Hello. The HRA of our Local Plan's Preferred Option identfied the presence of protected species, especially Pink-footed Geese and Whooper Swans, on many of the sites we are proposing to allocate. Although the sites have no nature conservation designation, they have been screened in as requiring site specific HRA to ensure adequate protection to the integrity of the SPA / Ramsar site bird populations. It recommends we undertake wintering bird sruveys.
Is carrying out surveys for a single year worthwhile? The non-presence of birds one year doesn't mean they won't be there in another. We wondered if mitigation through the provision of compensatory feeding areas would be more appropriate.
Has anyone else come up against this and what did they do?
