Loading

The Issue

An outline planning application to Bassetlaw District Council Local Planning Authority for the creation of a scheme of residential units was refused. Within the decision notice for the site, the planning authority officer stated the development had not demonstrated that it would not adversely affect or result in the loss of features of recognised importance such as protected hedgerows, Local Wildlife Sites and protected species, citing local planning policy and the National Planning Policy Framework.

Ecological constraints at the site included a Local Wildlife Site grassland verge which was present adjacent to the site boundary. The hedgerows at the site met the criteria for Natural Environment and Rural Communities (NERC) Act 2006 – Habitats of Principal Importance.

Our Solution

Elton Ecology were commissioned to carry out a Preliminary Ecological Appraisal of the site, which included:

  • A Desk Study including a study of online resources for sites of nature conservation, and a data consultation with the Nottinghamshire Biological & Geographical Records Centre (NBGR) for historical ecological records at the site and surrounding area.
  • A Phase 1 Habitat Survey was undertaken compiling a botanical species list to classify the habitats at the site, which was extended to consider protected species such as badger and great crested newt.

We appraised four different potential access route options for the proposed scheme, setting out access options which could be used to avoid impacts to the adjacent Local Wildlife Site and allow the hedgerows at the site to be retained. No evidence of protected species was recorded at the site.

It was considered that ecological impacts via loss of the remaining habitats at the site would be mitigated and compensated for by the scheme of landscaping and tree planting which were proposed within the development at the site.

We determined that via simple avoidance, mitigation and enhancement measures, there would not be significant impacts on ecological features. We issued an Ecological Appraisal Report setting out our findings and the avoidance measures for the scheme to the client, to address the concerns raised by the Local Planning Authority.