Milton Keynes Development Partnership Shenley Brook End, Milton Keynes ECOLOGICAL APPRAISAL May 2016 Ecological Appraisal – Shenley Brook End fpcr THIS REPORT INCLUDES INFORMATION REGARDING THE LOCATION OF BADGER SETTS AND SHOULD THEREFORE BE TREATED AS CONFIDENTIAL AND ONLY MADE AVAILABLE TO BONA FIDE ORGANISATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS FPCR Environment and Design Ltd Registered Office: Lockington Hall, Lockington, Derby DE74 2RH Company No. 07128076. [T] 01509 672772 [F] 01509 674565 [E] [email protected] [W] www.fpcr.co.uk This report is the property of FPCR Environment and Design Ltd and is issued on the condition it is not reproduced, retained or disclosed to any unauthorised person, either wholly or in part without the written consent of FPCR Environment and Design Ltd. Ordnance Survey material is used with permission of The Controller of HMSO, Crown copyright 100018896. Rev Issue Status Prepared / Date Approved/Date - Draft 1 MRD / 23.05.16 RG / 24.05.16 \\Fpcr-vm-04\projects\7100\7178\ECO\Eco App\7178 Shenley Brook End.doc Ecological Appraisal – Shenley Brook End fpcr CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................. 1 2.0 METHODOLOGY .................................................................................................................. 1 3.0 RESULTS.............................................................................................................................. 6 4.0 DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ...................................................................... 11 TABLES Table 1: Bat survey protocol Table 2: Summary of bat records from the study area Table 3: Summary of the extent of the hedgerows and their ecological value FIGURES Figure 1: Site location and consultation results plan Figure 2: Phase 1 habitats plan APPENDICES Appendix A: Species list \\Fpcr-vm-04\projects\7100\7178\ECO\Eco App\7178 Shenley Brook End.doc Ecological Appraisal – Shenley Brook End fpcr EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Milton Keynes Development Partnership commissioned FPCR Environment and Design Ltd. to complete an ecological appraisal on land located to the south of Manifold Lane, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. The objective was to determine the habitats and species present within the site and to make an initial assessment of their ecological value and any potential ecological constraints to future development of the site for residential development. This appraisal was completed during 2016 using best practice guidelines. This involved consultation with local Biological Records Centre and completion of an extended phase 1 habitat survey. The site was formed predominantly by species-poor semi-improved grassland with additional habitats including scrub, trees and hedgerow. The site is not located within the boundary of any designated site of international, national or regional importance for nature conservation. Neither does it fall within the designation boundary of any site which has been afforded a local non-statutory designation for its nature conservation importance. No protected species have been previously recorded within the site. The habitats present were considered to be of negligible value for bats, reptiles and great crested newts. No evidence of badger was recorded during the appraisal process. Four ponds were identified within 500m from the site, one of which is a known great crested newt (GCN) breeding pond. All ponds were situated either across Chaffron Way or across a residential area which are both considered barriers to dispersal. The site is therefore considered isolated from these ponds and the known population of GCN, therefore no further survey work is deemed necessary. Features of notable ecological value (trees and hedgerow) will be retained as part of the development, and the addition of native tree and shrub species has the potential to make a contribution to achieving a net biodiversity gain, given the current low ecological value of the habitats which currently form the site. \\Fpcr-vm-04\projects\7100\7178\ECO\Eco App\7178 Shenley Brook End.doc Ecological Appraisal – Land off Eastbourne Rd., Uckfield fpcr 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Milton Keynes Development Partnership commissioned FPCR Environment and Design Ltd. to complete an ecological appraisal of an area of land located to the south of Manifold Lane, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire (central OS grid reference SP 8345 3505). 1.2 The objective of the study was to determine habitats and species present within a defined boundary (hereafter referred to as the site) and to make an assessment of their ecological value and any potential ecological constraints to future development of the site for residential flats and a retail unit. Additional objectives were, where appropriate, to identify the need for additional surveys if required, and to consider opportunities for ecological mitigation and enhancements within any future development design. 