Report Title:
Ecological Assessment and Restoration Proposals
Location:
Downend Quarry
Surveyor(s)
Ian Boyd, Paul Creer
Author(s):
Ian Boyd and Samantha Buck
Client:
Downend Chalk Pit
Report Status:
Draft
Version:
1.0
Survey Date:
February 2017
www.arc-consulting.co.uk Arc Consulting Isle of Wight Ltd is a company registered in England and Wales number 8823037 Office Address: The Bunker, Brown’s Golf Course, Yaverland, Isle of Wight PO36 8QA Registered Office: Rosebank, Canteen Rd, Whiteley Bank, PO38 3AF
DOWNEND CHALK PIT
ECOLOGICAL REPORT - Summary
Contents 1
Summary ....................................................................................................................................................................... 2
2
Site Description and Setting .......................................................................................................................................... 3
3
Site Photography ......................................................................................................................................................... 10
4
Survey Results and Recommendations ........................................................................................................................ 12
5
Mitigation by Design ................................................................................................................................................... 21
6
Summary of Principal Mitigation and Enhancement Actions ....................................................................................... 22
7
Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................................... 23
8
Mitigation and Enhancement Plan............................................................................................................................... 24
9
Appendix 1 Legislation and Policy Context .................................................................................................................. 25
10
Appendix 2
Impacts and evaluation of development proposals 1.5
Site ecological assessment proposes the retention of a long southern perimeter buffer, separating the chalk pit and landfill from the adjacent Hampshire and IW Wildlife Trust reserve at Arreton Down. The western areas of mixed scrub and grassland are to be retained into the final restoration, providing amenity and recreational space including public amenity for wildlife encounter. The final restoration of the central and eastern chalk pit is to be a chalk cap of sufficient depth to support calcareous flora and to facilitate the reconnection of units 1 and 2 of the Arreton Down SSSI, creating new habitat and assisting coherent conservation management across the whole.
1.6
There are significant benefits available for long-term conservation management and accessible natural greenspace in the restoration programme proposed. New green infrastructure will be released from the scheme in sections as it is capped and completed in order to deliver early gains.
1.7
The western scrub areas will remain unaltered, with the addition of a permanent buffer separating them from the working landfill. Part of this space is likely to remain tenanted by the Shanklin Rifle and Pistol Club. The roadside area, used as a car park for Arreton Down, will be managed to provide a ‘pocketpark’ with access eventually onto Michael Morey’s down above, creating a circular walk around the chalk pit.
1.8
The information within this report is correct at the time of writing. Survey data should be considered accurate for a maximum of twelve months from the time of writing.
1.9
There should be no site clearance works undertaken within non-operational areas prior to planning determination without the advice and supervision of an experienced ecologist.
Survey Methodology ............................................................................................................................. 26
Appendix 3 -Dormouse Report Appendix 4 -Arreton Down SSSI Citation
1 Summary
2
1.1
Arc Consulting was commissioned to undertake an ecological assessment at Downend Chalk Pit.
1.2
Existing permissions are now being rationalised and extended to provide a single approach to the phased restoration of the chalk pit and the retention of its western amenity spaces.
1.3
Surveyors visited the site during the 2016 season in order to make an assessment of wildlife potential and habitat quality and to survey for the presence of legally and policy protected species.
1.4
Inert waste is currently being brought into the site and stockpiled in central and eastern areas.. Surveys were therefore restricted to the perimeters of the access drive and those areas with the potential to be retained, and the western areas of the gun club and carpark.
1.10 Copyright: This report must only be presented in its original and complete format.
DOWNEND CHALK PIT
ECOLOGICAL REPORT - Site Description and Setting
2 Site Description and Setting
Existing Layout
Location
Figure 2 Site Context
Figure 1 Site Location
2.1
3
The site is located near to the junction of the Downs Road with Downend Road at SZ535873.
DOWNEND CHALK PIT
ECOLOGICAL REPORT - Site Description and Setting
Past land use
Figure 3 2016 aerial of chalk pit, yard and access, vegetation has now been stripped (between the yard and the pit) Figure 4 1999 aerial image
4
2.2
The site currently consists of approximately 5.5 Ha chalk pit, yard, storage and partially restored inert landfill; 0.7 Ha scrub and mown grassland leased by the gun club for shooting ranges; 0.8 Ha unmanaged thorn scrub, and 0.1 Ha car park for visitors to Arreton Down
2.3
The site is surrounded to the north, east and south, by the chalk grassland SSSI of Arreton Down. The southern and eastern areas are owned and managed by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, the strip to the north is owned by a local heritage charity.
2.4
Arreton Down is designated as ‘access land’ under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. There are no rights of way through the chalk pit. The gun club has a separate access to the range, and there is permissive public use of the car park at the site entrance.
DOWNEND CHALK PIT
ECOLOGICAL REPORT - Site Description and Setting
2.8
The restoration operation would be supported by an aggregates recycling facility. This would pre-screen imported restoration material to recover any material that can be recycled and put to a beneficial use off-site. The restoration material would typically comprise the unrecyclable fraction of the inert waste stream e.g. clays and clay rich soils. Other inert material such as concrete and rubble that arises from construction, demolition and excavation projects and is imported to the site in mixed loads would, where practicable, be separated and recycled.
2.9
To support the restoration and recycling operations, site infrastructure including the erection of a temporary building containing a workshop and office, a weighbridge, a concrete pad, aggregate bays a car park would be provided. Bin storage areas and a wheel wash would also be provided.
Proposed Restoration
2.10 All site operations would cease and the restoration would be complete by 2046, which accords with the planning permission TCP/693/R.
Figure 5 Proposals for phased restoration
5
2.5
The proposed development principally comprises the restoration of Downend Chalk Pit to chalk downland through the utilisation of suitable inert material. The restoration works would be supported with ancillary chalk extraction and aggregates recycling activities.
