Natural England objected to the reserved matters planning applications for Phases 2 to 4 of the Curtis Fields development (WP/19/00635/RES, WP/19/00693/RES, WP/19/00273/RES) in November 2019 and March 2020, and requested the following:
- details of the likely recreational impacts on the designated site features and the scope for mitigation; and
- an Air Quality Assessment of the likely impacts of traffic movements on designated sites
Natural England explained that the increase in residential dwellings of up to 500 units within a kilometre from Chesil Beach and the Fleet European site, as a result of the Curtis Fields development as a whole, would be likely to substantially increase the recreational pressures on the features of the designated area.
This may result in an ‘alone’ impact given the proximity to and connectivity with the European site.
Natural England suggest that the trampling of habitats and species are adversely affecting the primary reasons for the SAC designation.
Furthermore, recreational pressure particularly from dog walkers and water sports during the winter period is having an adverse effecting the over-wintering birds of the SPA.
Natural England cited evidence on the excess recreational use of the Chesil and the Fleet European Site which has emerged since they provided advice on the outline application in 2015, including:
- ‘Chesil Beach 2019 Recreational Activity Strategy’, Footprint Ecology (2019) (ref: 549)
- supplementary Advice for Conservation Objectives (SACO) for the Chesil Beach and the Fleet SPA, Natural England (2019)
According to Natural England, the Footprint Ecology report indicates that there is an unacceptable level of existing recreational pressure at Chesil Beach and the Fleet which is likely to be compromising the integrity of the SAC site features.
The SACO identified significant concerns regarding recreational pressures on the features of the site, in particular Little Tern, which is in unfavourable condition with a target to restore to the former population as it was upon designation.
Natural England commented in March 2020 that no air quality assessment had been made of the likely air quality impacts as a result of additional vehicular movements upon the Chesil and the Fleet European site from the Curtis Fields development.
Since this time, the applicant has submitted an air quality screening report which concludes that:
Quote “the increase in traffic on Portland Beach Road due to the proposed development in-combination with committed development is less than 1,000 AADT.
Therefore, the impact on the integrity of the protected areas due to emissions from road traffic generated by the proposed development will be insignificant and detailed assessment should not be required.”
In addition to the impacts of the proposed development ‘alone’, Natural England have indicated that the proposed development may also contribute to the ‘incombination’
effects with the existing recreational pressures on the Chesil and the Fleet European site.
Natural England have commented that a wider strategy may be needed to address the ‘in-combination’ issue of recreational pressure at Chesil and the Fleet.