Habitats Regulations Assessment for development framework

The brief

North Yorkshire County Council commissioned Thomson Ecology to assist in development of a Minerals and Waste Development Framework.

This contained policies relating to the provision of silica sand, as silica sand reserves were partially located on the edge of the North Pennine Moors SAC/SPA.

An Appropriate Assessment was required to investigate any potential adverse effects on the designated site as a result of the policy implementation.

What we did

• This project required careful investigation of the possible implications of the policy both in isolation and in combination with other policies.
• A full report was produced suitable for publication in the public domain.
• The report also recommended appropriate mitigation to be included within the policy to ensure adverse effects would be avoided.
• As part of the process we attended meetings with the statutory regulators Natural England and the Environment Agency, attended open days to discuss ecological impacts and conservation strategies with local residents and liaised with local wildlife groups including the Wildlife Trust.

Outcome

Our input was key in highlighting the measures taken to avoid, minimise and mitigate ecological impacts and provided a satisfactory outcome for all parties concerned.