2.6
The proposed restoration masterplan also allows for the retention of the existing rifle club facility, provision of a public car park for visitors to the adjacent Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve, and creation of a new public access area of ecological and educational interest adjacent to this car park. Furthermore some of the existing chalk face would be retained to create biodiversity interest and ensure a reference to the historical use of the site is maintained.
2.7
To deliver chalk downland habitat the top ~ 0.5m of restoration would comprise chalk cover. It is proposed that the chalk required to provide this cover is extracted from the site.
DOWNEND CHALK PIT
ECOLOGICAL REPORT - Site Description and Setting
Desk Study Results
Designated site summary
Local Record Centre (LRC) Data 2.11 Information was received from the IW Local Records Centre regarding sites and species of conservation importance.
2.21 Figure 6 shows that there are 17 Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation wholly or partly within 2km of the site. Figure 7 shows their distribution. The closest is Arreton Downs north, separated from the site by the Downs Road.
2.12 Common lizard, slow worm, adder, grass snake and common toad have all been recorded within 2km of the site, primarily from St, George’s Down to the west, and Staplers Road sites to the north-west. 2.13 A suite of lowland farmland species, including linnet, yellowhammer, grey partridge and turtle dove, is recorded within 2km, concentrated around Mersley Down to the east of the site. 2.14 Plant species fall into 3 groups:
Calcareous grassland species, including the WCA schedule 8 early gentian, from Arreton Down SSSI.
Lowland heathland species from the Blackwater and St. George’s Down quarries to the west.
Arable weed species from farmland north and east on the chalk, and south and west on the greensand.
2.15 86 species of invertebrate of note are recorded within 2km, again grouping around the St. George’s heathlands, Arreton Down and chalk sites to the north and east, and farmland and wetland in the Yar valley to the south. 2.16 Arreton Down supports a population of field crickets, introduced to the site in 1999. 2.17 11 species of bat are recorded within 2km, concentrated in and around the Briddlesford Copse SAC and SSSI to the north. 2.18 Brown Hare is recorded from Arreton Down and farmland to the south of the site. 2.19 There are 22 records of dormouse, across 14 km squares; and 56 records for red squirrel across 27 km squares. 2.20 Japanese knotweed is recorded from Duxmore Farm (Bestival site) north of the Downs Road.
6
Figure 6 locally designated sites within 2km of Downend
2.22 Figure 8 shows the site in the context of national landscape and wildlife designations. The site is set entirely within the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is enclosed on three sides by the Arreton Down SSSI. Briddlesford Copse SSSI is 1.5 km to the northeast. 2.23 Figure 9 shows sites designated at international level within 2 km of the site. The Briddlesford Copse SAC is 1.5 km to the north-east.
DOWNEND CHALK PIT
ECOLOGICAL REPORT - Site Description and Setting
Figure 7 Local designations (SINCs) within 2 km of Downend
7
Figure 8 National Designations within 2km of Downend – Inset – Arreton Down SSSI status
DOWNEND CHALK PIT
ECOLOGICAL REPORT - Site Description and Setting
Figure 9 International sites within 2 kim of Downend
Figure 10 Woodland and Tree Features within 1 km of the site
2.24 There are no woodland or tree features of significance on the site.
8
DOWNEND CHALK PIT
2.25 Figure 11 shows the distribution of priority habitats within 1 km of the site. The dominant feature is the calcareous grassland within which the chalk pit is set.
Figure 11 Priority Habitat Inventory showing the dominance of calcareous grassland as an influence on the site
9
ECOLOGICAL REPORT - Site Description and Setting
DOWNEND CHALK PIT
ECOLOGICAL REPORT - Site Photography
3 Site Photography
Figure 12 Panorama, looking south, showing the inert waste stockpiles, the skip storage area and the isolated knotweed control area (centre)
Figure 13 Panorama looking north-east, showing the works access and the knotweed quarantine
10
DOWNEND CHALK PIT
ECOLOGICAL REPORT - Site Photography
Figure 14 Knotweed appearing from track edges prior to quarantine fencing
11
DOWNEND CHALK PIT
ECOLOGICAL REPORT - Survey Results and Recommendations
4 Survey Results and Recommendations
Figure 15 Site habitats and key features
12
DOWNEND CHALK PIT
ECOLOGICAL REPORT - Survey Results and Recommendations
Feature, relevant legislation and description
Impacts and discussion
Recommendations
Designated conservation sites
The development is 4km the Solent and Southampton Water SPA but there are no features of the proposed development and restoration likely to impact upon the designation’s qualifying species.
The proposals for operations within the chalk pit do not impose new or unusual disturbance to the site. The areas proposed for alteration, reworking and re-profiling have been subject to deep chalk extraction and landfill works.. The gun club land and western scrub and car park, will similarly remain largely unaltered though under a regime of improved management.
The Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats 1979; The Convention on Biological Diversity 1993; The Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981; The EC Habitats Directive 1992. The site is approximately 2 km south of the Briddlesford Copse woodland SAC The site is enclosed on 3 sides by the Arreton Down SSSI. There are 17 SINCs within 2km of the site. The nearest is C179 Arreton Down north, separated from the site by the Downs Road.
