1. What’s good for the goose?
Ecology and Planning in Havant Borough
Tristan Norton
Senior Ecologist
Hampshire County Council Ecology Team
01962 832335
tristan.norton@hants.gov.uk
RSPBimages.com

2. M. Fluck
Contents
• How does Havant BC receive ecology advice?
• Role of HCC Ecology Team
• Legislation and Policy
• Ecology within planning
• Case Study – Brent geese
• Legislation
• Implications for planning
• Wildfowl and development

3. Role of HCC Ecology Team
Provide ecological advice to:
• Districts (though not all) - £££
• HCC Highways
• Major/minor schemes
• HCC Property Services
• E.g. schools, care homes, sports
• County Planning
• E.g. minerals & waste, watercourses

4. In a planning context, ‘ecology’ has a restricted scope…
• Legally-protected species e.g. European Protected
Species, WACA
• Designated sites and their features e.g. Natura2000, SSSI
• Listed species and habitats e.g. Section 41 NERC Act
Priorities
• Predominantly site/species-based (lists), but duty to ‘have
regard’ to wider biodiversity issues e.g. under NERC Act
• NPPF and Biodiversity 2020 – ecological networks
M. Fluck

5. We no longer have capacity to provide:
• General biodiversity advice
- E.g. BAPs
• Land management advice
Our current role is restricted only to planning
advice.
Spending cuts have bitten…
…more to come.

6. UK Policy
National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)
• Presumption in favour of ‘sustainable development’
• Except where ‘specific policies’ in place e.g. Hab/Birds Directive etc.
• Promotes move from ‘no net-loss’ to ‘gain’ in biodiversity
• Generally seen as positive for ecology, but…

7. Planning Applications
• Screened by the Local Planning Authority – Biodiversity Checklist
• Do any require ecology input?
• We use HBIC data, applicant’s information + own knowledge
• Provide opinion detailing likely ecological impact
• Submitted information OK? If not, what needs doing?
• Continual process – pre-app through to condition discharge

8. Designated sites…
•Local
– SINC
– LNR
•National
– SSSI
– NNR
•International
– SPA
– SAC
– Ramsar
NOT FOR
PUBLIC USE

9. Protected Species
Bats
Water Vole
From HBIC and applications
Site visits rare NOT FOR
PUBLIC USE

10. Waders & Brent Geese
Gradation of sites
– Important
– No Recorded Use
– Uncertain (issues!)
Based on 2002 and 2010 Studies
Data Limitations…
Significant issue for
planning
NOT FOR
PUBLIC USE

11. EU Legislation
Birds Directive (Council Directive 2009/147/EC)
Habitats Directive (Council Directive 92/43/EEC)
• ID and classify network of Special Protection Areas (SPA) and Special
Areas of Conservation (SAC) = Natura 2000 network
• To protect rare, vulnerable, regularly migratory, wetland species
• Maintain populations of all wild bird species across their range
• Protect characteristic habitats at the EU-scale

12. Dark-bellied brent goose Branta bernicla bernicla
• Occur in internationally-important numbers in
HBC (and wider Solent)
• Present between October and March
• Utilise coastal flats – eel grass beds – plus
inland grass and arable
• Occurrence dependent upon e.g. cropping or
cutting regime
• A complex dilemma for planning authority
Hampshire Wildlife Trust
M. Fluck

13. • Multi-year study into the impacts of recreational disturbance on wintering waterbirds in
the wider Solent ecosystem
• Disturbance to birds is a current issue throughout Solent
• Disturbance affects survival rates of several bird species
• Current disturbance levels contravene EU Directives –
Natural England state default objection to increase in
residential development within 5.7km of any SPA – LPAs
must adopt SDMP recommendations
• Impacts to geese are equivalent to impacts on SPA
Solent Disturbance & Mitigation Project - SDMP

14. SDMP implications…

15. • Increased pressure on overwintering birds
• Spatially and temporally shifting resource
• Strategic, county-wide network of sites for overwintering waders and wildfowl?
• Core permanent refuges + wide range of additional sites?
• Intelligent use of real-time data to inform land management practises?
The future?
Ruth Livingstone

16. Summary…
• Havant Borough is blessed with an amazing diversity of wildlife – internationally-
important coastal bird assemblages
• The planning system provides one route for the protection and enhancement of that
heritage
• Robust system of planning policy and wildlife legislation
• Ecology need not be a block to development – timing is key
• A county-wide strategic approach is required…if we are serious about conserving
out natural heritage

17. Thank you for listening…
M. Fluck