1.3 Habitats within the application site affected by the proposed development comprise predominantly species-poor semi-improved grassland with an area of amenity grassland, scrub, trees and hedgerow. 1.4 The site is located within the village of Shenley Brook End, southwest Milton Keynes (Figure 1). The site is surrounded by a school to the west and residential housing to the north, east and south. The wider landscape is dominated by residential development, with the town of Milton Keynes extending away to the north and east. Numerous areas of amenity grassland associated with the town are present in close vicinty. Agricultural land with occasional blocks of woodland extends away to the south and west of the site. 2.0 METHODOLOGY Desk Study 2.1 In order to compile existing baseline information for the study area, relevant ecological information was requested from Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Environmental Records Centre (BMERC). 2.2 In addition, the following resources were interrogated for additional information and context: Multi Agency Geographic Information for the Countryside (MAGIC) website1; Colour 1:25,000 OS base maps2; Aerial photographs from Google Earth3. 2.3 The geographical extent of the search area for biodiversity information was related to the significance of sites and species and potential zones of influence which might arise from development within the site. For this site the following scales of search were considered to be appropriate: 10km around the site boundary for sites of International Importance (e.g. Special Area of Conservation (SAC), Special Protection Area (SPA), Ramsar site); 1 [Online]. http://magic.defra.gov.uk/ 2 [Online]. www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk 3 [Online]. www.maps.google.co.uk \\Fpcr-vm-04\projects\7100\7178\ECO\Eco App\7178 Shenley Brook End.doc 1 Ecological Appraisal – Land off Eastbourne Rd., Uckfield fpcr 2km around the site boundary for sites of National or Regional Importance (e.g. Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)), and protected or otherwise notable species records (including species of Principal Importance under S41 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities (NERC) Act (2006) 4 within the last 20 years; and 1km around the site for non-statutory designated sites of County Importance (e.g. Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC) / Local Wildlife Sites (LWS). Field Survey Extended Phase 1 Survey 2.4 Survey methods followed the extended Phase 1 Survey technique as recommended by Natural England5. This involved a systematic walk over of the site on 11th April 2016 to classify the broad habitat types and identify any ‘habitats of principal importance’ for the conservation of biodiversity as listed within Section 41 (S41) of the NERC Act (2006). Hedgerow Assessment 2.5 Hedgerows were surveyed using the Hedgerow Evaluation and Grading System (HEGS)7. This method of assessment includes noting down canopy species composition, associated ground flora and climbers, structure of the hedgerow including; height, width and gaps, along with associated features such as the number and species of mature trees, banks, ditches and grass verges. 2.6 Each hedgerow is given a grade using HEGS with the suffixes ‘+’ and ‘-‘, representing the upper and lower limits of each grade respectively. These grades represent a continuum on a scale from 1+ (the highest score and denoting hedges of the greatest nature conservation priority) to 4- (representing the lowest score and hedges of the least nature conservation priority) as follows: Grade 1 – High to very high value Grade 2 – Moderately high to high value Grade 3 – Moderate value Grade 4 – Low value Hedgerows graded 1 or 2 are considered to be a priority for nature conservation. 2.7 The hedgerows were also assessed against the Wildlife and Landscape criteria contained within Statutory Instrument No: 1160 - The Hedgerow Regulations 19978 to determine whether they qualified as ‘Important Hedgerows’ under the Regulations. This was achieved using a methodology in accordance with both the Regulations and DEFRA guidance9. 4 The Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006. [Online]. London: HMSO Available at: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/16/contents [Accessed 28/01/2016] 5 JNCC. (1990). Handbook for Phase 1 habitat survey – a technique for environmental audit. Peterborough: JNCC 7 Clements, D. & Toft, R. (1992). Hedgerow Evaluation and Grading System (HEGS) – a methodology for the ecological survey, evaluation and grading of hedgerows. Countryside Planning and Management 8 The Hedgerow Regulations 1997