‘The Square’ Beeston Town Centre,...

‘TheSquare’BeestonTownCentre,Nottingham

ProtectedSpeciesAssessment

ReportReference:BG106

PreparedforHenryBootDevelopmentLimited

December2012

BG/PPA/106 BG106 Protected Species Assessment

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LIABILITY Brindle&GreenhaspreparedthisreportforthesoleuseofHenryBootDevelopmentsLimitedinaccordancewiththeagreementunderwhichourserviceswereperformed.Nowarranty,expressorimplied,ismadeastotheadviceinthisreportoranyotherserviceprovidedbyus.ThisreportmaynotberelieduponbyanyotherpartyexceptHenryBootDevelopmentsLimitedandagentoranythirdpartyforwhomthereportisintendedwithout

thepriorwrittenpermissionofBrindle&Green.Thecontentofthisreportis,atleastinpart,baseduponinformationprovidedbyothersandontheassumptionthatallrelevantinformationhasbeenprovidedbythosepartiesfromwhomithas

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‘The Square’ Beeston Town Centre, Nottingham‐ Protected Species Assessment

BG106

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brindlegreen.co.uk

Brindle&GreenEcologicalConsultantsspecialiseindeliveringhighqualityandaffordableecologicalsurveysandreports‐tailoredfortheirsuitabilityforinformingplanningapplications.

Brindle&Greensurveyorshavethenecessaryexperience,technicalability,qualificationsandaccreditationstomeetthehighdemandsincreasinglyenforcedbyLocalAuthoritiesandNatural

England.

Surveysareundertakenagainsttherecognisedguidelinesforthespeciesorhabitatsbeingstudied.

Brindle&Greenreportsareuniquelydesignedtoprovidethereaderwiththebestpossibleunderstandingofourclient’sproposalsandtoensurethattheinformationrequestedbytheLocal

PlanningAuthorityiseasilyfoundandunderstood.

ThisreporthasbeenpreparedinaccordancewiththeInstituteofEcologyandEnvironmentalManagements(IEEM)ProfessionalIssueSeries13,GuidanceforEcologicalReportWriting.

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CONTENTSProjectSummaryTable 5ReportSummary 6Introduction 9Background 9Scopeofthisreport 9Limitations 9PolicyFramework 10SitePlans 11 SiteContext 12Methodologies 13DeskStudy 13Phase1HabitatSurvey 13ProtectedSpeciesAssessment 14AnalysisofResults 15Conclusions 15Recommendations 21References 22Appendix1:PlansAppendix2:Photographs


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1ProjectSummaryTable

Proposal Theredevelopmentof‘TheSquare’withaseriesofunitstoberetainedandimprovedandotherstobedemolished‐sometomakewayfordevelopmentandotherstomakewayforanewtramlineinthearea.

GridReference SK5283536807ProtectedSpeciesPresenceConfirmedonsite

None

Mitigation NoneEnhancement Optionsforecologicalenhancement

ofthesiteislimitedduetoitahighdensityofbuildingsinacitycentrelocation.Possibilityofbatboxesandbirdboxesonwallsandanytreesthatremainaroundtheperimeterofthesite.

ProtectedHabitatsonSite NoAdditionalinputworkrequired

None

ProjectTitle TheSquare,Beestontowncentre‐ProtectedSpeciesAssessment

ProjectNumber BG106Surveyor(s) Christopher Needham BSc Hons MSc

MIEEM

ReportAuthor(s) Christopher Needham BSc Hons MScMIEEMNCroftsBScHons

PreliminarySurveys ProtectedSpeciesAssessment(inc)batbuildings&birds

AdditionalSurveys NoneDateofSurveys PreliminarySurvey‐30/11/12

SurveyGuidelinesAdheredToo

JNCC(2007)HandbookforPhase1HabitatSurvey–ATechniqueforEnvironmentalAudit.EnglandFieldUnit,NatureConservancyCouncil.ReprintedbyJointNatureConservationCommittee,Peterborough.BCTBatConservationTrustGoodPracticeGuidelinesRevised2012

