5.83

We note with interest the SPD for the land in Cherry Hinton, currently part of the south-eastern corner of Cambridge Airport's airfield. We have been conducting the Breeding Birds Survey (BBS) on behalf of the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) in that area for the past 4 years. The airfield itself is a valuable habitat for skylarks, and the hedgerow along the eastern boundary of the proposed site (on Airport Way, particularly the part adjacent to the junction with Gazelle Way), which I believe is part of the County Wildlife Site, consistently harbours populations of both whitethroat and lesser whitethroat during the breeding season. This year, a pair of nesting linnets were also recorded in this area.

We would like to request that these important hedgerows are preserved both during the construction at the development, and as part of the final developed site. It appears from the plans that this area is designated as an "open space" for public recreational access. Retaining these hedgerows would presumably help create a boundary to these areas, as well as enhancing the ecological diversity of the area, and would be entirely in keeping with the concept of public recreation in a green open space.

New habitats, however well intentioned, can never replace the existing in terms of biodiversity and wildlife while retention in isolation will result in substantial loss due to loss of adjacent feeding areas. Retention in the whole is the only effective measure to maintain existing biodiversity.

Thank you for your consultation on the above dated 7 August 2017, which was received by Natural England on 2 August 2017.

Natural England is a non-departmental public body. Our statutory purpose is to ensure that the natural environment is conserved, enhanced, and managed for the benefit of present and future generations, thereby contributing to sustainable development.

Our remit includes protected sites and landscapes, biodiversity, geodiversity, soils, protected species, landscape character, green infrastructure and access to and enjoyment of nature.

Natural England's comments:
This site lies within an area where Natural England believes development should contribute towards delivery of landscape scale biodiversity net gain, in particular enhancement of chalk grassland and woodland and farmland bird habitat. We support the inclusion of green infrastructure within the SPD, including an uninterrupted linear park that potentially links with wildlife sites in the wider countryside. Natural England supports the proposal to preserve the adjacent wildlife sites and on-site habitats and to create additional grassland habitats. Ecological impacts, including on farmland species, should be appropriately mitigated and enhancements incorporated to demonstrate delivery of net biodiversity gain, to meet NPPF requirements and the needs of people and wildlife. The development should provide sufficient informal open space to meet the additional and growing recreational demands of new (and existing) residents and to deliver biodiversity net gain. Natural England advises that additional off-site green infrastructure provision is likely to be required to meet these needs.

Should the plan be amended in a way which significantly affects its impact on the natural environment, then, please consult Natural England again.

Strategic Environmental Assessment/Habitats Regulations Assessment
A SPD requires a Strategic Environmental Assessment only in exceptional circumstances as set out in the Planning Practice Guidance here. While SPDs are unlikely to give rise to likely significant effects on European Sites, they should be considered as a plan under the Habitats Regulations in the same way as any other plan or project. If your SPD requires a Strategic Environmental Assessment or Habitats Regulation Assessment, you are required to consult us at certain stages as set out in the Planning Practice Guidance.


Please send all planning consultations electronically to the consultation hub at consultations@naturalengland.org.uk.

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