IEFs Scoped In/Out of the Assessment (supersedes Volume 1, Chapter 7, Section 7.8.3)
177. Following the collation of the baseline data, including desk study and field survey data, and following the embedded mitigation measures described in Volume 1, Chapter 7, Section 7.10, several potential effects on ecological features can be scoped out of further assessment, as described in Table 3.2 below (supersedes Table 7.15, Volume 1, Chapter 7). This is based on professional judgement and experience from other relevant projects in the region.
178. The habitats present and their respective areas within the ecology study area are presented in Table 3.1. Estimates of direct and indirect habitat losses from the Proposed Development are presented in Table 3.3 (supersedes Table 7.20, Volume 1, Chapter 7). An estimated total of 58.5 ha will be directly lost due to the Proposed Development, approximately 12.44 % of the ecology study area. This includes 13.35 ha under the permanent footprint of works and 45.12 ha under the temporary footprint of works.
179. As listed in Table 3.2 the assessment of effects will be applied to IEFs that are known to be present within the site or surrounding area (as confirmed through survey results and consultations outlined above) and which could be susceptible to impacts from the Proposed Development.
Table 3.2: IEFs Scoped In or Out of the Assessment
Rationale for Scoping In/Out | Scoped In/Out | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Designated Sites (Local Importance and Above) | |||
Barns Ness SSSI | The Barns Ness SSSI lies within the northern reaches of the site under the footprint of the Proposed development. Trenchless techniques (e.g. HDD) will be used for cable installation under the SSSI which will avoid direct habitat loss or disturbance. The footprint of the temporary works area for the cable pits is within 30 m of the SSSI. Mitigation is presented in Section 7.10 to protect habitats within the SSSI during works. | Out | |
Pease Bay Coast SSSI | The Pease Bay Coast SSSI is approximately 1.15 km south-east of the Proposed Development and designated for its maritime cliff habitat assemblage. Due to the separation distance and the nature of the designated interest, no pathway for significant effects on the SSSI has been identified. | Out | |
Lammermuir Deans SSSI | The Lammermuir Deans SSSI is approximately 3.3 km south-west of the Proposed Development designated for its upland mixed ash woodland, subalpine calcareous grassland and valley fen habitat assemblage. Due to the separation distance and the nature of the designated interest, no pathway for significant effects on the SSSI has been identified. | Out | |
Woodhall Dean SSSI | The Woodhall Dean SSSI is approximately 3.8 km south-west of the Proposed Development designated for its broadleaved, mixed and yew woodland; and upland oak woodland habitat assemblage. Due to the separation distance and the nature of the designated interest, no pathway for significant effects on the SSSI has been identified. | Out | |
Pease Bridge Bay SSSI | The Pease Bridge Bay SSSI is approximately 4.1 km south-east of the Proposed Development designated for its upland oak woodland and bryophyte assemblage. Due to the separation distance and the nature of the designated interest, no pathway for significant effects on the SSSI has been identified. | Out | |
Thornton Glen SWT | Thornton Glen SWT borders the site and forms part of the semi-natural, broadleaved woodland habitat that extends along the Thornton Burn and Braidwood Corridor. As part of the wider woodland lies within the footprint of the Proposed Development, there is potential for indirect effects such as habitat fragmentation to impact the integrity of the designated site. | In | |
Dryburn Valley LNCS | Dryburn Valley LNCS lies largely outwith the western reaches of the site. However, Skateraw Dean lies within the LNCS and extends under the footprint of the Proposed Development near the landfall. | In | |
Dunglass Burn LNCS | Dunglass Burn LNCS forms part of the semi-natural, broadleaved woodland habitat that extends along the Braidwood Burn corridor and lies under the footprint of the Proposed Development. | In | |
Thurston Burn Valley LNCS | Thurston Burn Valley LNCS forms part of the semi-natural, broadleaved woodland habitat that extends along the Thornton Burn corridor and overlaps with the Thornton Glen SWT. | Assessed as part of the Thornton Glen SWT. | |
Bilsdean Coast LNCS | Bilsdean Coast LNCS, which is designated for habitats, lies within 270 m of the site at its closest point and outwith 250 m of the Proposed Development. Due to the separation distance and the nature of the designated interest, no pathway for significant effects on the LNCS has been identified. | Out | |
AWI Woodland | Two areas of AWI woodland lie within Thornton Glen SWT noted to be Ancient of Semi-Natural Origin 1a and Ancient of Semi-Natural Origin 2b. Both lie outwith the footprint of the Proposed Development but may be indirectly impacted through habitat fragmentation, therefore these areas of AWI are scoped in but assessed under Thornton Glen SWT. A further area of AWI which comprises an area of semi-natural broadleaved woodland and coniferous woodland lies adjacent to the east edge of the Proposed Development at a proposed site access point. This lies 10 m outwith the Proposed Development footprint and is separated from the site by a road. Therefore, significant effects are very unlikely. All other areas of AWI lie outwith Proposed Development, with the closest woodland located 425 m south-west of the Proposed Development footprint. These woodlands are also scoped out of the assessment. | Assessed as part of Thornton Glen SWT.
