National Planning Framework 4: habitats regulations appraisal

Energy Innovation Development on the Islands

There are several proposals associated with the Energy Innovation Development on the Islands National Development on Shetland, Orkney and the Outer Hebrides. Those which involve the creation of new ports, or the extension of existing port facilities (including any land reclamation), have the potential to significantly affect foraging seabirds from several nearby SPAs during the breeding season. Impacts which could arise include pollution of the marine environment, changes to coastal processes, and disturbance and/or displacement of birds due to construction activities or increased ship movements. The Arnish Renewables Base and Deep Water Port near Stornoway is also in very close proximity to the Inner Hebrides and the Minches SAC, designated for harbour porpoise Phocoena phocoena. This species could be impacted in the same way as seabirds above, but could also be subject to collision with moving vessels.

The onshore proposals for Shetland have the potential to significantly affect several European sites depending on the precise route of, for example, new pipelines.

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Pumped Hydro Storage

Generally applies to the whole of Scotland but includes a specific proposal for Cruachan 2, at Loch Awe. This project would either be within or directly adjacent to the Glen Etive and Glen Fyne SPA (designated for golden eagle Aquila chrysaetos) and the Loch Etive Woods SAC (designated for woodland habitats and otter Lutra lutra). It could therefore result in the direct loss of qualifying habitat and/or loss of habitat supporting these qualifying species. There is also the potential for pollution impacts on qualifying and supporting habitats, and for disturbance to the qualifying species both within and outside of the boundaries of the European sites.

Although locations are unknown, additional projects brought forward under this National Development could be linked to other European sites across Scotland, especially as impacts to the freshwater environment can occur over relatively large distances.

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Strategic Renewable Electricity Generation and Transmission Infrastructure

This National Development supports renewable energy development, repowering and the expansion of the electricity grid. All of these proposals have a substantial likelihood of causing likely significant effects on European sites, depending on where they take place. However, there is no spatial definition associated with these proposals and, following NatureScot guidance, this National Development is screened out as effects on any particular European site cannot be identified.

Screened out

Circular Economy Materials Management Facilities

This proposed National Development applies nationwide and establishes the need for sites and facilities to retain the resource value of waste materials in order to maximise the use of materials in the economy and minimise the use of virgin materials in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

This proposed National Development has insufficient spatial definition to identify possible links to European sites across Scotland.

Screened out

Urban Sustainable, Blue and Green Surface Water Management Solutions

Applies to the Glasgow and Edinburgh catchment areas and seeks to build on the benefits of the Metropolitan Glasgow Strategic Drainage Partnership. This proposal is only very broadly spatially defined but could potentially be connected to European sites within the Clyde and Forth estuaries.

However, this National Development is essentially environmentally positive (seeking to manage urban water run-off, including a prioritisation of catchment scale nature-based solutions which include blue and green infrastructure) and would not have likely significant effects of an adverse nature on this, or any other, European site, either alone or in-combination with other plans or projects.

Screened out

Urban Mass/Rapid Transit Networks

This National Development covers Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen, and associated regions. It is therefore only broadly spatially defined. However, projects brought forward under this National Development will be urban in nature. The only European sites in the vicinity of these three cities are marine or estuarine and are unlikely to be significantly affected.

Screened out

Central Scotland Green Network

The Central Scotland Green Network seeks an expansion of green infrastructure and supports a greener approach to development. At this stage, the proposals under this National Development are too broad and generally promote environmental benefits / enhancements. For these two reasons, this National Development can be screened out of further assessment.

Screened out

National Walking, Cycling and Wheeling Network

This National Development facilitates the shift from vehicles to walking, cycling and wheeling for everyday journeys contributing to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transport. The upgrading and provision of additional active travel infrastructure will be fundamental to the development of a sustainable travel network providing access to settlements, key services and amenities, employment and multimodal hubs. It has very little spatial definition, and the precise route of connections is unknown at this stage.

This National Development has therefore been screened out of further assessment as, in the absence of information on active travel routes, effects on particular European sites cannot be identified.