DeskStudyRequested No


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2.0ReportSummary2.1 Brindle&GreenEcologicalConsultantswascommissionedbyHenryBootDevelopmentsLimitedtoassesspotentialecologicalconstraintsfromthe

possiblepresenceofprotectedspeciesat‘TheSquare’locatedinthecentreofBeestoninNottingham.2.2 Thisreporthasbeenpreparedtoinformaplanningapplicationfortheredevelopmentofthesite.‘TheSquare’isanexistingshoppingcentresplit

intomanyseparateunits.Manyoftheseunitswillremainaspartofthecurrentproposalsalthoughsomeofthesewillberenovated.Anumberofunitswillbedemolishedtomakewayforrenovationsbutalsotoaccommodatethatrouteofanewtramlinethatwillrunthroughthearea.

2.3 Thelocationofthesitecanbeseeninsection4ofthisreport.2.4 Thesitecomprisesanexistingshoppingcentre,datingbacktothe1960’s‐70’s.Thereareanumberofresidentialdwellingsonsiteintheformof

rooftopapartments‐locatedonthetopflooroftheshoppingcentre.2.5 Thesiteisnotgreenwedgeandisnotcoveredbyanystatutoryornon‐statutorydesignations.2.6 Awalkoverofthesitewasundertakenonthe30thNovember2012byasuitablyqualifiedecologistinordertoidentifythekeyhabitatsonsite.The

sitewalkoveralsoevaluatedthepotentialthatthesitehadforsupportingprotectedspecies.2.7 Basedonthehabitatsfoundtobepresent,theprotectedspeciesconsideredonthissitewerebatsandbirds.2.8 Theprincipalhabitatson sitewerebuildings andhard standing.This site represents anecologicalpoorhabitatwith little tono connectivity to

greenerareas.Thereisachurchlocatedtotheeastofthesitewhichisborderedbysomegreenery.Thisisoutsideoftheredlineplanandtheextentoftheprotectedspeciesassessment.

2.9 Basedontheresultsofthesiteassessment(providedinthisreport)nofurthersurveyworkhasbeenrecommendedinrelationtobirdsonthissite.2.10 Thebuildingsonsitewereassessedfortheirpotentialtosupportroostingbats.2.11 No evidence of batswas identified during the site assessment and no further surveys have been recommendation in relation to bats and this

application.2.12Whilst the site is likely to remain heavily developed itmust be noted thatwhere possible, landscape proposals should include native planting

suggestions,ideallymakinguseofspeciesthatbenefitpollinatorssuchasbeesandbutterflies.


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2.13Basedontheresultsofthesitesurveysthisreportconcludesthatthesitedoesnotpresentanyconstraintstothisapplicationwithrespect

to ecology. It is suggested that a condition be written in to any planning permission granted with the aim of securing ecologicalenhancementforthecompleteddevelopmentwherepossible;althoughitisacceptedthatthisislikelytobelimited.


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3 IntroductionBackground

3.1 Brindle&GreenwascommissionedbyHenryBootDevelopmentsLimitedtoassesspotentialecologicalconstraintsfromthepossiblepresenceof

protectedspeciesat‘TheSquare’locatedinBeestontowncentre,Nottingham.Thesurveyfindingsarepresentedinthisreport,togetherwithapreliminaryassessmentoftheecologicalstatusofthesite,toidentifyinparticular:

anypotentiallysignificantecologicalconstraintsthatmayaffectanyworksonsite;and recommendedfurthersurveys.

Scopeofthisreport

3.2 This report isbasedonadesk top studyand field surveyusing standard surveymethodology.This approachhasbeendesigned to identify thepresenceoforpotentialfornotablehabitatsandthepotentialforprotectedspecies.Weapplythemostwidelyusedandprofessionallyrecognisedmethodsforinitialecologicalsiteappraisal.

