environmental statement - Rotherham's Online Application for ...
environmental statement - Rotherham's Online Application for ...
environmental statement - Rotherham's Online Application for ...
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the golden plover is not sufficient to reach the qualifying threshold <strong>for</strong> any<br />
<strong>for</strong>m of national or international designation.<br />
8.42 The recorded populations of sparrowhawk, kestrel, buzzard and lapwing<br />
do not fulfil the criteria <strong>for</strong> conservation value greater than Low (local).<br />
Golden plover is listed on Annex 1 of the EC Birds Directive and there<strong>for</strong>e<br />
the nature conservation value that has been assigned to this species is<br />
Medium (Regional/County); small numbers of this species were recorded<br />
fairly frequently at the site and this has been considered when assigning<br />
this nature conservation value.<br />
8.43 Non-target species of conservation importance recorded regularly within<br />
the Ecological Survey Area include: yellowhammer, linnet, reed bunting,<br />
house sparrow (Passer domesticus), skylark, grey partridge, starling, song<br />
thrush (Turdus philomelos) and tree sparrow. These species are<br />
considered to be of Medium (Regional/County) value.<br />
8.44 All other species recorded are considered to be of no more than<br />
Negligible (Parish) nature conservation value.<br />
CONSTRUCTION PHASE<br />
Disturbance<br />
8.45 Disturbance during construction (including noise, vibration and light<br />
pollution from heavy machinery and human activity) has been assessed as<br />
a slight adverse impact <strong>for</strong> four non-target species (skylark, grey<br />
partridge, reed bunting and yellowhammer). There were no records of<br />
nesting raptors or other particularly sensitive groups (ducks and waders)<br />
within 500m of the proposed wind farm and application boundary.<br />
There<strong>for</strong>e the impact magnitude <strong>for</strong> disturbance is neutral-minor<br />
negative <strong>for</strong> all remaining species, including target species and nonground<br />
nesting species of medium conservation concern, resulting in an<br />
impact significance of neutral-slight adverse <strong>for</strong> all other species during<br />
the construction phase.<br />
Habitat Loss<br />
8.46 The wind farm will result in temporary loss of habitat during construction,<br />
which could have adverse effects on the availability of hunting/<strong>for</strong>aging,<br />
roosting and breeding territory <strong>for</strong> potentially all of the species recorded<br />
over the open habitats. However working areas and the site construction<br />
compound will be reinstated on completion of the wind farm, there<strong>for</strong>e<br />
habitat loss due to construction is anticipated to be a short term impact.<br />
The magnitude of impact <strong>for</strong> all birds recorded within this area is<br />
considered to be minor negative. The impact significance assessment <strong>for</strong><br />
all species determined to be of national and regional conservation concern<br />
and all target species using the land within the application boundary is<br />
there<strong>for</strong>e slight adverse. This includes skylark, linnet, yellowhammer,<br />
203<br />
Penny Hill Wind Farm<br />
Environmental Statement