Project Background

A renewable energy company commissioned Ecology by Design to conduct a Preliminary Ecological Appraisal (PEA) of c. 10ha of land near Derby for a proposed battery storage site in April 2023. Mindful that such sites can have negative impacts on biodiversity due to (i) land take to accommodate the battery units, substation and infrastructure, (ii) noise impacts, (iii) potential for pollution, and/or (iv) loss of habitat for protected or priority species; we conducted the PEA within two weeks to identify the need for further surveys.

Survey and Assessment Methods

A baseline ecological survey of the site was conducted in April 2023 which included (i) an extended UKHab habitat survey, (ii) badger survey, (iii) habitat suitability index assessment and eDNA surveys for great crested newts and (iv) daytime tree assessments for roosting bats. Between May 2023 and February 2024 further surveys were conducted for birds (breeding and wintering bird surveys), bats (walked transects, automated detector surveys and tree climbing), badger, otter and water vole.

Survey findings

The key findings of the surveys include:

·      An assemblage of birds typical of arable and wetland habitats was recorded within the site (with the boundary ditches and hedgerows being of greatest interest);

•      Badger traverse the site and inactive burrows of a suitable size are present on the eastern and southern boundaries;

•      Hares forage within the site (eight noted at one time);

·      Great crested newts are absent from the boundary ditches but may occupy ponds within the wider landscape;

·      At least six species of bat forage and commute along the site boundaries and six boundary trees support features suitable for roosting bats, although no roosting bats have been recorded through aerial inspections. The timing of passes indicates there are small roosts of common and soprano pipistrelle in close proximity to the site;

•      The northern field is of low suitability for common species of reptiles and the boundary ditches may be suitable for foraging grass snake; and

•      The ditches are suitable for foraging and commuting otter and to a lesser extent, water vole, however, no evidence of either species has been recorded.

Measures to avoid and/or reduce impacts and deliver biodiversity enhancements

·      We recommended a 10m buffer is maintained between the boundary features and any fencing or development. The 10m buffer will be managed for biodiversity and will include species-rich grassland, scrub, woodland and wetland features;

·      The northern field will be managed to increase its biodiversity value;

·      Species-rich hedgerows will be included to compensate for loss of the western hedgerow and deliver biodiversity enhancements;

·      The site will be registered under the Natural England great crested newt District Licence; and

·      The access point to the site was designed to be as narrow as possible and lighting will be carefully designed to avoid impacts on boundary features.

Outcome

We worked closely with the design team (landscape architects and visual impact assessors, hydrologists, planners and transport planners) to advise on the developable area of the site and habitats to be retained, enhanced and created outside the development footprint. The Statutory Biodiversity Metric was used to identify biodiversity losses and gains as a result of the proposals and the scheme was demonstrated to achieve in excess of 25% gain in habitat units, 15% gain in hedgerow units and 135% gain in watercourse units by incorporating species-rich grassland, woodland, scrub, species-rich hedgerows, swales and attenuation basins.

For further information contact:

 Laura Grant BSc (Hons) MCIEEM

Associate Director, Ecology by Design Ltd

Tel: 01865 893348

Mob: 07495 002130

laura@ecologybydesign.co.uk