Out
Out | |
Habitats (Local Importance and Above) | |||
Broadleaved, semi-natural woodland | The semi-natural broadleaved woodland that extends along the Thornton Burn and Braidwood Burn corridor lies under the footprint of the Proposed Development at the proposed cable crossing (e.g. cable bridge) location. This area of woodland forms part of the Dunglass LNCS. | Assessed as part of Dunglass Burn LNCS | |
Mixed, semi-natural woodland | The woodland is approximately 370m at its closest point from the footprint of the Proposed Development. The habitat will not be directly or indirectly impacted by the Proposed Development and is therefore scoped out of the assessment. | Out | |
Scrub (Dense/Continuous and scattered) | Approximately 16.38 ha of this habitat lies within the ecology study area, of which approximately 0.36 ha or 2.19 % of the total extent of this habitat within the ecology study area will be lost. | In | |
Running water | The Proposed Development includes cable bridge crossings over the Braidwood Burn and the Skateraw Dean. | In | |
Intertidal mud/sand | Approximately 4.16 ha of this habitat lies at the landfall location within Barns Ness SSSI. Trenchless techniques (e.g. HDD) will be used for cable installation under the SSSI which will avoid direct habitat loss or disturbance. This habitat is scoped out of the assessment. | Out | |
Intertidal boulders/rocks | Approximately 21.06 ha of this habitat lies within the ecology study area at the landfall location within Barns Ness SSSI. Trenchless techniques (e.g. HDD) will be used for cable installation under the SSSI which will avoid direct habitat loss or disturbance. This habitat is scoped out of the assessment. | Out (Assessed as part of Barns Ness SSSI) | |
Shingle above high tide mark | Approximately 0.23 ha of this habitat lies within the ecology study area within the Barns Ness SSSI and is a designated feature of the SSSI. Trenchless techniques (e.g. HDD) will be used for cable installation under the SSSI which will avoid direct habitat loss or disturbance. This habitat is scoped out of the assessment. | Out (Assessed as part of Barns Ness SSSI) | |
Coastal grassland | Approximately 3.29 ha of this habitat lies within the ecology study area within the Barns Ness SSSI. Trenchless techniques (e.g. HDD) will be used for cable installation under the SSSI which will avoid direct habitat loss or disturbance. This habitat is scoped out of the assessment. | Out (Assessed as part of Barns Ness SSSI) | |
Intact and defunct species-poor hedgerow | Approximately 7.36 km of species-poor hedgerow lies within the ecology study area, of this approximately 1.1 km or 14.94% lies under the temporary and permanent footprint of works and will be lost as a result of the Proposed Development. | In | |
Otter | Otter have been recorded within the ecology study area including three potential holts which lie over 30 m but within 200 m of the Proposed Development. Further camera monitoring has found no evidence that these potential holt features are in use by otter. All active resting sites identified during baseline surveys completed to date lie outwith 30 m of the Proposed Development. Due to their legal protection, mitigation is presented in Section 7.10 to reduce the risk to individual otters and minimise disruption to foraging and commuting behaviour during construction but significant effects on the local otter population are very unlikely. | Out
| |
Badger | Badger have been recorded within the ecology study area but no setts have been identified within 30 m of the Proposed Development. Due to their legal protection mitigation is presented in Section 7.10 to reduce the risk to individual badgers moving within works areas, but significant effects on the local badger population are very unlikely. | Out | |
Bats | Potential roost features were identified within the ecology study area; however, the final design has been routed to avoid these potential roost features, all of which are located outwith 30 m of the Proposed Development. Due to their legal protection, mitigation is presented in Section 7.10 to reduce the risk to individual bats and minimise disruption to foraging and commuting behaviour during construction but significant effects on local bat populations are very unlikely. | Out | |
Great crested newt | A great crested newt breeding pond is located 450 m south-west of the Proposed Development footprint at its closest point. Approximately 1.8 ha of land, within the 500 m buffer of the pond, lies under the footprint of temporary and permanent works. The habitat under the footprint of works is improved grassland which is suboptimal for newts. In consultation with NatureScot, it was agreed that, as it was unlikely that great crested newt would be present within the footprint of the works, a protected species licence was not required. A Species Protection Plan (SPP) has been produced detailing measures to minimise the impact of the Proposed Development on individual newts, and contingency measures should newts be encountered. The SPP is provided in Volume 4, Appendix 7.4. | Out | |
Reptiles | Limited suitable terrestrial habitat for reptiles is present within the footprint of works and significant effects on the local reptile population are unlikely. | Out | |