3.3 Aprotected speciesassessment first seeks toestablishwhich species shouldbe considered tohavepotential tobepresent.This isbasedonan

evaluationofthehabitatsonsiteandbuildsontheskillofthesurveyor(s)combinedwithrecognisedguidanceforeachspeciesgroup. Atthisstage,adecisioncanbemadeastowhetherthehabitatsonsitewarrantfurtherinvestigationofaparticularspeciesgroupornot.3.4 Theprimaryfocusofthisassessmentendedupbeinginrelationtobats.ThebatbuildingassessmentwasundertakenagainstBCTBatConservation

TrustGoodPracticeGuidelinesRevised2012.

Limitations3.5 It shouldbenoted thatwhilsteveryefforthasbeenmade toprovideacomprehensivedescriptionof thesite,no investigationcouldensure the

completecharacterisationandpredictionofthenaturalenvironment.ThispreliminaryecologicalassessmentdoesnotconstituteafullbotanicalsurveyoraPhase2preconstructionsurveyoraccurateGISmappingforinvasiveorprotectedplantspecies.Theassessmentprovidesapreliminaryviewofthelikelihoodofprotectedspeciesoccurringonthesite,basedonthesuitabilityofthehabitat,knowndistributionofthespeciesinthelocalareaprovidedinresponsetoourenquiriesandanydirectevidenceonthesite.Itshouldnotbetakenasprovidingafullanddefinitivesurveyofanyprotectedspeciesgroup.Itisonlyvalidatthetimethesurveywascarriedout.


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4 RegulatoryandPolicyFramework

NationalPlanningPolicyFramework4.1 TheFrameworkisguidanceforlocalplanningauthoritiesonthecontentoftheirLocalPlans,butisalsoamaterialconsiderationindetermining

planningapplications.TheNPPFhasreplacedmuchexistingplanningpolicyguidance,includingPlanningPolicyStatement9:BiologicalandGeologicalConservation.However,thegovernmentcircular06/05:BiodiversityandGeologicalConservation‐StatutoryObligationsandTheirImpactwithinthePlanningSystem,whichaccompanied,PPS9remainsvalid.

4.2 TheNPPFplacesmuchemphasisonsustainabledevelopment,andstatesthatthisgivesrisetotheneedfortheplanningsystemtoperforma

numberofroles,suchas‘improvingbiodiversity’.ThespecificpolicieswithintheFrameworkwhichrelatetobiodiversitytendtoreaffirmtheprotectionpreviouslyaffordedthroughPPS9todesignatedsites,priorityhabitatsandpriorityspecies,ancientwoodlandandveterantrees.WithintheFramework,moreemphasisisplacedonecologicalnetworksthaninPPS9,requiringtheircreationratherthansimplymaintenanceandrepair.TheFrameworkalsostatesthattheplanningsystemshouldprovideanetgainforbiodiversitywhereverpossible,andcontributetotheGovernment’scommitmenttohaltthelossofbiodiversity;whichwerenotspecificallyrequiredunderPPS9.However,theFrameworkplaceslessemphasisonlegallyprotectedspeciesthanPPS9,referringinsteadtotheneedtomaintainbiodiversityandtheprotectionofpriorityspecies,presumablythoselistedintheUKBiodiversityActionPlan.

4.3 Theprotectionaffordedtowildlifeonproposeddevelopmentsitesthroughplanningpolicyappearslargelyunchanged.Therearestillrequirements

toavoid,mitigateandcompensateforsignificantharmtobiodiversityandprotectSitesofSpecialScientificInterestandirreplaceablehabitats,suchasancientwoodland.

4.4 ArticlesofBritishwildlifeandcountrysidelegislation,policyguidanceandbothLocalandNationalBiodiversityActionPlans(BAPs)maybereferred

tointhisdocument.Thearticlesoflegislationare: TheWildlifeandCountrysideAct1981(asamended); TheConservationofHabitatsandSpeciesRegulations2010; ECCouncilDirectiveontheConservationofWildBirds79/409/EEC; NationalParksandAccesstotheCountrysideAct1949; TheProtectionofBadgersAct1992; TheCountrysideandRightsofWayAct2000; TheNaturalEnvironmentandRuralCommunitiesAct2006; TheUnitedKingdomBiodiversityActionPlan2006; TheLocalBiodiversityActionPlan(LBAP).

