Environmental Statement volume 4 - Chiltern Evergreen3

F1ANNEX F1– HABITATS REGULATIONS ASSESSMENT SCREENINGADDITIONAL INFORMATIONF1.1 INTRODUCTIONThis document has been prepared by ERM on behalf of Chiltern Railways inrelation to the proposed rail upgrade works between Bicester and Oxford (seeChapter 8 of the Environmental Statement for a description of the scheme andassociated works).There is a requirement under the European Habitats Directive, enacted in theUK under the Conservation (Natural Habitats & c) Regulations 1994 as amended,(the Habitats Regulations) to consider and if necessary assess projects for theirpotential to effect sites of European importance for nature conservation(Natura 2000 (1) and Ramsar sites (2) ), referred to as ‘European sites’ in thisdocument. In order to inform the Environmental Statement, nationallydesignated sites for nature conservation including Sites of Special ScientificInterest (SSSIs) have also been considered in the assessment, although this isnot required by the Habitats Regulations.To ensure compliance with the Habitats Regulations, Chiltern Railways hascommissioned ERM to undertake a Habitats Regulations ScreeningAssessment of the Chiltern Railways Bicester to Oxford scheme. TheScreening Assessment will determine whether the construction works andoperation of the upgraded rail line will have any likely significant effects onEuropean sites and SSSIs. This report provides the baseline informationrelating to designated sites and identifies the links between designated sitesensitivities and potential development impacts from the Scheme. Potentialimpacts are then assessed within Chapter 8 of the Environmental Statement todetermine if the Scheme is likely to have any significant effects on the integrityof designated sites.(1) In May 1992 European Union governments adopted legislation designed to protect the most seriously threatenedhabitats and species across Europe. This legislation is called the Habitats Directive and complements the Birds Directiveadopted in 1979. At the heart of both these Directives is the creation of a network of sites called Natura 2000. The BirdsDirective requires the establishment of Special Protection Areas (SPAs) for birds. The Habitats Directive similarly requiresSpecial Areas of Conservation (SACs) to be designated for other species, and for habitats. Together, SPAs and SACs makeup the Natura 2000 series. All EU Member States contribute to the network of sites in a Europe-wide partnership from theCanaries to Crete and from Sicily to Finnish Lapland.(2) Ramsar sites are wetland sites of international importance designated under the Ramsar Convention, signed in Ramsar,Iran, in 1971.ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENTF1CHILTERN RAILWAYS