Abbotswood housing proposal Flashcards
Proposal
on edge of romsey, hampshire
land is former gravel workings
has had informal public access and has developed some conservation value
800 houses
raods and junctions
infrastructure- water, energy, flood control
shops, sports facilities, bus links
Schedule?
category of infrastructure projects
sechduel 2 under section 10b which gives threshold area for consideration of 0.5 ha the site is 52.4 ha
test valley borough council requested EIA
Zone of influence
abbotswood site
river test SSSI
mottisfont SAC
fishlake arboretum
cupernham and woodley
ganger farm
desk study
Natrual england contacted for details o fSSSI and hampishire biodiversity information centre (HBIC) consulted for any existing data help, incl designated sites and protected species records
old aerial photographs and easy ordinance survey maps were consulted to examine the historical land use of the site
consultation
statutory nature conservation organisation (1999): natural england, hampshire county council, EA
hampshier wildlife trust
great crested newts and development of a conservation area
SINC resulted from collection of ecological data for this proposal
nature conservation area
Site characteristics
rough grassland
hedge boundaries on banks with ditches some boundaries on banks with ditches, come boundaries residential and a cemetery
come mature oak woodlands
2 ephemeral ponds plus other ephemeral we areas
170 plants species (ore nationally scored)
small numbers of reptiles
no dormice
key:
bats
ground nesting birds
great crested newts
Bats
hampshire bat groups have 28 recorded roosts within 2km of the site
surveyors with bat detectors near potential bat roosts
6 species foraging on site or on boundaries 3 small pipistrelle reposts in oak trees site considered of local conservation value
destruction of some boundary areas for road access considered to be a significant adverse effect on feature of local value
no impacts on roosts other than temporary disturbance
minor term impacts possible from traffic and lighting
Birds
61 species on site
barn owl: protected on schedule 1 of wildlife and countryside act 1981, red data book species and an amber bird of conservation concern. only a single bird has been recorded and single bed recorded; no suitable breeding habitat on site
BoCC species recorded breeding on site include red species; skylark, linnet, song thrush, reed bunting, bullfinch and amber species: green woodpecker, dunk nightingale, stonechat, blackbird, lapwing, willow warbler, gold crest hawfinch
Birds: mitigation
trees and boundary features mostly retained
light pollution restricted at boundaries and by conservation area
nature conservation area to include an area of short grassland with limited public access from ground nesting birds
Great crested newts
protected under habitats regulation
leglisaltion prevents intentional killing or injury to individuals and deliberate damage or disturbance to their habitat
present in pond on site peak counts entering pond over 200 (over 100 is a large population according to NE guidelines)
probably of “county conservation value”
Newts impact
unmitigated: sever adverse effects few to :
habitat loss
predation by domestic animals
potential damage or pollution of breeding pong
Newts mitigation
designated SINC retained, with buffer zone and fencing
pond creation within conservation area, plus managed by local conservation wardens
on site ecologist to oversee some development phases
within developed area- vegetal wildlife corridors and amphibian tunnels under roads
Summary of ecological mitigation
protecting the most important habitats and protected species on site;
enhancing the biodiversity on site;
maintaining and improving the ecological connectivity across the site;
minimising the potential impacts from the proposed development upon wildlife.