AfullversionoftheNPFF(27thMarch2012)canbefoundonthefollowinglink…..

http://www.communities.gov.uk/planningandbuilding/planningsystem/planningpolicy/planningpolicyframework/


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5 SitePlans

Fig1.OSPlandepictingthelocationof‘TheSquare’markedbytheblack

arrow.Fig2.ExtractfromGoogleMaps‐Satelliteimageofthesite(inyellow)

Fig3.Issuedredlineboundaryplan Fig4.Issuedplanofproposedtramrouteinrelationto‘TheSquare’


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6 Sitecontextandstatus6.1 ThesiteislocatedinthecentreofBeestoninNottingham6.2 PlansofthesitecanbeseeninSection5andinAppendix1.6.3 Thesitecomprisesamatrixofunits,mostlyretailwithinatowncentresetting.Anumberofresidentialdwellingsarelocatedonthetopfloorofthe

shoppingcentreintheformofresidentialdwellings.6.4 ThesiteisnotclassifiedasGreenBelt.6.5 Thesitedoesnotappeartosupportanystatutoryornonstatutorydesignations.6.6 Thehabitatspresentonsitecomprisebuildingsandhardstanding.6.7 AmasterplanfortheredevelopmentofBeestontowncentreidentifiestheChurchadjacentto‘TheSquare’asbeingthefocusforopengreenspace

whichisoutsideofthescopeofthisstudy.


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7 Methodologies

Phase1HabitatSurvey

ProtectedSpeciesAssessment7.1 Anassessmentofthesitespotentialforsupportingprotectedspecieswasundertaken.Theprocessfordeterminingthoseprotectedspeciesgroups

toinitiallyconsiderisbasedlargelyontheexperienceofthesurveyor(s)inassessingthehabitatsonsite,factorssuchasconnectivitytoothersitesandhabitatsandforagingopportunitiesarealsoimportant.

7.2 Bats

Thesitewasassessedforitsvalueinsupportingbatspecies.Thesitecontainedanumberofexistingbuildingswhichmayhavepresentedopportunitiesforbatroosting.ThebuildingsonsitewereassessedfortheirsuitabilityforbatroostingagainsttheBCTsGoodPracticeSurveyGuidelines,2ndEdition2012,theresultofwhichisdeterminedwithinthisreport.Duringthesurveythewholeperimeterofthebuildingswereexaminedforsignsofbatsandpotentialbataccess/exitpoints.Therewasnoaccessintotheinteriorofthebuildings.Most/allbuildingshaveflatfeltandconcreteroofsthatprovidenointeriorspaceforinspections.Thebuildingsweresurveyedforfeaturessuchasfractures,cracksandslippedtiles.Allpartsofthebuildingwereinvestigatedforsignsofbats,batdroppings,feedingremainssuchasmothwings,urineandfuroilstains.EquipmenttakentothesiteconsistedofLadders,CB2Clubmanmillioncandlepowerlamp,Headlamps(notused),Compass,CanonA710camera,GPSeTrex,Tallycounter(notused),OpticronVeranoBGA8X32closefocusbinoculars,Endoscope,RidgidSeeSnakeMicroCA‐100.

7.3 Reptiles

Habitatsonsitewereconsiderednegligibleforsupportingreptiles. 7.4 Badgers

Habitatsonsitewereconsiderednegligibleforsupportingbadgers. 7.5 NestingBirds

Thesitewasevaluatedforitspotentialtosupportnestingbirds.Buildingswereevaluatedforevidenceofnests.7.6 GreatCrestedNewts

HabitatsonsitewereconsiderednegligibleforsupportingGreatCrestedNewts.


