UES carried out at great crested newt survey, specifically an impact assessment, at a parcel of land in Cottam, Preston, Lancashire. Changes to a proposed development plan resulted in a road running close to a pond and as such, Preston City Council requested ecology surveys to ensure the changes will have no significant impact upon great crested newts.
Great crested newts are protected under both national and international legistlation. They are protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) from intentional killing, inuring or selling. However, great crested newt protection extends further in that they are also a European protected species (as are bats, dormice, natterjack toads, and a number of other species). This means that great crested newts, their eggs, breeding sites and resting places are all protected by law. Other newt species in the UK (smooth newts and palmate newts) do not have this level of protection.
UES carried out an impact assessment in line with the current best practice great crested newt survey guidelines. This involves a site visit and assessment of the ponds using the habitat suitability index (HSI). The HSI is a tool used to provide numerical indication of the quality of a waterbody in terms of great crested newt breeding and associated habitat requirements.
In this case, the pond was assessed as having a HSI score of less than 0.50, which classifies the pond as having ‘poor’ suitability to support breeding great crested newts. Based on the low HSI score, and a report detailing a lack of suitable habitat in the surrounding area, the proposed development could proceed without the need for a European protected species mitigation licence.
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