|
What is the significance of
biodiversity impacts?
|
|
The significance is determined by a combination of:
|
| A. |
Importance of the environmental resource being impacted
e.g. Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) , Local Nature Reserve, Site of Importance
for Nature Conservation (SINC), important recreational
amenity, rich in wildlife etc.
The importance can be evaluated on:
-
The scale at which the feature matters (international, national,
local
etc).
-
The importance of the feature (e.g. the reason for the designation).
-
Rarity of habitats or species present
see the local or UK
Biodiversity Action Plans (BAP) and Section 74 of the Countryside and
Rights of Way (CROW) Act (2000) UK Priority Habitats and Species.
-
Substitution possibilities (e.g. can the habitat be recreated
elsewhere?).
|
| B. |
Cumulative Effect
Will the development have a cumulative effect on wildlife interest in
the area?
-
For instance, is this the third major housing development to occur
along a valley bottom in the last ten years and will it result in the
total loss of the natural wet woodland?
-
What is the cumulative impact of the development in combination with
other plans or projects?
-
Is this the latest development in an already heavily developed area,
that has only belatedly been recognised for its nature conservation
interest?
|
| C. |
Certainty
How sure can we be that impacts will result?
-
Definitely
-
Possibly
-
Uncertain
-
Unlikely
-
Very Unlikely
|
| Table 6 |
Decide on the level of impact and mark it in the
column determined in Table 1.
| |
Habitat or species evaluation categories
- see Table 1 |
| Impact magnitude |
A |
B |
C |
D |
E |
| Positive |
Large-slight positive |
Large-slight positive |
Large-slight positive |
Large-slight positive |
Large-slight positive
|
| Neutral |
Neutral |
Neutral |
Neutral |
Neutral |
Neutral |
|
| Slight adverse |
Slight adverse |
Slight adverse |
Slight adverse |
Neutral |
| Intermediate negative |
Large adverse |
Large adverse |
Moderate adverse |
Slight adverse |
Neutral |
| Major negative |
Very large adverse |
Very large adverse |
Large or Moderate adverse * |
Slight adverse |
Slight adverse |
|
|
Table 6A
|
| |
Interpretation of Evaluation
Categories |
| Very large adverse |
Likely to be unacceptable on
nature conservation grounds alone |
| Large adverse |
There should be a strong
presumption against development. On the rare occasions when
development is allowed, compensation should be at more than a 1:1
ratio |
| Moderate adverse |
At least 1:1 compensation if
development is allowed |
| * |
Should score ‘Large adverse’
if habitats/species are not substituted, otherwise should score
‘Moderate adverse’. |
|
