Environmental surveys of the North Red Lodge site have been carried out and an Ecological Appraisal produced to identify ecological features to be retained and protected, assess the potential impacts of the development and guide the site’s design principles.
The site itself is not subject to any statutory or non-statutory ecological designations. The nearest statutory and non-statutory designations are Red Lodge Heath Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Worlington Chalk Pit County Wildlife Site. No effects on these designations are anticipated from the development.
The nearest European conservation designation is Breckland Special Protection Area (SPA) designated for its breeding populations of Stone Curlew, Woodlark and Nightjar and located 1.4km to the south-east of the site boundary at its nearest point. The south eastern tip of the masterplan site lies within the 1500m SPA Stone Curlew buffer, as shown on the Constraints and Opportunities Plan.
Potential effects of the masterplan on European designations are considered in a separate document to inform a Habitats Regulations Assessment, which can be downloaded from the Document Library on this page.
The site is made up of habitats of low/moderate ecological value, and is mostly arable land with woodland belts and tree lines, grassland, tall vegetation and scrub. The trees and woodland offer ecological connections across the site. There is evidence of some breeding birds using the site, as well as bats for foraging and commuting.
The masterplan aims to avoid habitat losses as far as possible, and focusses development on areas of intensively farmed land with minimal ecological value. It also seeks to enhance biodiversity and create more habitat and wildlife diversity than there is now. This would be achieved through a mix of measures, the details of which would be included in a future planning application but could be things like bat and bird boxes, new planting, and wildflower grasslands.
Find out more
Detailed information on ecology can be found in the masterplan document, available in the Document Library on this page (pages 66 to 75).
Environmental surveys of the North Red Lodge site have been carried out and an Ecological Appraisal produced to identify ecological features to be retained and protected, assess the potential impacts of the development and guide the site’s design principles.
The site itself is not subject to any statutory or non-statutory ecological designations. The nearest statutory and non-statutory designations are Red Lodge Heath Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Worlington Chalk Pit County Wildlife Site. No effects on these designations are anticipated from the development.
The nearest European conservation designation is Breckland Special Protection Area (SPA) designated for its breeding populations of Stone Curlew, Woodlark and Nightjar and located 1.4km to the south-east of the site boundary at its nearest point. The south eastern tip of the masterplan site lies within the 1500m SPA Stone Curlew buffer, as shown on the Constraints and Opportunities Plan.
Potential effects of the masterplan on European designations are considered in a separate document to inform a Habitats Regulations Assessment, which can be downloaded from the Document Library on this page.
The site is made up of habitats of low/moderate ecological value, and is mostly arable land with woodland belts and tree lines, grassland, tall vegetation and scrub. The trees and woodland offer ecological connections across the site. There is evidence of some breeding birds using the site, as well as bats for foraging and commuting.
The masterplan aims to avoid habitat losses as far as possible, and focusses development on areas of intensively farmed land with minimal ecological value. It also seeks to enhance biodiversity and create more habitat and wildlife diversity than there is now. This would be achieved through a mix of measures, the details of which would be included in a future planning application but could be things like bat and bird boxes, new planting, and wildflower grasslands.
Find out more
Detailed information on ecology can be found in the masterplan document, available in the Document Library on this page (pages 66 to 75).
