Lidl Gorseinon ECOLOGICAL APPRAISAL 784-B024633 Lidl 21/01/2021 Prepared on Behalf of Tetra Tech Environment Planning Transport Limited. Registered in England number: 03050297 Tetratecheurope.com Tetra Tech Cardiff, 5th Floor, Longcross Court, 47 Newport Road, Cardiff, CF24 0AD +44 (0)29 2082 9200, [email protected], tetratecheurope.com Tetra Tech Environment Planning Transport Limited. Registered in England number: 03050297 Registered Office: 3 Sovereign Square, Sovereign Street, Leeds, United Kingdom, LS1 4ER Document control Document: Ecological Appraisal Project: Lidl Gorseinon Client: Lidl Job Number: 784-B024633 File Origin: \\lds-dc-vm-002\Group Ecology\Projects\Projects 784-B000000\B024633 Lidl Gorseinon\REPORTS Revision: Status: Date: Prepared by: Checked by: Approved By: Tim Rich MCIEEM Sarah Dillon ACIEEM Chris Meddins MCIEEM Description of revision: Revision: Status: Date: Prepared by: Checked by: Approved By: Description of revision: tetratecheurope.com i CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................................... 1 Glossary ................................................................................................................................. 2 1.0 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................ 3 1.1 Background ....................................................................................................................... 3 1.2 Site Location ..................................................................................................................... 3 1.3 Development Proposals ..................................................................................................... 3 1.4 Purpose of the Report ........................................................................................................ 3 2.0 METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................................... 4 2.1 Desk Study ........................................................................................................................ 4 2.1.1 Previous Reports ...................................................................................................... 4 2.1.2 Local Ecological Records Centre ............................................................................... 4 2.1.3 Online Resources ..................................................................................................... 4 2.2 Field Surveys .................................................................................................................... 4 2.2.1 Habitats .................................................................................................................... 5 2.2.2 Protected & Notable Species ..................................................................................... 5 2.3 Limitations ......................................................................................................................... 7 3.0 BASELINE CONDITIONS .................................................................................................... 8 3.1 Designated Sites ............................................................................................................... 8 3.2 Habitats ............................................................................................................................ 9 3.2.1 Buildings .................................................................................................................. 9 3.2.2 Hardstanding ............................................................................................................ 9 3.2.3 Amenity Grassland .................................................................................................... 9 3.2.4 Scattered Scrub ...................................................................................................... 10 3.2.5 Scattered Trees ...................................................................................................... 10 3.2.6 Ephemeral/short perennial ....................................................................................... 10 3.2.7 Introduced shrub ..................................................................................................... 10 3.3 Protected & Notable Species ............................................................................................ 10 3.3.1 Great Crested Newt and other amphibians ............................................................... 10 3.3.2 Reptiles .................................................................................................................. 10 3.3.3 Bats ....................................................................................................................... 11 3.3.4 Birds ...................................................................................................................... 11 3.3.5 Badger ................................................................................................................... 11 tetratecheurope.com ii 3.3.6 Hazel Dormouse ..................................................................................................... 11 3.3.7 Otter & Water Vole .................................................................................................. 12 3.3.8 Invertebrates .......................................................................................................... 12 3.3.9 Hedgehog .............................................................................................................. 12 3.3.10 Other mammals .................................................................................................... 12 3.3.11 Vascular and lower plants ...................................................................................... 12 3.3.12 Schedule 9 plants ................................................................................................. 13 3.4 Importance of Ecological Features .................................................................................... 13 4.0 RELEVANT PLANNING POLICY & LEGISLATION.............................................................. 15 4.1 National Planning Policy Framework ................................................................................. 15 4.2 Environment (Wales) Act .................................................................................................. 16 4.3 Local Biodiversity Action Plan ........................................................................................... 17 4.4 Local Plan ....................................................................................................................... 17 4.5 Legislation ....................................................................................................................... 19 5.0 DISCUSSION ................................................................................................................... 20 5.1 Designated Sites ............................................................................................................. 20 5.1.1 Natura 2000 Sites ................................................................................................... 20 5.1.2 Sites of Special Scientific Interest............................................................................. 20 5.1.3 Local Wildlife Sites .................................................................................................. 20 5.2 Habitats .......................................................................................................................... 20 5.3 Protected & Notable Species ............................................................................................ 21 5.3.1 Breeding Birds ........................................................................................................ 21 5.3.2 Hedgehogs ............................................................................................................. 21 5.3.3 Invasive Species ..................................................................................................... 22 6.0 CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................. 23 7.0 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................. 24 FIGURES APPENDIX A – REPORT CONDITIONS APPENDIX B – KEY LEGISLATION APPENDIX C – RELEVANT DESK STUDY DATA APPENDIX D – TARGET NOTES APPENDIX E – HABITAT SUITABILITY INDEX CALCULATIONS FOR GCN tetratecheurope.com iii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Contents Summary Site Location The site is located at Poundstretcher, Gorseinon Road, Penllergaer, Gorseinon SA4 9GE in Swansea CBC and is centred at Ordnance Survey National Grid Reference SS6072798478. The site comprises an existing Poundstretcher supermarket with parking and landscaping. Proposals It is proposed to redevelop the site by demolishing the existing Poundstretcher supermarket and replacing it with a new Lidl supermarket, and replacing the existing landscaping with a more diverse mix. Existing Site A Japanese knotweed survey had been carried out (Elcot 2020) Information Scope of this The scope of the survey was to conduct an update Ecological Appraisal, Survey(s) including a desk-based study and an extended Phase 1 habitat survey of the site, to determine any changes from previous surveys