There are no significant changes proposed to the operational regime approved in extant Planning Permissions. There are no likely impacts upon the Briddlesford SAC or its bat fauna. The final restoration of the quarry downland, and the interim management of the site’s west end for enhanced biodiversity are both likely to provide improved forage for bats in time. The site is almost enclosed by the surrounding Arreton Down SSSI. There are no significant changes to the operational regime previously approved, but the proposed reworking of previously tipped parts of the east site has prompted a recommendation for a protective 10m buffer along the downslope/southern perimeter where the pit joins the HIWWT reserve fenceline. This working buffer is to be carried over into permanent landscape restoration. There are no significant impacts on groundwater hydrology anticipated from the proposed operations and restoration. These matters are dealt with in detail in hydrology reports accompanying the application. The long-term restoration of the site presents a very significant opportunity to recreate chalk downland on a large scale, and to connect north-south between units 1 and 2 of the Arreton Down SSSI. This will extend priority habitats and build capacity for more coherent conservation management incorporating unit 1 (currently assessed as ‘unfavourable declining’). There are no direct connections between the site and any SINC within 2km. The closest SINC is Arreton Down North, 50m north, separated by the Downs Road. There are no significant changes to operational working on the site, no new lighting, no changed routines of vehicular movements locally such that the working and final restoration of the chalk pit would impact upon the closest SINCs. The site is entirely covered by the AONB designation. The activity of the working site remains essentially unchanged from previously approved Planning Permissions Vegetation has been cleared back from the site, including the removal of some sycamore from the southern boundary. But overall, the site’s character and its relationship with its setting remains the same. The restoration plan will, over time, recreate the downland slope, retaining a chalk scarp and cliff face, and encouraging a knitting together of the downland turf north and south of the chalk pit. Landscaping proposals will need to provide a nurse cover for developing chalk flora and a screening of native shrub species along the southern bund.
Trees and Woodland Tree Preservation Orders There are no TPOs on the site. There are some scattered small sycamore and oak, heavily wind-pruned and some regrown from past cutting.
13
Historical operational activity across the site has reduced southern boundary tree cover and the proposals for bunding and a retained and replanted buffer along the HIWWT fenceline provide an opportunity to re-establish a suitable mix of downland species, both as habitat and as sympathetic landscape screening.
The restoration proposals offer a significant opportunity to recreate a calcareous flora to connect existing but severed SSSI units. There are therefore no significant deleterious impacts upon nearby designated landscapes and habitats considered likely as a consequence of the proposals for Downend. A Landscape and Environment Management Plan (LEMP) will provide details of final surface treatment on infilled and chalk-capped new downland sections, nurse seed mixes, southern buffer and bund construction and shrub and tree planting across the site as it is restored. The LEMP will also provide conservation management details for the western scrub block, combining with the carpark to create a ‘pocketpark’ early in process of restoration. The southern buffer and screening bund should be secured and planted prior in the first phase of site works following planning permission. A close working relationship with both the wildlife trust (Arreton Down) and the local heritage trust (Michael Morey’s Hump) will be be essential throughout the scheme. New tree planting should include oak and field maple, species well-established on adjacent sites. The LEMP will provide landscape and planting specifications.
DOWNEND CHALK PIT
ECOLOGICAL REPORT - Survey Results and Recommendations
Feature, relevant legislation and description
Impacts and discussion
Recommendations
Grassland
The remaining areas of established chalk grassland are now at the west end of the site, within the parts of the site to be left unaltered by the operational life of the chalk pit, or its phased restoration.
The LEMP will provide details of final surface treatments across phased downland recreation. It will also provide scheme of conservation management for retained scrub and chalk grassland areas at the west end of the site.
Wildlife & Countryside Act; IW/UK BAP The previously worked parts of the site have little remaining grassland habitat. Most of the site has been reworked and reprofiled. There are lawns and glades of high-quality chalk grassland within the gun club range, these are managed by club members.
There are opportunities to introduce a more favourable conservation management regime to these areas, creating a better balance and structure between scrub ages, paths, glades and lawns. The capping and restoration of the chalk pit to recreate calcareous grassland will be a long-term exercise but will eventually reconnect the areas of the Arreton Down SSSI separated by the Downend quarry. The method and specification for the downland recreation will be based on a final surface that uses a ‘bedrock’ of crushed concrete above the clay cap, topped with at least 50 cms of raw chalk and chalky subsoil. A nurse grass seed mix will be used to provide rapid greencover over parts of the site as well as stabilising and binding loose material. Natural regeneration of chalk sward will be monitored and it may be that other measures can be deployed to accelerate the process, for example the collection of cut material from the downland SSSI used to ‘thatch’ patches of the new down and promote propagation from shed seed.
Hedges and Scrub Hedgerow Regulations1997 There are no hedgerows on the site. There is band of mixed scrub and sycamore along the south-western boundary with HIWWT land and this will be retained. There is a block of approximately 1 Ha of mixed thorn scrub and patchy downland ‘lawns’ at the west end of the site, partly leased and managed by a local gun club.
Rivers, stream and ditches Water Resources Act 1991; Land Drainage Byelaws 1981 There are no watercourses on the site.
14
There are opportunities to better manage retained chalk scrub at the west end of the site, for wildlife and to create accessible natural greenspace with opportunities for wildlife encounter. The proposed southern perimeter bund and screening/run-off buffer will be planted with suitable native shrub species.
The LEMP will provide details of the screening bund, the shrub species mix to be planted and the conservation management of the western scrub blocks for wildlife and for public access. New planting should include foodplant species for invertebrates, birds and mammals, such as guelder rose, wayfaring tree, hawthorn, dogwood, elder, dog rose and wild privet.
DOWNEND CHALK PIT
ECOLOGICAL REPORT - Survey Results and Recommendations
Feature, relevant legislation and description
Impacts and discussion
Recommendations
Ponds and other water bodies
The management of the site during its operational life and during its phased restoration, must ensure that surface drainage is retained within the site and does not flow out across the adjacent HIWWT land.
Site operational controls should protect downslope areas (Arreton Down) from run-off and associated pollution risks.
The Environment Agency has been working with the site owner under the Environmental Permitting Regulations to ensure correct measures are put in place for groundwater and aquifer protection.
The LEMP will provide dew pond designs and appropriate management prescriptions.
There are no ponds on the site. There are a number of wheel-washes and associated short drains on the south side of the site access drive.