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8 AnalysesofResultsConclusionsSiteAssessment8.1 Thesitecomprisesamatrixofunitsusedmainlyforretailalthoughthereareseveralresidentialdwellingsonthetopfloor.‘TheSquare’represents

afairlypoorexampleofatowncentreshoppingcomplexwhichhasbecomeverydatedandrundown.Builtaroundthe1960’s,thesiteisnowwellrundownandanumberoftheretailunitsareempty.Severalwindowsanddoorswithinthecomplexareboardedup.Thecomplexisalmostentirelybrickbuiltwithsomesectionsofconcretecladding.Althoughthecomplexoffersarangeofbuildingsofdifferentheights,theroofsareallflatandareconcreteorcoveredinroofingfelt.Thereareoccasionalsectionsofwoodenfaciabutthesewereaccessibleandweresearchedthoroughlyforbatpresence.Windowsanddoorsarewellsealed.Thesiteoffersnootherhabitats.Theadjacentchurchisborderedbysomegreenerybutthisisoutsideofthesurveyarea.Theplaninappendix1showsthecurrentarrangementofbuildingsonsiteandphotographsinappendix2willgiveabetterimpressionofthecomplex‐farmoresothanlengthydescriptionsofthebuildinganditslayout.

Bats8.2 Section7.2ofthisreportdetailsthemethodologyemployedtoassesswhetherbatsarepresentonthissite.Noevidenceofbatswasrecorded

followingthesiteassessment.Furthermore,thesiteisconsideredtobenegligibleinitsecologicalvaluewithfewfeaturestoattractwildlifeofanynotablesignificanceorvalue‐furtherlesseningthelikelihoodofthesitesupportingbats.Thesitedoesnotbenefitfromanynotablegreencorridorsthatconnectthissitetomorenotablehabitatsorecologicalfeaturesthatmayallowbatstoroostinthebuildings.

Birds8.3 Noevidenceofnestingbirdswasnotedduringthesiteassessmentthroughthepresenceofoldbird’snests.Somespeciesofbirdsareknowntonest

inheavilyurbanisedareasandsoacautiousapproachshouldbehadwhenworkingonsitebetweenthemonthsofMarch‐August.Itmustberememberedthatallspeciesofbird,theirnests,eggsandyoungareprotectedbylawintheUK.Intheeventthatabird’snestisfoundonsiteduringtheconstructionphasethenworksshouldstopimmediatelyandadvicebesoughtfromasuitablyqualifiedecologist.


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9 RecommendationsHabitats9.1 Asstatedpreviously,thehabitatsonthissiteshouldnotbeconsideredrareornotableinalocal,regionalornationalcontext.

ProtectedSpeciesBats9.2 Nobatswerefoundtobeusingthebuildingsonsiteforroosting.Intheunlikelyeventthatbatsarefoundduringtheconstructionphaseofthis

projectthenworksmuststopimmediatelyandadvicebesoughtfromasuitablyqualifiedecologist.Birds9.3 Thesiteprovideslimitedopportunitiesfornestingbirds.Intheeventthatabird’snestisfoundonsiteduringtheconstructionphasethenworks

shouldstopimmediatelyandadvicebesoughtfromasuitablyqualifiedecologist.


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ReferencesJNCC(2007)HandbookforPhase1HabitatSurvey–ATechniqueforEnvironmentalAudit.EnglandFieldUnit,NatureConservancyCouncil.ReprintedbyJointNatureConservationCommittee,Peterborough.Multi‐AgencyGeographicInformationfortheCountryside(2009)[Online]http://www.magic.defra.gov.uk/[AccessedMarch2011].NationalBiodiversityNetworkGateway(2009)NBNGateway[Online]BCTBatConservationTrustGoodPracticeGuidelines,2ndEdition2012


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Appendix1Plans


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Appendix2Photographs


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Photograph1.TheSquare,Beeston.Relativelymodernstyleshoppingprecinctprobablyconstructedduringthe1960s‐1970s.

Photograph2. Shoppingprecinct.

Photograph3.Viewofresidentialapartmentsabovetheshops

Photograph4.Retailunits


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Photograph1. Serviceyardentrance.

Photograph2. AllthebuildingsintheSquarehaveflatfeltorconcreteroofs‐notrenderedsuitableforusebybats.

Photograph3. PartofTheSquarecomplexincludesthislargerbuildingattachedtothewestsideofTheSquare.

Photograph4. Viewovertheflatroofsofthebuildings.

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