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BOC Immingham Dissolved Acetylene Project Environmental Statement
Designated Site
SSSI, Ramsar
site
SSSI, SPA,
Ramsar site xviii
Qualifying Interest
Features
Natterjack toad (Epidalea
calamita)
Breeding populations of
birds of European
Importance, populations of
birds on passage and
populations of wintering
birds.
Presence of Qualifying Feature in Relation to Proposed Development
and Likelihood for Impacts to Occur
The proposed development is approximately 1 km from the Estuary and
there are no pathways through which an impact could affect the grey seal
population.
This species is known to use the dune slacks at Saltfleetby Theddlethorpe
(over 30 km from the proposed development), which is the most north
easterly breeding site for the species in Great Britain. Given the distance of
the known breeding population of this species from the proposed
development and the lack of habitat for this species in the vicinity there are
no pathways through which an impact could affect the species or its
habitat.
A detailed assessment of the potential disturbance from noise levels,
vibration and visual disturbance during construction is given in the
Information to Support a HRA Stage 2 AA Report 7 presented in Appendix
10A. A summary of this assessment is given below.
There are a number of bird species which are qualifying features of the
Humber Estuary SPA and Ramsar site. Areas of the South Humber Bank
are particularly important as a high tide roost for water birds associated
with the SPA and Ramsar site such curlew, golden plover, redshank and
lapwing. The development site has not previously been used by significant
numbers of the important bird population and is not adjacent to any fields
within the South Humber Bank that have been previously found to support
significant numbers of SSSI/SPA/Ramsar site birds (with the exception of a
field directly to the south which already has planning permission for a new
development).
The proposed development will not result in the loss of any habitat within
the SPA or Ramsar site during construction and is approximately 1 km
from the SPA/Ramsar boundary (and underlying SSSIs).
No disturbance to birds within the SPA/Ramsar boundary is anticipated.
There is the potential for disturbance of birds using high-tide roost sites
away from the Estuary during construction from noise and visual
disturbance (presence of people, machinery, and lighting). This will be of
Impact
Significance
No significant
negative effect
No significant
negative effect
xviii The internationally important bird population is designated under the SPA, Ramsar site and the IBA. Therefore, for the purposes of this assessment, any impacts on the internationally important
bird population, which are described in this ES as SPA birds, will be considered to have the same impacts on the Ramsar site and IBA.
5100935.404 Environmental Statement August 2011 171