Screened out

Edinburgh Waterfront

This National Development supports the regeneration of strategic sites along the Forth Waterfront in Edinburgh, between Leith and Granton. Projects progressed under this National Development could be immediately adjacent to, or otherwise in close proximity to the Firth of Forth SPA, Imperial Dock, Leith SPA, and the Outer Firth of Forth and St Andrews Bay Complex SPA. Birds associated with the Forth Islands SPA may also occur along the coast in the vicinity of this National Development. Projects involving works within the marine environment could impact upon grey seal Halichoerus grypus, harbour seal Phoca vitulina and/or bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus from the Isle of May SAC, Berwickshire and North Northumberland Coast SAC, Firth of Tay and Eden Estuary SAC, and/or the Moray Firth SAC.

Screened in

Dundee Waterfront

The Dundee Waterfront National Development and associated proposals may include projects within the Firth of Tay and Eden Estuary SAC and Firth of Tay and Eden Estuary SPA. Terrestrial habitat around Dundee Waterfront is potentially suitable for several qualifying species of the Firth of Tay and Eden Estuary SPA and the Outer Firth of Forth and St Andrews Bay Complex SPA. There is the possibility of impacts to these sites including changes to coastal processes, loss of functionally-linked habitat, disturbance of qualifying species, mortality or injury of qualifying species, and the spread of invasive non-native species. In addition to the aforementioned sites, there are pathways for these impacts to affect the following European sites: River Tay SAC, Isle of May SAC, and Berwickshire and North Northumberland Coast SAC.

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Stranraer Gateway

Onshore developments within the towns of Stranraer or Cairnryan are unlikely to affect any European site. Developments in the surrounding area could be connected to the Glen App and Galloway Moors SPA, or the Loch of Inch and Torrs Warren SPA (for example resulting in the loss of functionally-linked habitat used by qualifying Greenland white-fronted geese Anser albifrons flavirostris and/or hen harrier Circus cyaneus).

Projects which involve works in the marine environment, particularly piling, or which increase the number of ship or other vessel movements, could impact on marine mammals through noise disturbance and/or injury or mortality. From Northern Ireland, grey seals from The Maidens SAC could be affected. Likewise, qualifying seabird species from the Ailsa Craig SPA (or more distant SPAs designated for seabirds) foraging outside of the boundary of the site could also be impacted by disturbance from the same sources.

The precise nature of transport infrastructure projects associated with Stranraer Gateway is unknown. However, it will be supported by strategic transport interventions including road and rail that emerge from the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2). Such projects could impact on the following sites due to direct habitat loss, waterborne pollution, airborne pollution and/or disturbance of qualifying species: Lendalfoot Hills Complex SAC, Flow of Dergoals SAC, River Bladnoch SAC, Solway Firth SPA, and Loch Ken and River Dee Marshes SPA. Other transport infrastructure projects not defined at this stage could affect additional sites.

Screened in

DigitalFibre Network

This National Development applies to the whole of Scotland and has no spatial definition and cannot be linked to any European sites.

Screened out

Clyde Mission

The Clyde Mission is focussed on the River Clyde and riverside from South Lanarkshire in the east to Inverclyde and Argyll and Bute in the west, plus an area of up to around 500 m from the river edge. This footprint includes the parts of the Clyde Gateway, River Clyde Waterfront, North Clyde River Bank and River Clyde Corridor frameworks, and Glasgow Riverside Innovation District, and aims to repurpose brownfield land. A range of development types are possible. Impact sources will depend on the nature of projects brought forward, but could include: the spread of invasive non-native species, waterborne and airborne pollution, the loss of functionally-linked habitat, disturbance of species using functionally-linked habitat, and increased recreational pressure. There are three European sites which could be linked to projects under this National Development: the Inner Clyde SPA, Black Cart SPA and Clyde Valley Woods SAC. Other European sites are too distant for there to be realistic pathways for effects (e.g. they are beyond the distance at which air quality changes could cause significant effects, or they are remote upland sites which are unlikely to experience a significant increase in recreational pressure).

