Preliminary Ecological Assessment and bat survey report: Southlands Centre, Middlesbrough Gale Cottage, Wolsingham, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, DL13 3LT Tel: 01388 526978 Fax: 01388 526978 email: [email protected] website: www.barrettenvironmental.co.uk October 2018 Company registered in England No. 5603818 Barrett Environmental Ltd Contents A Executive summary 2 B Introduction 2 C Survey and site assessment 4 D Impact assessment 34 E Mitigation and compensation 35 F References 36 G Appendix 37 BE001141.001 Preliminary Ecological Assessment and bat survey report Southlands Centre, Middlesbrough October 2018 1 Barrett Environmental Ltd A Executive summary Barrett Environmental Ltd prepared an ecological assessment of the proposed demolition of the Southlands Centre in Middlesbrough. The assessment is based upon historic data from the locality, a walkover survey by an experienced ecologist and a single bat activity survey. Data from local record holders was used to provide an indication of the likely presence of a wide range of protected and locally important species and the information was used to predict the likely impacts of the proposed demolition upon the conservation status of the local populations. There were no records of protected or rare habitats / species at the site. The development site comprises of bare ground, buildings and mown amenity grassland that offers few opportunities for use by wildlife and is considered to be a low risk for use by most of the species considered in the assessment. Scattered shrub planting and trees provide the only available cover and the likely impacts of the demolition upon the conservation status of the local bat, otter and water vole populations are neutral. No bat activity was recorded during a single bat survey and the buildings were classified as a Negligible risk for use by roosting bats. However breeding birds and hedgehogs are likely to utilise the shrubberies and back garden of the former caretakers house and a mitigation strategy is presented to minimise any adverse impacts on these species. B Introduction B1 Background to activity Barrett Environmental Ltd was commissioned by Middlesbrough Council to prepare a Preliminary Ecological Appraisal of the Southlands Centre, Middlesbrough. The site is a leisure centre and business centre which is due to be demolished. The Building was classified as a Low risk for use by roosting bats and the report presents the findings of a single bat activity survey. The Southlands Centre is situated at Ordnance Survey grid reference NZ523179 and lies at an altitude of 23m AOD. BE001141.001 Preliminary Ecological Assessment and bat survey report Southlands Centre, Middlesbrough October 2018 2 Barrett Environmental Ltd Figure 1: Site location plan (adapted from MAGIC, URL 1) Figure 2: Detailed site plan (from Middlesbrough Council drawing ref A001) BE001141.001 Preliminary Ecological Assessment and bat survey report Southlands Centre, Middlesbrough October 2018 3 Barrett Environmental Ltd B2 Proposed development The centre is proposed to be demolished, and no redevelopment plans were provided. C Survey and site assessment C1 Pre existing information on protected habitats and species at survey site Data has been taken from the Multi Agency Geographical Information for the Countryside (MAGIC) website and supplied by the Ecological Records and Information Centre North East (ERIC NE). C1.1 Habitats / designated sites There is one statutory designated site within a 2km radius. Berwick Hills Community Park Local Nature Reserve (LNR) is situated approximately 1.5km northwest of the Centre. Natural England states (URL 2): This former derelict allotment land has been transformed into wildflower meadows, new woodlands, and ponds which provide a home to frogs, toads and newts. Ormesby Beck meanders through the nature reserve flanked by tall waterlogged reedbeds, which are expanding here. bWater voles burrow in the beck banks and feed on waterside plants. There are no Ramsar sites, Special Protection Areas (SPA), National Nature Reserves (NNR), Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), or non-statutory sites (Site of Nature Conservation Interest, County Wildlife Site etc) within the 2 km radius. C1.2 Protected species C1.2.1 Bats The following bat records were provided by the Ecological Records Information Centre North East (ERIC): Species Location Grid ref Year Comments Unidentified bat TS7 9DE NZ535169 2016 Roost Unidentified Myotis bat Stewart Park NZ515164 2008 Flight Unidentified Myotis bat Ormesby Hall NZ528168 2009 x 1 Unidentified Myotis bat Marton West Beck NZ506157 2009 x 1 Unidentified Myotis bat Stewart Park NZ515164 2008 Flight Daubenton's x 170 Tollesby / Marton NZ510153 2010 West Beck Daubenton's x 4 Marton West Beck NZ511150 2009 Daubenton's