There is an opportunity to create ephemeral and seasonal pond and pools as part of the downland restoration programme across the east end of the site. Dew ponds, swales and a variety of depressions within the surface topography can be engineered to develop a series of small wetland features. Invasive Species Wildlife & Countryside Act Schedule 9, Part 2
The two knotweed infestations are either side of the main access track as it enters the central works yard.
There are LRC records for 10 schedule 9 invasive plants within 2km of Downend.
The larger plot on the north side of the track covers large parts of a raised mound of older tipped material due to be reworked.
There are 6 records for Japanese knotweed within the same area, the closest is at Duxmore chalk pit, the Bestival access track and margins.
The smaller plot on the south side of the track is growing around a sump or drain.
Site surveys found 2 large plots of knotweed within the areas of the chalk pit.
Reptiles UK/IW BAP species; Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 Section 41; Wildlife & Countryside Act Schedule 5, Section 9; Habitat Regulations 2010 Schedule 2 There are records for the 4 native IW reptiles from the St. George’s quarries and Staplers Road sites west to the west of the site.
15
A detailed knotweed control plan will need to be agreed with the Environment Agency and combined with robust biosecurity measures for the operation of the site.
Both areas have now been demarcated with Heras fencing to prevent access by personnel or vehicles. First-stage treatment has begun using foliar spray, particularly along the track margins where new plants were seen to emerge in 2016. Advice has been provided to the site owner regarding proper biosecurity measures that need to be employed to reduce the risks of contaminated material leaving the site. The control and eradication programme proposed for the site is to dispose of all contaminated material within the existing chalk pit, and use the landfill to permanently bury it. The site owner is discussing this approach with the Environment Agency. The advantage of this approach is that it can be undertaken and completed entirely within the site ownership, monitored and, if necessary, sprayed/injected for regrowth control for as long as is required to complete the control. No surveys were undertaken within the areas of the site subject to vehicle movements and stockpiling. Continual disturbance, site reprofiling and plant movement and lack of cover throughout 2016 and the site assessment period made it unsafe for surveyors but also hostile to wildlife.
Areas of the site suitable to support populations of reptiles are retained and unaltered within the proposals for the management and restoration of the chalk pit.
The LEMP will provide details of positive conservation management for reptiles in the western scrub, grassland and cliff areas retained and managed by the site but outwith the A southern buffer strip was proposed as a refuge for any reptiles (and other wildlife) that would be operational and infill working areas. The LEMP displaced from the working areas, creating a safe interface with the HIWWT reserve land and a will also detail habitat interventions form corridor along the southern fenceline of the site affording access west to the retained scrub blocks. reptiles to be built into the recreation of downland habitat from the east end of the site. The retained areas of scrub to the west, with their habitat connectivity with the downland strip immediately above/north and the exposed south-facing chalk slope and escarpment, provides potentially important habitat for reptiles. No surveys were undertaken within the knotweed quarantine areas for biosecurity reasons. Preliminary spray treatments in these areas were arranged so as to displace any wildlife west towards the retained refuge areas.
DOWNEND CHALK PIT
Feature, relevant legislation and description
ECOLOGICAL REPORT - Survey Results and Recommendations
Impacts and discussion
Recommendations
These areas will be secured from disturbance during the operational and site restoration phases.
Any reptiles disturbed during operational activities should be removed to the gun club grounds and released.
Conservation management will be set in place in the areas directly controlled by the site owner (the roadside scrub black and car park) and through arrangements with tenants (the gun club, already managing scrub/grassland mosaic successfully).
The restoration of Downend to downland, with south-facing slopes, scree and cliff face, uneven topography with cracks and hollows, and improved connectivity with adjacent established downland turf and scrub, will greatly increase the conservation value of the site for reptiles. The construction of the southern perimeter bund, during the operational phases of the scheme, will incorporate features suitable for reptiles – rubble cores, chambers, hollows and pipes built into the slopes and running through from the works/restoration areas north to the downland south.
Amphibians UK/IW BAP species; Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 Section 41; Wildlife & Countryside Act Schedule 5, Section 9; Habitat Regulations 2010 Schedule 2.
The site has no habitats suitable for the establishment of an amphibian population. It is possible that species such as common toad will have used the site in the past, for hibernation or for foraging, post-spawning.
Any amphibians uncovered during operational activities should be removed to the western scrub block north of the car park and released.
The operational activity across the central and eastern parts of the site does not allow for wildlife colonisation or safe transit.
The LEMP will provide details of wetland creation to be incorporated into restoration designs.
There are records for toad from St. George’s Down and from Staplers Road to the west of the site.
A buffer zone of retained vegetation, rubble and scrub has been recommended, and implemented, along the southern boundary of the operational site in order to provide some refuge for displaced wildlife.
There are no permanent waterbodies on the site.
The western retained scrub, grassland and cliff habitats will continue to provide refuge and foraging areas for amphibians and the restoration plans for the eastern and central site will include the creation of dew ponds and attenuation swales, adding seasonal wetland habitat available to amphibians.
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DOWNEND CHALK PIT
ECOLOGICAL REPORT - Survey Results and Recommendations
Feature, relevant legislation and description
Impacts and discussion
Recommendations
Birds
The central and eastern operational areas of the site have been too regularly disturbed and reworked to provide persistent habitat, refuge or forage for birds. There may be opportunistic use of parts of the working site.
There are no significant impacts on bird populations likely as a consequence of the operational or restoration proposals.
The western scrub, cliff and grassland areas to be retained can provide an improving mosaic of breeding, roosting and feeding areas under conservation management.
There are significant opportunities for habitat creation and positive conservation management for birds across the retained and restored areas of the site.
