). Where a theoretical risk of potential effects was considered to be present, the policy team confirmed whether any further detail supporting the policy or statement was available to inform an appropriate assessment. Given that the WSPU sets the framework for lower tier plans, in no case was further such relevant information available within the WSPU. It was therefore considered appropriate to carry out an Appropriate Assessment on the basis of the information available, but to highlight related lower-tier plans which would be required to complete a more detailed assessment of their effects at a future date. At