ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY
Whilst the site is free of any statutory landscape or nature conservation designations, we have nevertheless undertaken extensive ecology and habitat surveys to ensure that the ecology and wildlife is fully understood.
The surveys have identified that the majority of wildlife is concentrated in the hedgerows and tree belts that cross the site. The masterplan has therefore been designed to largely retain and enhance these key corridors, protecting them for the wildlife that uses them. Where mitigation is not possible on site, for example for ground nesting birds, alternative habitats will be created to address the impact of the development.
Specific measures include:
A network of green corridors to connect new and existing habitats
The retaining of existing hedgerows and active woodland planting
Preservation of farmland surrounding the site
A series of new native copses which reflect the landscape pattern and connect established tree belts, hedgerows and woodlands
Biodiversity Net Gain
Beyond preserving the existing biodiversity, these measures will enable the delivery of Biodiversity Net Gain of at least 10%.
Sustainable Drainage
Exemplar best practice Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS), responding to the existing hydrology and the chalk landscape, will be used throughout the site to manage flood risk. The benefits of these features will be maximised to deliver integrated outcomes, including improving water quality, enhancing biodiversity and ecological value, promoting groundwater recharge and contributing to climate resilience, while also supporting placemaking and the site's overall amenity. The attenuation basins will contribute to the creation of a park for the local community. An extensive network of SuDS will manage water in times of heavy rainfall before infiltrating to ground, from raingardens and swales through to attenuation basins. These will be designed to manage rainfall up to the 1 in 100 year +40% climate change event, in line with best practice.
All proposed development areas are located outside of designated Groundwater Source Protection Zones (SPZs), meaning the built area is well away from the most sensitive groundwater areas. The new link road, near the M3, does fall within SPZs. In this location, additional protective measures will be included to ensure local groundwater resources remain safeguarded.