Birds of Conservation Concern: Red/Amber Lis; UK/IW BAP species; Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 Section 41; Wildlife & Countryside Act Schedule 1 (protects all nesting birds). There are records of lowland farmland species, including priority red list species such as turtle dove, within 2 km of the site, concentrated around the Duxmore-Mersley downland ridge.
There is anecdotal evidence of kestrel and little owl breeding within the main chalk pit. Kestrels were observed around the site during 2016 but no confirmed breeding site was located. The chalk pit is a very large area and will remain inaccessible to people or plant for many years, even under the infill and restoration programme proposed. Evidence from nearby sites such as Knighton Sandpit, is that cliff-nesters can continue to use active quarry sites. The chalk pit will be monitored during the restoration phase in order to better anticipate any particular interventions required to secure and/or replicate nesting niches in the retained cliff line post-infill.
The LEMP will provide details of new planting for bird forage. This should include: elder, guelder rose, privet, hawthorn and honeysuckle.
The landscaping proposals, the management of the western scrub blocks, and the creation of the southern bund, all provide opportunities to increase permanent forage, refuge and breeding habitats within the site. The final restoration of the central and eastern site to downland will eventually increase habitat availability to ground nesting species such as meadow pipit and skylark. Plants Wildlife & Countryside Act; Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 Section 41. There are communities of high-priority downland, heathland and arable weed floras within 2 km of the site, concentrated around St. George’s Down and the Blackwater quarries, Arreton Down, and the ArretonMerstone arable belt.
Downend has been excavated within Arreton Down and is enclosed by calcareous grassland and scrub habitats of SSSI quality. The western scrub/turf/cliff mosaic replicates, in smaller patches, some of this quality and there is great scope to improve and extend areas of species-rich habitat.
The LEMP will provide details of habitat creation through site restoration to chalk downland across the previously worked areas of the chalk pit.
The worked areas of the site are too heavily disturbed to allow plant communities to establish other than in small patches, but these are likely to be reworked or altered during normal operations.
The LEMP will also provide conservation management prescriptions for the retained west end scrub and grassland mosaics.
The chalk cliffs within the main pit and running along the north wall of the site support typical downland species such as kidney vetch, horseshoe vetch and salad burnet. Restoration plans have been amended to retain a 5m cliff along the length of the central and eastern works areas. The restoration plans for the site, recreating 5.5 Ha of chalk downland, connecting blocks of SSSI on either side, offer a very significant opportunity to extend the area of priority grassland habitat and encourage colonisation by calcareous species, including those of high conservation importance such as early gentian. It is important that neither the operational nor the restoration phases of the scheme adversely impact upon the adjacent downland. Site margins should be clearly demarcated and there should, be no risk of plant, machinery, personnel or waste materials being placed onto or falling or blowing onto the HIWWT land to the south and east. It is especially important that all necessary controls are put in place to prevent any run-off of materials from the chalk pit onto the downslope downland. Protocols for the management and containment of knotweed on the site must similarly pay special attention to prevention of spread onto the adjacent HIWWT SSSI land.
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DOWNEND CHALK PIT
ECOLOGICAL REPORT - Survey Results and Recommendations
Feature, relevant legislation and description
Impacts and discussion
Recommendations
Terrestrial Invertebrates Wildlife & Countryside Act; Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 Section 41; IW/UK BAP
Downend as a whole provides a broad spectrum of perennial and disturbance habitats, niches and patches across both the previously worked and retained areas of the site; some of these are likely to provide ancillary support to the core downland and chalk scrub areas of Arreton Down to the south and east, and to Duxmore and the northern downland less than 100m away.
There are nationally significant invertebrate assemblages recorded from the downland habitats adjacent to the site, on Arreton Down SSSI, and also from the lowland heathland habitats of St. George’s Down and the Blackwater quarries to the west.
The patterns of working disturbance, site reprofiling and reworking, vehicle and plant activity etc. are likely to remain broadly in line with the past regime of the chalk pit and quarry. Similarly the established and permanent scrub blocks to the west will remain unaltered under these plans other than by improving works recommended for wildlife. It is the final restoration of the site that will introduce permanent change and it is essential that this process incorporates the full range of scrub, chalk sward bare ground, cliff and scarp habitats presently represented.
The LEMP will provide details for the final surface treatment across the phased downland recreation. It will also detail conservation management for invertebrates in the retained scrub/grassland/cliff mosaics at the west end of the site.
The phased restoration plans will achieve this, establishing a sequence of successional zones alongside the conservation management of the retained scrub and grassland mosaics alongside. Landscape planting along the southern bund and elsewhere within the site, for screening and visual amenity, should use appropriate foodplant species for invertebrates.
Restoration plans will incorporate a 5m chalk cliff along the north wall of the infilled pit, connecting with the existing cliff section running across the back of the gun club and into the roadside scrub block. The landscape planting should include foodplant species providing pollen and nectar, foliage, seeds, fruit and nuts for invertebrates e.g. hazel, elder, hawthorn, guelder rose, honeysuckle, strawberry, birdsfoot trefoil. The southern perimeter bund should also incorporate features useful for invertebrates: deadwood and brash piles, bumblebee chambers.
Bats EU Habitats Directive Annex 4; Wildlife & Countryside Act Schedule 5, Section 9; Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 Section 41 priority species; Habitat Regulations 2010 Schedule 2 There are records for 11 species of bat within 2km of the site. These principally relate to the Briddlesford Copses SAC and SSSI 1.5 km to the north.
The site provides no structures or trees suitable for bat roosts and little internal habitat of value to feeding bats. The boundary features, particularly the southern perimeter at the west end, joining with the treelined route of Downend Road may be used by bats commuting within the surrounding farmland and garden hinterland to Arreton village. The previous operational activities, and the space they still occupy, willremain essentially the same. The reworking of tipped materials, landfill and excavation within operational areas are unlikely to add new disturbances to local bat populations or to commuting bats within the wider landscape. There are no plans for night-working or for external lighting on the site.
