Statutory and Non-Statutory Designated Sites and Ecology

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1 Statutory and Non-Statutory Designated Sites and Ecology The National Planning Policy Framework considers the conservation and enhancement of the natural environment in chapter 11 paragraphs , where it states that: 109. 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; 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 In preparing plans to meet development needs, the aim should be to minimise pollution and other adverse effects on the local and natural environment. Plans should allocate land with the least environmental or amenity value, where consistent with other policies in this Framework Planning policies and decisions should encourage the effective use of land by re-using land that has been previously developed (brownfield land), provided that it is not of high environmental value. Local planning authorities may continue to consider the case for setting a locally appropriate target for the use of brownfield land Local planning authorities should take into account the economic and other benefits of the best and most versatile agricultural land. Where significant development of agricultural land is demonstrated to be necessary, local planning authorities should seek to use areas of poorer quality land in preference to that of a higher quality Local planning authorities should set criteria based policies against which proposals for any development on or affecting protected wildlife or geodiversity sites or landscape areas will be judged. Distinctions should be made between the hierarchy of international, national and locally designated sites, so that protection is commensurate with their status and gives appropriate weight to their importance and the contribution that they make to wider ecological networks Local planning authorities should: set out a strategic approach in their Local Plans, planning positively for the creation, protection, enhancement and management of networks of biodiversity and green infrastructure; and maintain the character of the undeveloped coast, protecting and enhancing its distinctive landscapes, particularly in areas defined as Heritage Coast, and improve public access to and enjoyment of the coast Great weight should be given to conserving landscape and scenic beauty in National Parks, the Broads and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which have the highest status of protection in relation to landscape and scenic beauty. The conservation of wildlife and cultural heritage are important considerations in all these areas, and should be given great weight in National Parks and the Broads.

2 116. Planning permission should be refused for major developments in these designated areas except in exceptional circumstances and where it can be demonstrated they are in the public interest. Consideration of such applications should include an assessment of: the need for the development, including in terms of any national considerations, and the impact of permitting it, or refusing it, upon the local economy; the cost of, and scope for, developing elsewhere outside the designated area, or meeting the need for it in some other way; and any detrimental effect on the environment, the landscape and recreational opportunities, and the extent to which that could be moderated To minimise impacts on biodiversity and geodiversity, planning policies should: plan for biodiversity at a landscape-scale across local authority boundaries; 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; promote the preservation, restoration and re-creation of priority habitats, ecological networks and the protection and recovery of priority species populations, linked to national and local targets, and identify suitable indicators for monitoring biodiversity in the plan; aim to prevent harm to geological conservation interests; and where Nature Improvement Areas are identified in Local Plans, consider specifying the types of development that may be appropriate in these Areas When determining planning applications, local planning authorities should aim 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; and the following wildlife sites should be given the same protection as European sites: potential Special Protection Areas and possible Special Areas of Conservation; listed or proposed Ramsar sites; and sites identified, or required, as compensatory measures for adverse effects on European sites, potential Special Protection Areas, possible Special Areas of Conservation, and listed or proposed Ramsar sites.

3 119. The presumption in favour of sustainable development (paragraph 14) does not apply where development requiring appropriate assessment under the Birds or Habitats Directives is being considered, planned or determined. Designated Sites There are a number of statutory and non-statutory designated sites around the Ditchling, Streat and Westmeston area as shown in Fig 1. The boundary of the South Downs National Park, which is shown on the map as the dark green line, encompasses Ditchling, Streat and Westmeston but does not extend as far as St Georges Retreat. The nearest European Designated sites are the Lewes Downs Special Area of Conservation, which is about 13km to the east of Ditchling, and Castle Hill Special Area of Conservation, which is approximately 8km to the south east Ditchling (not shown on map). The Lewes Downs SAC is a chalk grassland site consisting largely of Festuca ovina Avenula pratensis and Bromus erectus calcareous grasslands. This site contains an important assemblage of rare and scarce orchids, including early spider-orchid Ophrys sphegodes, burnt orchid Orchis ustulata and musk orchid Herminium monorchis. The colony of burnt orchid is one of the largest in the UK. The Castle Hill SAC is a chalk grassland site consisting of a mosaic of calcareous semi-natural dry grasslands, notably Festuca ovina Avenula pratensis grassland, Bromus erectus grassland and Brachypodium pinnatum grassland. Castle Hill s important assemblage of rare and scarce species

4 includes early spider-orchid Ophrys sphegodes and burnt orchid Orchis ustulata. The colony of early spider-orchid is one of the largest in the UK. To the north is Ditchling Common Site of Special Scientific Interest. This site on Weald Clay contains a range of grassland types which have resulted from the wide variation in drainage conditions. The flora includes a number of locally uncommon plants. To the south is Clayton to Offham Escarpment Site of Special Scientific Interest. This extensive site lies on the chalk escarpment and dip slope of the South Downs. The nationally uncommon chalk grassland habitat dominates much of the site but woodland and scrub is better represented here than on the other chalk sites in East Sussex. The site supports a rich community of breeding birds. National and Local Nature Reserves There are no National Nature Reserves near to the Plan area. The nearest Local Nature Reserve is Stanmer Park and Coledean LNR which is approximately 5 km to the south of Ditchling. Wild Park and Ladies Mile Open Space LNRs are both approximately 5.5 km from Ditchling. Stonywish nature reserve is located along Spatham Lane and much of Ditchling Beacon is owned and managed by Sussex Wildlife Trust and the National Trust. Sites of Geological Interest There are no sites of geological interest near to the Plan area. Habitats Woodland - There are several important areas of Ancient woodland in the Plan area, as shown by the green shaded areas that are bordered in orange in Fig 2, below. This is a Biodiversity Action Plan priority habitat. The dark green areas are areas of young woodland and there are several areas of deciduous woodland which is also a BAP priority habitat. (Need better maps and a key), and there are several traditional orchards. Grassland there are several areas of undetermined grassland, particularly around Lodge Hill and Nye Lane, which is a Biodiversity Action Plan habitat, along with extensive areas of chalk grassland along the length of the South Downs, which also a BAP Habitat. Species Details regarding specific rare and protected species that have been recorded in the plan area can be obtained from the Sussex Biodiversity Records Centre ( There may be a charge for this data but we may be able to obtain it through the SDNPA who are partners so we may get it for a reduced fee or free,

5 Further Sources of Information Citations for designated sites Sussex Biodiversity Records Centre Biodiversity Action Plans Habitat and Species Action Plans Specific reports held by Sussex Wildlife Trust, Natural England, SDNPA? Issues to Consider The possible need for a habitats regulations assessment to assess any impacts of the plan in relation to the features of the European Designated Sites Potential impacts on the SSSIs Implications of development affecting local ecological interest