Biodiversity
Forest Heath District is fortunate in having a very rich and unique combination of landscapes and habitats. These range from the Brecks; a mix of heath, forest and large sandy arable landscapes with distinctive Scots Pine belts in the centre, north and east of the area; to the dramatic open Fens to the west and the attractive rolling chalk and clay downlands found in the south. These landscapes include many rare and distinctive habitats from ancient woodland, wet woods, reed beds, wildflower meadows, rivers, lakes, old orchards, water meadows, chalk grasslands and streams through to areas of heather and acid grassland.
The Brecks supports many of the important BAP (Biodiversity Action Plan) species and habitats in the district. Species like Stone Curlew, Nightjar and Woodlark breed here in sufficient numbers for some areas to warrant international designations. The farmland also has good numbers of Brown Hare and Grey Partridge. In the forest plantations there is a small declining population of Red Squirrel. There are significant areas of lowland heathland and acid grassland. The light sandy soils have led to much of the farmland going in and out of cultivation and these breck fields support a unique flora of tiny annual plants such as fingered speedwell which are not found elsewhere in Britain. Other BAP species such as Tower Mustard and Red-tipped Cudweed are also adapted to these disturbed light soils.
There is relatively little open water in the district, but the valleys of the Little Ouse, the Lark and the Eriswell cut-off channel all have Otters. Water Voles can be found alongside many of the fenland drains. Restoration work at Lakenheath Washes provides an important area of reed bed designed to support the Bittern. These inland reed beds will become increasingly important as sea level rise continues to threaten the south and east coast.
Where the breckland and fens join there are a few wetland sites which support an unusual flora and fauna with species like the rare Leaf Beetle at Pashford Poors Fen (its only UK site) and the Greater Water Parsnip at Hurst Fen. These sites are all suffering from drying out due to a general lowering of the water table.
The local planning authority has a duty to consider the conservation of biodiversity when determining a planning application; this includes safeguarding species and their habitats protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, the Conservation (Natural Habitats etc) Regulations 1994 or the Badgers Act 1992.
Where a proposed development is likely to affect protected species and their habitats, planning applications must be submitted with a Protected Species Survey and Assessment. The Survey should be undertaken and prepared by competent persons with suitable qualifications and experience and must be carried out at an appropriate time and month of the year, in suitable weather conditions and using nationally recognised survey guidelines/methods where available.
More detailed information on what is expected to be submitted with a planning application in relation to biodiversity can be found in the Local Validation Requirements Glossary of Terms.
Government planning policy guidance for biodiversity and geodiversity are set out in:
Planning Policy Statement 9: Biodiversity and Geological Conservation (August 2005).
PPS9 is accompanied by ODPM Circular 06/2005 (DEFRA Circular 01/2005)
Biodiversity and Geological Conservation Statutory obligations and their impact within the planning system and Planning for Biodiversity and Geological Conservation: A Guide to Good Practice
Related links
Suffolk Biological Records Centre
Suffolk Biodiversity Partnership