The site has no built features and is largely devoid of tree cover.
The restoration proposals offer opportunities for the creation of downland grassland and scrub and the better conservation management of those habitats to be retained. Works to increase the floristic and invertebrate value of the site may improve the usefulness of the site for foraging bats.
There are no underground features within the chalk pit, caves, mines or tunnels.
New landscape planting will incorporate ‘night garden’ species attractive to moths, beetles and other nocturnal invertebrates fed on by bats. The southern bund, with its landscaping, has the potential to create a linear feeding area connecting to the west with the tree corridor running along Downend Road.
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The LEMP will provide details of landscape planting attractive to bats, including: honeysuckle, evening primrose, mignonette and dog-rose.
DOWNEND CHALK PIT
ECOLOGICAL REPORT - Survey Results and Recommendations
Feature, relevant legislation and description
Impacts and discussion
Recommendations
Watervoles
The development must take sensible precautions to ensure that there is no run-off of materials, debris or pollutants, from the site into the ditches and watercourses to the south, feeding the Eastern Yar, an important area for water voles.
The project construction method statement will detail measures to safeguard the ‘downslope’ fields and watercourses to the south.
Hedgehogs
The operational areas provide no safe refuge or forage areas for hedgehogs.
Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 Section 41 priority species
The western scrub and grassland mosaic may provide suitable habitat. These areas are retained and will be managed for conservation and wildlife.
Any hedgehogs disturbed during operational activities should be removed to the western scrub blocks.
Wildlife & Countryside Act Schedule 5, Section 9; Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 Section 41 priority species. There are no habitats suitable for this species on the site.
There are 4 records for hedgehog from Arreton.
Brown hare
The site does not offer habitat of sufficient quality or extent for this species.
Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 Section 41 priority species. There are 12 LRC records for brown hare recorded within 2 km of the site, including from Arreton Down. Badgers Protection of Badgers Act 1992 There are 12 LRC records for badgers within 1km of the site.
Site walkover found no evidence of badger setts within the working site boundaries or within a 30m curtilage. Badger tracks cross most of the site perimeters including the cliff edge around the main pit. The operational activities and the proposals for long-term restoration do not impose any new constraints on local badger populations. The restoration of the central and eastern sections of the site to permanent grassland, and the introduction of new edible planting will both add value to the site for foraging badgers. The boundary treatments proposed will still allow badgers to access and cross the site using the bund/buffer areas.
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During operations, infill and restoration works, safeguards and precautions for the welfare of badgers should be set in place. In particular there should be no trenches or sumps or other excavations within the site left open with no means of escape provided. Landscape enhancements for badgers are recommended: supplementary forage including in the landscape planting – include apple, pear, plum, elder.
DOWNEND CHALK PIT
ECOLOGICAL REPORT - Survey Results and Recommendations
Feature, relevant legislation and description
Impacts and discussion
Recommendations
Dormice
The operational areas of the site have no habitat stable enough to support dormice.
EU Habitats Directive Annex 4; Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 Section 41 priority species; Wildlife & Countryside Act Schedule 5, Section 9; Habitat Regulations 2010 Schedule
The knotweed quarantine areas are undergoing preliminary spray treatment and are therefore both inaccessible to surveyors and hostile to wildlife.
The LEMP will provide a specification for new planting, providing increased cover and forage for wildlife including dormice. New hazel planting with honeysuckle and clematis will increase the density of food species within the site.
There are 22 LRC records for dormice within 2 km, primarily from the woodlands north of the Downs Road. Surveys on the site found 4 nests within the red line area, all in the western scrub blocks:
Dormouse survey was undertaken along the southern site perimeter and throughout the retained scrub blocks of the gun club and the car park area and along the edge of Downend Road, outside the chalk pit ownership but in habitat managed by HIWWT and connected with the western areas of the site. Although these areas are all retained within the medium and long-term restoration plans for the site, it is important to know where dormice are active in order to i) tailor habitat management accordingly, and ii) establish a sufficient buffer between the operational and restoration areas of the chalk pit and the closest known dormouse activity. 100 boxes were set out and monitored between August and November 2016. The results show no dormouse activity along the southern perimeter of the site – probably as a result of the continuous disturbance from operational activities and site works. There were several records of dormice along the roadside hedge and scrub habitats to the south. The remaining 4 records were all within the scrub blocks to be retained as part of the site’s managed green infrastructure. 3 were within the area alongside the new HIWWT car park, and one was present in the steep scrub bank between the gun club and the skip store above. This survey data has been used to inform and adjust layouts for the site operational and nonoperational areas and there is now a wider non-intervention zone (an extension of the area marked as 3 on the survey map shown) between the skip store and the gun club range. The scheme’s final layout provides for dormouse activity on the site and retains those areas necessary to sustain it. The landscape planting, and conservation management of western scrub areas, together offer opportunities for habitat enhancement for dormice, increasing forage species, creating a more varied structure within the thorn scrub and adding climbers to create dense thickets for nesting.
Red squirrels Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 Section 41 priority species; Wildlife & Countryside Act Schedule 5, Section 9
There is no significant or extensive habitat for red squirrels within the site. The western scrub blocks, adjacent to private gardens, may provide an ancillary area for forage, but the most important areas for squirrel activity nearby to the north are separated from the site by the Downs Road.
There are 56 LRC records for red squirrel within 2 km of the site.
The main areas offering semi-natural habitat for squirrels are all retained and swill be strengthened by the addition of new foodplants in the landscaping.
These are primarily from the woodland and parkland landscapes north of the Downs Road and extending to Briddlesford.
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The LEMP will provide details of landscape design and new planting for enhanced forage provision (particularly the addition of hazel).