x 3 Marton West Beck NZ511150 2009 Daubenton's Stewart Park NZ515164 2008 Foraging Daubenton's x 79 Tollesby / Marton NZ510153 2009 West Beck BE001141.001 Preliminary Ecological Assessment and bat survey report Southlands Centre, Middlesbrough October 2018 4 Barrett Environmental Ltd Daubenton's Marton West Beck NZ510153 2002 Daubenton's x 10 Central Lodge NZ518163 2016 Maternity Stewart Park roost Whiskered x 1 Stewarts Park NZ519164 2007 Natterer's Stewart Park NZ515164 2008 Commuting Noctule Stewart Park NZ515164 2008 Commuting Noctule x 1 Stewart Park NZ515165 2004 Noctule Stewart Park NZ515164 2009 Flight Noctule Stewart Park NZ515164 2008 In flight Noctule x 4 Ormesby Hall NZ528168 2009 Nathusius's pipistrelle Ormesby Hall NZ528170 2009 x 1 Nathusius's pipistrelle Central Lodge NZ518163 2016 Roost x 4 Stewart Park Common pipistrelle Stewart Park NZ515164 2008 In flight Common pipistrelle TS7 8SF NZ509156 2013 In flight Common pipistrelle Orchard Way, NZ534168 2016 Common pipistrelle x 3 St Thomas’s NZ5218 2007 Church, Pallister Avenue, Common pipistrelle x 2 Ormesby Hall NZ528168 2009 Common pipistrelle x Central Lodge NZ518163 2016 Roost and 34 Stewart Park maternity roost Common pipistrelle x 1 Marton West Beck NZ506157 2009 Common pipistrelle Stewart Park NZ515164 2009 Roost Common pipistrelle Cleveland NZ511160 2010 Roost Common pipistrelle Stewart Park NZ515164 2008 Commuting Common pipistrelle Stewart Park NZ515164 2008 Common pipistrelle Ormesby Hall NZ528169 2009 Common pipistrelle x 2 Marton West Beck NZ506157 2009 Soprano pipistrelle Stewart Park NZ515164 2008 Soprano pipistrelle x 4 Central Lodge NZ518163 2016 Stewart Park Brown long-eared x 6 Central Lodge NZ518163 2016 Stewart Park Unidentified bat Stewart Park NZ515164 2008 Unidentified bat Ormesby NZ5316 2004 Unidentified bat Grantham Green NZ5016 2006 Unidentified bat x 1 Ormesby Hall NZ5316 2008 Unidentified bat x 1 Ormesby Hall NZ529167 2009 Unidentified bat x 1 Stewart Park NZ515164 2009 Unidentified bat Ormesby Hall NZ530167 1987 Unidentified bat Ormesby Hall NZ530167 1987 Unidentified bat x 1 Tollesby / Marton NZ510153 2002 West Beck Unidentified bat x 2 Tollesby / Marton NZ510153 2009 West Beck BE001141.001 Preliminary Ecological Assessment and bat survey report Southlands Centre, Middlesbrough October 2018 5 Barrett Environmental Ltd Unidentified bat x 1 North Ormesby NZ525186 2007 Cemetery Table 1: Bat records supplied by ERIC None of the records are from the site and only 1 is from within the same kilometre square. C1.2.2 Breeding birds The following bird records were provided by ERIC: Species No. of Common name Scientific name records Blackbird Turdus merula 5 Blue tit Cyanistes caeruleus 4 Canada goose Branta canadensis 1 Carrion crow Corvus corone 3 Coal tit Periparus ater 2 Collared dove Streptopelia decaocto 2 Coot Fulica atra 6 Cuckoo Cuculus canorus 1 Dunnock Prunella modularis 2 Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis 1 Grasshopper warbler Locustella naevia 1 Great spotted woodpecker Dendrocopos major 2 Great tit Parus major 3 Grey heron Ardea cinerea 2 Grey wagtail Motacilla cinerea 2 Herring gull Larus argentatus 1 House sparrow Passer domesticus 3 Jay Garrulus glandarius 1 Kestrel Falco tinnunculus 1 Kingfisher Alcedo atthis 1 Linnet Linaria cannabina 1 Little egret Egretta garzetta 1 Magpie Pica pica 4 Mallard Anas platyrhynchos 4 Mistle thrush Turdus viscivorus 1 Moorhen Gallinula chloropus 5 Pheasant Phasianus colchicus 3 Pied wagtail Motacilla alba 1 Robin Erithacus rubecula 3 Rock dove Columba livia 2 Skylark Alauda arvensis 1 Song thrush Turdus philomelos 2 Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus 2 Starling Sturnus vulgaris 3 Swallow Hirundo rustica 3 BE001141.001 Preliminary Ecological Assessment and bat survey report Southlands Centre, Middlesbrough October 2018 6 Barrett Environmental Ltd Swift Apus apus 1 Tawny owl Strix aluco 1 Tree sparrow Passer montanus 2 Willow warbler Phylloscopus trochilus 1 Woodpigeon Columba palumbus 5 Wren Troglodytes troglodytes 4 Yellow wagtail Motacilla flava 1 Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella 2 Table 2: ERIC bird records No records were provided for the site or from the locality. G.2.2 Otter Date Grid Ref Location Name Comments Stewarts Park, 01/01/2006 NZ5116 Otter found dead on road Middlesbrough A174 23/11/2016 NZ5015 Road kill Middlesbrough dead on road. where road 23/11/2016 NZ508155 crosses Marton West Beck A174 2005 NZ515163 Stewart Park Table 3: ERIC otter records No records were from the site or from within the same kilometre square. G.2.3 European Water Voles The following water vole records were provided by ERIC: Year Grid Ref Location Name Comments 2010 NZ502162 Marton West Beck 2014 NZ5017 Ormesby Beck Latrines, feeding remains 14 latrines, Droppings, 2014