Screened in

Aberdeen Harbour

Projects brought forward under this National Development are likely to be immediately adjacent to (or even within) the River Dee SAC and in close proximity to the Ythan Estuary, Sands of Forvie and Meikle Loch SPA. Further afield, Aberdeen Harbour is within the foraging range of qualifying seabirds of Fowlsheugh SPA and several of the SPAs covering the Firth of Forth, in addition to grey seal and bottlenose dolphins associated with the following: Berwickshire and North Northumberland Coast SAC, Isle of May SAC and Moray Firth SAC.

Depending on the nature of projects brought forward, there is the potential for a range of impacts to result in likely significant effects on the qualifying features of these European sites.

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Industrial Green Transition Zones

This National Development applies to locations at St Fergus, Peterhead and Grangemouth, but also includes for offshore infrastructure. Projects in these locations have the potential to result in several impacts such as loss of functionally-linked habitat and disturbance of qualifying species. Offshore works, including for example in the Firth of Forth, also have the potential to effectively act as a barrier (due to disturbance) to migratory Atlantic salmon Salmo salar and/or lamprey species of the upstream River Teith SAC.

Screened in

Hunterston Strategic Asset

The location of this proposed National Development covers Hunterston port as well as the adjacent former nuclear power station sites and marketable business land of the Hunterston Estate. The clearly defined spatial nature of the National Development allows for straightforward screening. The nearest SPA for wide ranging seabird species is Ailsa Craig SPA, approximately 50km distant. This is within the foraging range adopted by the HRA screening when considering the distance at which seabirds may travel beyond SPA boundaries. Any increase in marine vessel movements to and from Hunterston could impact on foraging by the qualifying seabirds of Ailsa Craig SPA (and potentially on other SPAs further afield), depending on the routes taken and the numbers involved.

The only terrestrial SPAs within 20km are Renfrewshire Heights SPA and Arran Moors SPA. These are both designated for breeding hen harrier, and are both situated beyond the core foraging range of this species from the Hunterston Strategic Asset National Development.

The nearest SACs are Bankhead Moss, Beith SAC, Cockinhead Moss SAC, and Dykeneuk Moss SAC. All are approximately 15km distant and designated for raised bog habitat. This is well beyond the distance at which any impacts (e.g. air quality changes) could reach these sites to have any effect.

Therefore, likely significant effects from this proposed National Development cannot be excluded for SPAs designated for breeding seabirds. However, it is very unlikely to have any significant effects on terrestrial SPAs or SACs.

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Chapelcross Power Station Redevelopment

Chapelcross Power Station is within 5km of the Solway Firth SPA and the Upper Solway Flats and Marshes Ramsar site, designated for a range of wintering waterbirds which could occur in grassland within and surrounding the site. It is also within core foraging range (20km) of pink-footed geese Anser brachyrhynchus belonging to the Castle Loch, Lochmaben SPA. There is the potential for loss of functionally-linked habitat (either directly or due to disturbance displacement).

The site also appears to be hydrologically linked via the Gullielands Burn to the River Annan, and downstream to the Solway Firth SAC. Development activities could therefore impact upon qualifying lamprey species, for example through waterborne pollution or hydrological changes to the watercourse.

Although no detail of specific proposals is provided, any industrial development which involves emissions to air from stacks (e.g. for hydrogen generation) could have impacts on European sites up to 15km distant. Raeburn Flow SAC and Solway Mosses North SAC are both approximately within this distance of Chapelcross. They are both designated for raised bog habitats which are sensitive to air quality impacts and may therefore be significantly affected.

Screened in

High Speed Rail

The proposed national development is to support the implementation of new infrastructure to improve rail capacity and connectivity on the main cross-border routes, the East and West Coast Mainlines. There is very little spatial information available. However, development in proximity to the Firth of Forth could have likely significant effects, for example through disturbance of qualifying species using functionally-linked habitat, or through the direct loss of such habitat.

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