DOWNEND CHALK PIT
Feature, relevant legislation and description
ECOLOGICAL REPORT - Mitigation by Design
Impacts and discussion
Recommendations
Green Infrastructure and Public Engagement IW Core Strategy (GI) Biodiversity 2020 The restoration and conservation management proposals for the site create significant gains for green infrastructure within the site’s red line, and important connectivity gains with adjacent GI. The re-creation of over 5.5 Ha of calcareous grassland will link sections of the Arreton Down SSSI and extending the open access resource available to the visiting public. The public access work to the western scrub areas, the introduction of new paths from the car park and the possibility of a circular route opening up from the west end, north across Unit 1 of the SSSI, east onto the HIWWT reserve and then returning west, first across the HIWWT reserve, but ultimately across recreated downland within the current site ownership, is a very valuable addition to accessible local greenspace. The connecting function of the restoration also opens the possibility of more coherent management of a larger downland unit, incorporating Michael Morey’s Hump, the new down, and the HIWWT reserve. The final restoration will deliver 6.5 Ha of now public greenspace, phased in over the life of the scheme, but delivering incremental gains to public access from the beginning. The downland recreation that dominates the restoration of the central and eastern sections of the site will be a project of great interest to many individuals, organizations and academics. Opportunities to design, engineer and monitor the construction of new downland are rare and must be fully exploited for biodiversity. Contact with the local primary school (within walking distance) is important as there will be numerous ways in which the educational value of the restoration project can be explored. Public information, interpretation and orientation are all important aspects of the project. Explaining the long-term intentions of the restoration from the start, and continuing to add new details as the scheme develops, will add value, interest and understanding to the experience of the visiting public.
5 Mitigation by Design 5.1
Ecological advice to the design team has supported the evolution of a final layout and restoration plan.
5.2
5.3
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5.4
The scheme retains and protects existing scrub, cliff and grassland communities outside the proposed and previously operational and working areas of the existing chalk pit.
The southern perimeter of the site would buffer the SSSI from the effects of operations within the chalk pit (run-off, dust etc.) by incorporating and strengthening existing scrub and tree cover at the west end, and by means of a 10m x 3m earth bund at the east end.
5.5
There is an extended buffer between the gun club and the skip store in order to maximise permanent scrub and sycamore cover between working areas and the nearest dormouse activity.
The ultimate objective of the restoration works after landfill and capping, is now to recreate high quality calcareous grassland to connect units 1 and 2 of the Arreton Down SSSI.
5.6
The infill of the chalk pit has now been amended to ensure that the north wall of the quarry retains a 5m cliff in the final restoration.
DOWNEND CHALK PIT
ECOLOGICAL REPORT - Summary of Principal Mitigation and Enhancement Actions
6 Summary of Principal Mitigation and Enhancement Actions Potential Impacts
Mitigation and Enhancement Actions
Impacts on the surrounding AONB
The layout of previous working and operational areas would be retained and gradually reduced as the chalk pit is filled, capped and returned to downland. The southern perimeter is screened with planting and earth bunding to reduce visual impacts from Arreton Down, and from footpaths and bridleways to the south. The bund, and the southern perimeter planting will be undertaken as the first phase of works under the scheme applied for.
Impacts on the surrounding SSSI
The operational phase presents no significant change to historical patterns of activity and disturbance. Early stage perimeter bunding and planting will provide additional screening and run-off protection. Long-term restoration proposals recreate 5.5 Ha of chalk downland, connecting Units 1 and 2 of the SSSI and opening new possibilities for a more comprehensive and coherent management of the Arreton/Michael Morey’s Hump landscape. The restoration method is intended to encourage natural and facilitated colonisation of the new chalk surfaces from the surrounding SSSI grassland communities.
Impacts on priority habitats and species
An additional 5.5 Ha of chalk downland will be established, including dew ponds and chalk cliff. Calcareous scrub mosaic will be managed for public and wildlife benefit and new management prescriptions will be provided to the gun club tenants to integrate their grounds maintenance programme with the wider conservation and restoration efforts.
Impacts on public enjoyment of the area
The site provides significant on-site recreational space and further signposts closely adjacent public recreational facilities and extensive accessible natural greenspace. The long-term delivery of new open access land under positive conservation management is a key objective.
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DOWNEND CHALK PIT
7 Conclusion
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7.1
The scheme for aggregate and landfill operations at Downend Chalk Pit and proposals for landscape and habitat restoration and conservation management have been considered for their ecological impacts.
7.2
There are no significant negative effects likely on habitats or species protected by policy and law. The phased restoration and management of new and retained habitats has the potential to deliver considerable benefits for biodiversity, public recreation and for the development and dissemination of ecological restoration techniques and methods.
7.3
Both habitat and access improvements will begin from phase 1 of the scheme and will be managed to deliver a timeline of incremental gains throughout the life of the project.
ECOLOGICAL REPORT - Conclusion
DOWNEND CHALK PIT
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ECOLOGICAL REPORT - Mitigation and Enhancement Plan
Mitigation and Enhancement Plan
Figure 16 Mitigation and enhancement plan
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DOWNEND CHALK PIT
ECOLOGICAL REPORT - Appendix 1 Legislation and Policy Context
9 Appendix 1
Legislation and Policy Context 9.1
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) states the purpose of the planning system as contributing to the achievement of sustainable development. There are three interdependent dimensions to sustainable development: economic, social and environmental. These dimensions give rise to the need for the planning system to perform a number of roles:
9.2
a social role – supporting strong, vibrant and healthy communities, by providing the supply of housing required to meet the needs of present and future generations; and by creating a high quality built environment, with accessible local services that reflect the community’s needs and support its health, social and cultural well-being; and
an environmental role – contributing to protecting and enhancing our natural, built and historic environment; and, as part of this, helping to improve biodiversity, use natural resources prudently, minimise waste and pollution, and mitigate and adapt to climate change including moving to a low carbon economy.
