Special Protection Area Technical Background Document
The Habitats Regulations require competent authorities to assess whether a project is likely to cause ‘a significant effect’ on a Natura 2000 site. If this is likely, the authority must carry out an ‘Appropriate Assessment’. The assessment must consider the implications for the European Site “in view of that site’s conservation objectives”.
Under the terms of the Habitats regulations, Local Development Documents produced by the local authority are subject to the requirements of the Habitats Regulations. An Appropriate Assessment of the Core Strategy Development Plan Document was therefore carried out by the local authority pursuant to Article 6(3) of the Habitats Directive and as a background document to support its Core Strategy DPD (Submission). This document is referred to as the SPA Technical Background Document to the Core Strategy DPD and includes the Appropriate Assessment of the Core Strategy DPD (Submission) and an Avoidance and Mitigation Strategy.
The Appropriate Assessement of the Core Strategy DPD (Submission), establishes that:
- all developments within 400m of the SPA boundary, and
- residential development within 5km of the SPA boundary
have the potential to lead to an adverse effect on the integrity of the Thames Basin Heaths SPA. For most developments, it will be possible to avoid this, if they are carried out together with appropriate avoidance and mitigation strategies; some of which include
- Enhancement of appropriate existing open spaces in the Borough, which are predominantly Council-owned and/or managed;
- Managing access of current visitors to the SPA;
- Provision of new semi-natural open space as part of larger strategic sites;
- Restrictions on ownership of dogs in appropriate developments;
- Education to raise awareness of the importance and sensitivity of the SPA;
- Requirement for detailed Appropriate Assessments for development within 400m of the SPA;
- No loss of bird feeding habitats within 400 metres of the SPA;
To view the full document, please click on the links in download area on the right-hand side of this page.
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