Highways Crewe Green Link Road (South) Reptile Survey Report September 2012 B1772401/OD/037 Originated by Checked by Reviewed by Approved by ORIGINAL NAME NAME NAME NAME Nathan Wood Saffra Wright Saffra Wright Rosie Simon DATE INITIALS NW INITIALS SW INITIALS SW INITIALS RS September Document Status Draft 2012 REVISION NAME NAME NAME NAME DATE INITIALS INITIALS INITIALS INITIALS Document Status REVISION NAME NAME NAME NAME DATE INITIALS INITIALS INITIALS INITIALS Document Status REVISION NAME NAME NAME NAME DATE INITIALS INITIALS INITIALS INITIALS Document Status Highways Contents Executive Summary 1 1 Introduction 3 1.1 Background 3 1.2 Limitations 4 2 Methodology 5 2.1 Desk Study 5 2.2 Field Survey 5 2.2.1 Presence/Absence Survey 5 2.2.2 Population Size Class Estimate 6 3 Results 7 3.1 Desk Study 7 3.2 Field Survey 7 3.2.1 Presence/Absence Surveys 7 3.2.2 Population Size Class Estimate 8 3.3 Evaluation 8 4 Conclusion 9 5 References 11 Appendix A Reptile Information 13 Summary of Biology and Habitat Requirements 13 Nature Conservation Status 14 Legislation and Policy Framework 14 Appendix B Reptile Survey Results 17 Appendix C Photographs 21 Figure 23 OD/037 Reptile Survey Report Figs1.doc Highways Page Not Used OD/037 Reptile Survey Report Figs1.doc Highways Executive Summary This report presents the findings of a reptile survey undertaken by Jacobs UK Ltd. (Jacobs) on behalf of Cheshire East Council (CEC) as part of the Crewe Green Link Road (South) Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) which will be reported in the Environmental Statement for the scheme. Areas of suitable reptile habitat were identified and subject to presence/absence surveys and visual encounter surveys along transects and three groups of artificial refuges. Slow worm was recorded on site utilising the edge of the woodland habitat along the railway line and Gresty Brook to the north. Slow worm was assessed as having a good population on site. No other reptiles were recorded in the survey area. 1 OD/037 Reptile Survey Report Figs1.doc Highways Page Not Used 2 OD/037 Reptile Survey Report Figs1.doc Highways 1 Introduction 1.1 Background Jacobs UK Ltd. (Jacobs) has been appointed to undertake an environmental impact assessment (EIA) on behalf of Cheshire East Council (CEC) for the development of a new link road between the A5020 Western Gate roundabout (Grid Reference SJ72295369) and the A500 (Grid Reference SJ72645279), located to the south east of Crewe. This link road is known as ‘Crewe Green Link Road South’, which will be referred to as ‘the Scheme’ throughout the report. The EIA is reported in the Environmental Statement for the scheme. CEC previously undertook an environmental assessment of this link road, which was reported in the Planning and Environmental Statement that supported the planning application submitted in June 2011. Planning permission was granted in October 2011. This planning application did not include the areas required for the borrow pit, flood compensation area, soil storage area and temporary site compounds. CEC is now undertaking an environmental assessment of the whole road scheme including these additional areas, which will support a new planning application. This report has been prepared to present the results of a reptile survey conducted by Jacobs’ ecologists to inform the EIA for the planning application of the Scheme. The site was previously surveyed in 2001 and 2008 (7 visits in August) by TEP. No reptiles were found during this survey. Ten tiles used in the previous TEP survey were located along Gresty Brook, three slow worm (Anguis fragilis) were found under these tins on 3rd May 2012 during a Jacobs’ water vole survey for the development. The objectives of this survey were to determine the presence or absence of reptiles (slow worm) in the survey area and to estimate a population size for species that were recorded. The survey area is defined as all areas of semi-natural habitat within a minimum of 500m of the proposed link road. The location of the site and the survey area is shown on Figure 1. All native reptile species have some degree of protection in the UK, through section 9(1) and (5) (specified in Schedule 5) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended). There are two different levels of protection afforded to reptiles through this legislation according to species: • Full protection: Sand lizard (Lacerta agilis) and smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) are afforded protection under The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 (are species of European importance) and are fully protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) and the CRoW Act (2000). • Protection against killing, injury or trade: This level of protection under section 9 (parts 1 and 5) applies to the four widespread species of reptile, namely the common lizard (Zootoca vivipara), slow-worm, grass snake (Natrix natrix) and adder (Viper berus). Further details regarding the biology and habitat requirements, nature conservation