SHIP Inn site – Application for funding survey work
Requirements for the Ship Inn Site
Considerations
1. Canal Corridor is a Key Wildlife Site (KWS). The boundary extends approximately 5m into the site from the canal bank, there are special planning considerations for a further 10 m into the site. This leaves a narrow 12m (approx) Corridor at the northern end of the site that is free from the special planning considerations
2. The site is in the Industrial Heritage Conservation area (IHC)
3. There are two listed buildings across the A419. The Care Home and Brick corner house.
4. The site is not in a flood zone and only the Downton lights junction is included in a risk area.
Biodiversity Net Gain
The legal planning for Biodiversity Net Gain was due to come into force 1st January 2024. This has not yet been implemented. The requirement will need a baseline study of the site and development will be required to show a 110% biodiversity at the end of construction for a period of 30 years, guaranteed by covenant.
A BNG assessment is not required if planning validation occurs before April 1st 2024. This would be required for any further planning application and would need to be carried out prior to any clearance or construction for meanwhile use on the site. Optimum time for a BNG assessment would be April.
The Ship Inn site will be classified as a “small site” and as such the legislation is due to come into force on 1st April 2024. It is not known if this deadline will be maintained or extended due to the lateness of the legislation.
The Ship Inn can be assessed using the Small Site Metric.
Protected Species
Known Protected species on the site include Otters, Bats, Water Voles, Grass snakes, Slow Worms. There is also a possibility that GCN have habituated the canal since the last DNA survey in 2019. Surveys for transient protected species are only valid for 18 months.
Optimum time for Reptile survey is March – August
Optimum Time for GCN DNA testing is March – June
We will be required to present a Protected Species Phase 1 and Phase 2 assessment along with a DNA (GCN) survey as part of the planning application. The planning application is not considered “valid” until these are available
Planning for “Meanwhile Use”
It is anticipated that the application would be for “temporary use” of the site with a timeframe aligned to the S&R committee use period.
Planning Requirements
Scale drawing of the site including topological survey.
Document explaining all the reasoning for requiring the construction, detailing the thought behind every decision and showing mitigation in the event that a protection cannot be met.
Protected Species Phase 1 Survey
Protected Species Phase 2 Survey
GCN DNA assessment
Impact of the construction on habitats and wildlife
Access assessment for deliveries, construction and maintenance
Survey Window
As previously mentioned, the earliest surveys can be carried out is March, with the optimum time being April/May dependant on the last frost. This time frame would take the planning application outside the grace period for small sites and potentially BNG enforcement will be applied, if the ruling timeframe is adhered to.
If the surveys are not carried out in the spring the optimum timeframe will be missed and the probability of completing surveys to satisfy SDC planning will not be possible until 2025.
This is a very busy time for Ecologists and the work needs to be booked urgently to guarantee a “slot”
The SHIPs project team have tried to secure three quotations in line with the council’s financial regulations but owing to this being a busy time of year for Ecologists, it has only been possible to secure two quotations, one of which is detailed in Table 1 above; the second to be presented to Members at its meeting on the 22nd January.
Conclusion
There is a small window of opportunity to obtain planning before the BNG legislation comes into force (if the legislation is delayed again). The benefit of using this opportunity to SDC is that, as the land owners, SDC will not have to implement BNG Covenants on the site, affecting the sites future use and prolonging SDC’s legal agreement with STC or third party. Stonehouse Town Council has set aside £10,000 in its Earmarked Reserve for the site.
All previous surveys are outside their reliance window – they are out of date and can no longer be relied on. No access can be gained to the site without carrying out all the above surveys, except the BNG. If the BNG is not carried out before site clearance, upon future planning application the maximum possible BNG value would be applied to the site.
Recommendation:
To approve the award of the survey work detailed in Table 1 to the contractor providing a) the lowest quotation and b) can guarantee completion of the work in early Spring;
work to be funded from the Town Council Earmarked Reserve set aside for the ‘SHIP Inn Site’ project.