One of the marvels of biodiversity offsetting for planning consultants is being able to show that you can rip out 1.5km of ancient hedgerows, lose 6 mature oak trees, cut down 6000m2 of advance planting, not restore things for more than 10-12 years, replace natural history hundreds of years old with saplings and tree tubes - and then show a net biodiversity gain. It's like magic!
No wonder nature’s in trouble.
Aggregate Industries' Reg22 Ecology Report says:
It is recognised that ‘no net loss of biodiversity’ will not always be possible within a development red line boundary and therefore the option of Biodiversity Offsetting has been considered within the proposed development.
Based on the Phase 1 Habitat Survey, and the proposed development footprint, the application site represents 130.06 biodiversity units before development, and 183.96 after development; a net gain of 53.90 biodiversity units.
It is acknowledged that there will be a time lag between the clearance of habitats and the establishment/ development of new habitats of equal or greater value.
But the real question is this: How can there be enough compensatory planting for dormice - if there wasn’t enough before, and 60% is now due to be removed?
UK dormice in danger of extinction as numbers plummet 72 % in 21 years - caused by Habitat Loss & #ClimateChangehttps://t.co/ZeG4R6XnJY pic.twitter.com/mIIhVvHO16— David Henderson 🌱 (@Dodo_Tribe) June 28, 2017
AI's revised plans for Straitgate would see the removal of 1.5km of ancient hedgerows; dormice - a European Protected Species - are assumed to be in all them. AI has consistently underplayed the amount of hedgerow that would be lost and overplayed the amount of compensatory planting.
DCC’s Reg22 wanted to know:
The MPA must ensure that the application provides sufficient compensatory habitat for loss of species rich / ecologically valuable hedges and associated species.
As a dormouse licence is required from NE [Natural England] we need to be sure that the three Habitats Regulations tests will be met and that it is likely that NE will issue a licence. Please can the applicant provide information to evidence that the favourable conservation test will be met and that they believe that NE will issue a licence.
In relation to the Habitats Regulations tests, AI’s consultants argued that:
With regard to Test 3 consideration of dormouse has taken place since 2014 with supplementary planting of new woodland and hedgerows. These have developed significantly since being planted, with the latter already suitable for dormice.
However, 60% of this supplementary planting will now be removed:
6,000 m2 (0.6 ha) of advance woodland planting within the application boundary will be removed due to issues relating to Exeter Airport.
Despite that, despite the fact that dormouse numbers have plummeted 72% between 1993 and 2014; despite the fact that the PTES 'strongly objected' to the Straitgate proposal saying:
Compensation planting (for that is what replanting is – not mitigation as suggested) for losses of irreplaceable habitat should be at a ratio in the region of 30 – 1. Proposed replanting and that already done falls far short of this;
despite Devon Wildlife Trust saying:
We note that the restoration proposals include the replacement of the existing hedgerow field boundaries but we believe that further consideration needs to be given to the fact that these will need many years to reach a state in which they can perform a meaningful part of the ecological network of this area;
despite all that, AI’s ecologist thinks that:
Given the above I am satisfied that NE will issue an EPSL for dormouse in relation to the Straitgate proposal.
Of course, working for AI he would, wouldn't he? However, who the "I" is we do not know; there is no name on the report.
Is it any wonder that dormice are going extinct?
