Revised Deposit Plan - Wychavon District Council

Where development satisfies the above tests, appropriate compensatory
measures will be required as part of the granting of planning permission.
4.2.13. European legislation affords international protection to the most important
nature conservation sites throughout Europe. Its aim is to maintain a coherent
network of sites - known as Natura 2000 which are critical to the biodiversity
of Europe as a whole. “Special Protection Areas” (SPAs) are those which host
internationally important populations of rare breeding or migratory birds.
“Ramsar Sites” are Wetlands of International Importance and “Special Areas
of Conservation” (SACs) and are identified for the importance of their flora and
fauna, some of which contain species identified in the legislation as having
“priority” status. The sites are “designated” under the EC Birds Directive, the
Ramsar Convention and the Habitats Directive, respectively.
4.2.14. At present, the District contains one site of international importance - Bredon
Hill, which has the status of a “candidate” SAC because of its importance for a
species of beetle - the violet click beetle. It is possible that the number of
internationally important sites may increase during the Plan period.
4.2.15. The planning implications for the control of development affecting international
sites are translated from European legislation into national legislation (The
Conservation (Natural Habitats etc) Regulations, 1994) and are reaffirmed in
PPG9 (Nature Conservation). These documents make it clear that, for the
purposes of planning control, sites which are not fully “classified” or
“designated” by the EC - such as Bredon Hill, but which have “proposed” or
“candidate” status awaiting designation should be considered in the same way
as if they had already been designated.
4.2.16. In accordance with PPG9 and the regulations, it is considered that
development (other than that which is proven to be necessary for the
management of the site for nature conservation purposes) which would have
an adverse effect on the integrity of a site and which could not be overcome by
the use of planning conditions or a legal agreement, should only be permitted
in the most exceptional circumstances of overriding national need. As the
Bredon Hill candidate SAC does not host any species identified as having
“priority” status under the regulations, development proposals affecting this
site will be considered against this test.
4.2.17. Developers will, therefore, usually be required to provide an appropriate
assessment of the implications of their proposals to accompany applications
and usually to a specification agreed by English Nature. (It should be noted
that additionally, some specific projects may also require the preparation of an
Environmental Statement under the Town and Country Planning
(Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations, 1999). This will assist the
decision making process. Indeed, to ensure the appropriate protection of
sites, the Council will not grant planning permission for development unless
the full impact of the scheme can be determined, thus a precautionary
approach will be used in the determination of planning applications.
4.2.18. As natural habitats are often fragile and vulnerable to indirect as well as direct
damage, the same consideration will be given to proposals outside a site
which could result in indirect damage. Similarly, damage to the integrity of a
site can occur as a result of the effects of proposals in conjunction with other
development or operations. The cumulative effects on a site will be another
consideration in determining proposals.
Wychavon District Local Plan Revised Deposit (July 2003) Page 65