status, legislation and policy framework for reptiles is summarised in Appendix A. 3 OD/037 Reptile Survey Report Figs1.doc Highways 1.2 Limitations Two tiles in Group 1 (on the east bank of Basford Brook) were removed by an unknown party between visit 2 and 3. These were not replaced as it was considered likely that they would be subject to further disturbance. Before visit 6, the set of tiles along the railway embankment (Group 2) were disturbed by cattle. Tiles that were moved from their original position into unsuitable locations were placed over the fence along the railway line and were not subject to further survey. Due to the late discovery of reptiles on site some surveys were conducted during June and July which are not considered optimal for reptile surveys. However, reptiles will still use tiles in these months and surveys were carried out within suitable climatic conditions up to and including September. The findings of this report represent the professional opinion of qualified ecologists and do not constitute professional legal advice. The client may wish to seek professional legal interpretation of the relevant wildlife legislation cited in this document. The survey constraints described above are not considered to be significant limitations to the survey findings. 4 OD/037 Reptile Survey Report Figs1.doc Highways 2 Methodology 2.1 Desk Study The desk study involved reviewing existing reptile data and results from previous surveys by TEP who undertook seven visits across the site in August 2008 (reported in the Environmental Statement, TEP 2011). A search of National Biodiversity Network website (www.data.nbn.org.uk) was undertaken during the scoping stage of the project to gather information on the protected species that may be present in the survey area. Information was sought from the local biological recording centre for Cheshire: rECOrd. The centre was contacted and asked to provide records of species within 2km of the survey area. 2.2 Field Survey 2.2.1 Presence/Absence Survey Suitable habitat for reptiles was identified in the survey area. Suitable habitat included south facing embankments, sites near existing potential refuges such as log-piles and areas with a heterogeneous habitat structure comprising areas of dense vegetation giving cover and open basking sites. Thirty five artificial refuges (corrugated iron tiles and carpet tiles) were placed in three main areas that would be affected by the proposed scheme (Figure 1): • Group 1: eight tiles along Basford Brook where the western arm of the proposed single carriageway crosses the brook; • Group 2: seventeen tiles along the Crewe to Derby railway line embankment with some tiles in the marsh area nearer the brook; and • Group 3: a set of ten tiles along the stretch of Gresty Brook to the north of the survey area that were used to survey the area previously by TEP. The tiles were laid out on the 2nd and 3rd May 2012 and allowed two weeks to ‘bed- in’. Seven survey visits were undertaken during suitable conditions for reptile survey between May 2012 and September 2012 inclusive. The survey was undertaken in accordance with best practice (Froglife 1999; Foster and Gent, 1996; Gent and Gibson, 2003). The following guidelines were observed: • multiple visits over non-consecutive days within the active reptile season (March to October with peak survey months being April, May and September) were made; • two survey methods were used - Visual encounter surveys (VES) using direct observation along transects in suitable habitats - woodland edge, swamp habitat - and artificial refugia surveys (ARS); • refuges were removed at the end of the survey; • any reptiles found on or under the surface of any survey tiles or surrounding basking areas were identified, counted and aged where possible, and • surveys were undertaken during appropriate weather conditions (temperatures between 9°C and 18°C, low wind and no precipitation) and 5 OD/037 Reptile Survey Report Figs1.doc Highways peak times during the day for reptile activity (between 08:30 to 11:00 and 16:00 to 18:30). 2.2.2 Population Size Class Estimate Table 1 shows an evaluation of common reptile population size and importance of reptile sites (Froglife, 1999). It allows a site to be classified by its relative size of reptile populations on the basis of survey counts and gives an objective evaluation of the importance of the reptiles recorded. Table 1 Population and site assessment (Figures in table refer to the maximum number of adults seen by direct observation or by ARS by one person in one day) (Froglife 1999). Common Species Low population Good Population Exceptional population Adder <5 5 – 10 >10 Grass snake <5 5 – 10 >10 Common lizard <5 5 – 20 >20 Slow-worm <5 5 – 20 >20 6 OD/037 Reptile Survey Report Figs1.doc Highways 3 Results 3.1 Desk Study According to the corresponding Local Biodiversity Action Plans, there have only been four records of slow-worm and five records of adders (Vipera berus) in Cheshire since 1995 (Cheshire Region Biodiversity Partnership 2008).