Appendices to the Habitats Regulations Assessment Site Report for Wylfa EN-6: Revised Draft National Policy Statement for Nuclear Power Generation Planning for new energy infrastructure October 2010 2 Appendices to the Habitats Regulations Assessment Site Report for Wylfa Habitats Regulations Assessment of the revised draft Nuclear National Policy Statement Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) screening and Appropriate Assessment (AA) of the revised draft Nuclear NPS including potentially suitable sites, has been undertaken in parallel with the Appraisal of Sustainability (AoS). These strategic assessments are part of an ongoing assessment process that will continue with project level assessments. Applications to the IPC for development consent will need to take account of the issues identified and recommendations made in the strategic, plan level HRA/AA; and include more detailed, project level HRA as necessary. The Habitats Regulations Assessment is provided in the following documents: HRA Non-Technical Summary Main HRA Report of the revised draft Nuclear NPS Introduction Methods Findings Annexes to the Main HRA Report: Reports on Sites Site HRA Reports Technical Appendices All documents are available on the website of the Department of Energy and Climate Change at www.energynpsconsultation.decc.gov.uk This document is the Appendices to the HRA site report for Wylfa. This document has been produced by the Department of Energy and Climate Change based on technical assessment undertaken by MWH UK Ltd with Enfusion Ltd and Nicholas Pearson Associates Ltd. 3 Appendices to the Habitats Regulations Assessment Site Report for Wylfa Contents Appendix 1: European Site Characterisation ...................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Appendix 2: Plans and Programmes Review ................................................................................. 174 Appendix 3: Likely Significant Effect (LSE) Screening Table ..................................................... 184 Appendix 4: HRA / Appropriate Assessment Proforma ............................................................... 375 4 Appendices to the Habitats Regulations Assessment Site Report for Wylfa Appendix 1: European Site Characterisations Natura 2000 Site Identification Natura 2000 Radius (measured from central grid reference point, MAGIC) Designation 5km 10km 15km 20km >20km SAC • Cemlyn Bay • None • None • Holy Island • Abermenai to Aberffraw Dunes Coast • Afon Gwyrfai a Llyn Cwellyn • Anglesey Fens • Anglesey Coast and Saltmarsh • Llnyn Dinam • Glan-traeth • Menai Strait • Great Orme’s Head and Conwy • Snowdonia Bay SPA • Ynys Feurig, • None • None • Holy Island • Lavan Sands Cemlyn Bay Coast • Liverpool Bay and The • Puffin Island Skerries Ramsar • None • None • None • Anglesey and • None Llyn Fens 5 Appendices to the Habitats Regulations Assessment Site Report for Wylfa Natura 2000 Site Characterisations Special Areas of Conservation (SAC)1 1. Cemlyn Bay 2. Holy Island Coast 3. Anglesey Fens 4. Llnyn Dinam 5. Menai Strait and Conwy Bay 6. Abermenai to Aberffraw Dunes 7. Afon Gwyrfai a Llyn Cwellyn 8. Anglesey Coast and Saltmarsh 9. Glan-traeth 10. Great Orme’s Head 11. Snowdonia Special Protection Areas (SPA)2 1. Ynys Feurig, Cemlyn Bay and The Skerries SPA 2. Holy Island Coast 3. Lavan Sands, Conwy Bay 4. Puffin Island 5. Liverpool Bay 1 Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) are classified under the Habitats Directive and provide rare and vulnerable animals, plants and habitats with increased protection and management 2 Special Protection Areas (SPAs) are classified under the Birds Directive to help protect and manage areas which are important for rare and vulnerable birds because they use them for breeding, feeding, wintering or migration. Together SAC’s and SPA’s make up the Natura 2000 series 6 Appendices to the Habitats Regulations Assessment Site Report for Wylfa Ramsar Sites3 1. Anglesey and Llyn Fens All core site specific information unless otherwise stated has been referenced from the Countryside Council for Wales and Natural England Sources (Natura 2000 Management Plans) (Nature on the Map) and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee website (Protected Sites). 