NPPF considers that the planning system should contribute to and enhance the natural and local environment by:
protecting and enhancing valued landscapes, geological conservation interests and soils;
recognising the wider benefits of ecosystem services;
minimising impacts on biodiversity and providing net gains in biodiversity where possible, contributing to the Government’s commitment to halt the overall decline in biodiversity, including by establishing coherent ecological networks that are more resilient to current and future pressures;
9.5
preventing both new and existing development from contributing to or being put at unacceptable risk from, or being adversely affected by unacceptable levels of soil, air, water or noise pollution or land instability; and remediating and mitigating despoiled, degraded, derelict, contaminated and unstable land, where appropriate.
Planning policies (NPPF section 11):
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an economic role – contributing to building a strong, responsive and competitive economy, by ensuring that sufficient land of the right type is available in the right places and at the right time to support growth and innovation; and by identifying and coordinating development requirements, including the provision of infrastructure;
9.3
9.4
plan for biodiversity at a landscape-scale across local authority boundaries;
9.6
identify and map components of the local ecological networks, including the hierarchy of international, national and locally designated sites of importance for biodiversity, wildlife corridors and stepping stones that connect them and areas identified by local partnerships for habitat restoration or creation;
When determining planning applications, local planning authorities are encouraged to conserve and enhance biodiversity by applying the following principles:
if significant harm resulting from a development cannot be avoided (through locating on an alternative site with less harmful impacts), adequately mitigated, or, as a last resort, compensated for, then planning permission should be refused;
proposed development on land within or outside a Site of Special Scientific Interest likely to have an adverse effect on a Site of Special Scientific Interest (either individually or in combination with other developments) should not normally be permitted. Where an adverse effect on the site’s notified special interest features is likely, an exception should only be made where the benefits of the development, at this site, clearly outweigh both the impacts that it is likely to have on the features of the site that make it of special scientific interest and any broader impacts on the national network of Sites of Special Scientific Interest;
development proposals where the primary objective is to conserve or enhance biodiversity should be permitted;
opportunities to incorporate biodiversity in and around developments should be encouraged;
planning permission should be refused for development resulting in the loss or deterioration of irreplaceable habitats, including ancient woodland and the loss of aged or veteran trees found outside ancient woodland, unless the need for, and benefits of, the development in that location clearly outweigh the loss.
There are three types of relevant protection:
Statutory instruments;
Statutory and non-statutory designated sites; and
Natural Environment and Rural Communities (NERC) 41 priority species and habitats
Policy DM12 of the Island Plan Core Strategy deals with Landscape, Seascape, Biodiversity and Geodiversity.
DOWNEND CHALK PIT
ECOLOGICAL REPORT - Appendix 2 Survey Methodology
Relevant Legislation Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981 (as amended)
10 Appendix 2 Provides a range of protection relating to wild birds, other animals, and plants. Breeding birds - selected species Schedule 1 and 8; reptiles - Schedule 5 (partial protection); Great crested newts, water vole and bats Schedule 5; 69 invertebrate species.
The Countryside and Rights of Way Act, 2000
Strengthens the protection of SSSIs and protected species. Some provisions have now been superseded by the NERC Act 2006.
The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 (as amended)
Great crested newts and bats Schedule 2
The Natural Environment and Rural Communities (NERC) Act (2006)
Imposes a duty for public bodies to conserve biodiversity, including a requirement for the Secretary of State to compile a list of habitats and species of principal importance for the purpose of conserving biodiversity.
Birds Directive (1979)
Establishes a comprehensive network of special protection areas and bans activities that directly threaten birds.
Habitats Directive (2010)
Protects species and habitats and gives special protection special areas of conservation (SACs) which form part of the natura 2000 network. Transposed into national law under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010.
EIA Directive (1997)
Ensures that environmental consequences of developments are identified and assessed prior to consent. Transposed into national law under the EIA Regulations 1999.
EU Water Framework Directive (WFD)
Integrates the way water bodies are managed throughout Europe. Aims to enhance the status and prevent further deterioration of aquatic ecosystems and to reduce pollution of water bodies.
Protection of Badgers Act 1992.
Protects badgers from cruelty including injury, killing and disturbance.
National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949
Hedgerow Regulations (1997)
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Provided the framework for creating national parks, areas of outstanding natural beauty and local nature reserves. Provides criteria for identifying “Important hedgerows” .and provisions for protection of hedgerows.
Survey Methodology 10.1 The assessment of potential risks to the site’s ecological value through the proposed development is carried out in three stages: 10.2 Stage 1: Desk-based Assessment draws information from the following sources: Local Records Centre search; SSSI citations from Natural England and MAGIC website environmental GIS data 10.3 Stage 2: Surveyors conduct an Ecological Walkover Assessment including a Protected Species Risk Assessment to assess site potential for species and habitats protected by policy and law. Further species specific surveys may then be required to achieve a necessary understanding of ecological constraints and opportunities. 10.4 Stage 3: Production of a site overview highlighting followed by discussions with architects, developers and other specialists, evolving the scheme design to achieve policy and legal compliance. This will include no net loss of biodiversity or ecological functionality, the identification of opportunities for ecological enhancement, and the consideration of wildlife encounter, environmental awareness and enjoyment as ecosystem services. Limitations 10.5 Ecological investigations are limited by factors which affect the presence/visibility of plants and animals. These include time of year, weather, accessibility, ground cover, migration patterns and behaviour. Ecology surveyors are experienced in looking for signs and potential for species even in their absence. The results of the survey are sufficient to assess ecological value, evaluate the impacts of the proposed development and consideration of appropriate mitigation measures. 10.6 Site appraisal and survey took place over a period of visits and throughout the 2016 season and there no limitations to survey conclusions at the time of writing.