3 Ramsar sites are designated under the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance. The broad objectives are to stem the loss and progressive encroachment on wetlands now and in the future. These are often coincident with SPA sites designated under the Birds Directive. Although RAMSAR sites are not considered part of the Natura 7 Appendices to the Habitats Regulations Assessment Site Report for Wylfa Special Areas of Conservation Site Name: Bae Cemlyn/Cemlyn Bay • Location: 043040W/532442N • SAC EU Code UK0030114 • Size: 43.43 ha • Designation: SAC Bae Cemlyn/ Cemlyn Bay SAC Site Description Cemlyn lagoon lies on the north coast of Anglesey, North Wales, and is considered to be the best example of a saline coastal lagoon in Wales. The lagoon is separated from the sea by a shingle bank with a narrow channel at the western end, across which a sluice system was built in the 1930s. Seawater exchange occurs mainly through the sluice and by percolation through the shingle bank, although in extreme storms coinciding with spring tides waves break over the top of the shingle bank. Cemlyn lagoon supports a relatively diverse set of species, several of which are specific to lagoons, including the Bryozoan Conopeum seurati, the Lagoon cockle Cerastoderma glaucum and the Lagoonal mud-snail Ventrosia ventrosa. Cemlyn lagoon is also the only site in Wales where the lagoonal isopod Idotea chelipes has been recorded. A number of uncommon plant species are found within the lagoon, including the Brackish water-crowfoot Ranunculus baudotii and Beaked tasselweed Ruppia maritima. Qualifying Features Annex I habitats that are a primary reason for selection of this site: 1150 Coastal Lagoons Annex I habitats present as a qualifying feature, but not a primary reason for selection of this site: 1220 Perennial Vegetation of Stony Banks 8 Appendices to the Habitats Regulations Assessment Site Report for Wylfa Bae Cemlyn/ Cemlyn Bay SAC Conservation Objectives The interest features will be considered to be in favourable conservation status when, subject to natural processes, each of the following conditions are satisfied: Interest Feature 1: Coastal Lagoon • There is no loss of area other than that due to natural processes. • The specialised plant and animal communities within the lagoon remain. • All factors affecting the achievement of these conditions are under control. Interest Feature 2: Perennial Vegetation of Stony Banks • The extent of the vegetation of shingle banks is maintained unless altered by natural (for example, storm events). • Typical component species of vegetation of shingle banks are maintained. • Invasive alien species (for example, Fallopia japonica) are absent. • The management of activities or operations likely to damage or degrade the population dynamics, natural range and supporting habitat of the feature is appropriate for maintaining favourable conservation status and is secure in the long-term. Component SSSIs • Ynys Feurig SSSI • The Skerries SSSI • Cemlyn Bay SSSI Maps containing the component SSSIs can be viewed on the CCW website: http://www.ccw.gov.uk/landscape--wildlife/protecting-our-landscape/special-sites-project/aber-to-- brecon-sac-list/bae-cemlyn--cemlyn-bay-sac.aspx Key Environmental Coastal Lagoon Conditions (factors that • Managing land use change in the catchment, for example, intensive dairy or arable farming have 9 Appendices to the Habitats Regulations Assessment Site Report for Wylfa Bae Cemlyn/ Cemlyn Bay SAC maintain site integrity) the potential to influence water quality. Sediment load, chemical (nutrient) and organic pollution could affect the water quality within the lagoon. • Managing the freshwater inflow, seepage through the shingle and leakage through the weir to maintain the salinity balance within the lagoon. Perennial Vegetation of Stony Banks • The shingle ridge is maintained through a dynamic and generally cyclic process of deposition and erosion of the shingle. Structures or other intervention that interfere with this natural movement should be resisted. Removal of shingle to provide building materials must also be resisted. SAC Condition Conservation status of Feature 1: Coastal Lagoon: Favourable maintained. Assessment • The maintenance of the subtle mix of freshwater inflow, seepage through the shingle and leakage through the weir is essential to maintaining the salinity balance within the lagoon. • Stable land use in the catchment, influencing/maintaining water quality. Conservation status of Feature 2: Perennial Vegetation of Stony Banks: Unfavourable. • Due to the trampling of the vegetation, currently under investigation. • Maintenance of the shingle ridge through dynamic and generally cyclic process of deposition and erosion of the shingle. Vulnerabilities (includes Coastal Lagoon existing pressures and In general, the pressures are Fish and Shellfish Aquaculture, Professional fishing, Fixed location trends) fishing, Leisure fishing, Bait digging, Trampling, overuse, Invasion by a species, Interspecific faunal and floral relations, Genetic pollution, Urbanised areas, human habitation, Industrial or commercial areas, Discharges, Port areas, Energy transport, Pipelines, Shipping, Sport and leisure structures, nautical sports, pollution, water pollution, Dumping/depositing of dredged deposits, euthrophication, landfill/land