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Work commenced to identify the actual area of land required by wintering and migratory birds in the South Humber Gateway and, from this, a series of sites were identified which could then be managed to appropriately meet those birds’ requirements. A particular challenge for this measure was that much of the land in the area already had development aspirations attached to it.
Based on the initial analysis of data obtained thorough monitoring and survey work, together with discussions with various stakeholders in the area, an approach centred around a series of sites which became known as ‘stepping stones’ across the South Humber Gateway, along with land adjacent to it, was adopted. These sites needed to be large enough to accommodate the birds’ preference for roosting areas with long clear site lines. The management of the sites also needed to be tailored to the birds’ requirements for short vegetation swards, with wet grassland considered as optimal habitat.
The South Humber Gateway Delivery Plan hoped to provide the necessary framework to fulfil one of the more complex nature conservation requirements of the Humber Estuary Designation, specifically addressing mitigation needs arising from direct land take from development within the South Humber Bank Employment Allocation.
The Delivery Plan was also hoped to provide clarity and confidence that the impact of direct land take from within the South Humber Gateway could be mitigated both inside and outside the South Humber Gateway. Such an approach would enable the allocation of this area for future estuary related activity and identify a clear framework for potential investors. The Delivery Plan was hoped to work towards a strategic approach across the two unitary authorities, in place of an ad hoc site-by-site approach to mitigation, which would be better for both developers and for conservation.
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South Humber Gateway
Table of content
- 1. Measure description
- 1a. Description of the issue and measure
- 1b. Status of the measure
- 1c. Monitoring results
- 2. Execution of main effectiveness criteria
- 2a. Effectiveness according to development targets of measure
- 2b. Impact on ecosystem services
- 3. Additional evaluation criteria in view of EU environmental law
- 3a. Degree of synergistic effects and conflicts according to WFD aims
- 3b. Degree of synergistic effects according to Natura 2000 aims
- 4. Crux of the matter
Description of the issue and measure
It was determined that the most effective course of action in the South Humber Gateway was to allocate large areas of land which could be used to mitigate against the loss of land from port development currently used by waders for foraging and roosting. In order to deliver strategic mitigation, a South Humber Gateway Ecology Group was formed comprising local authorities, landowners and both statutory and non-statutory conservation bodies and was tasked with producing a South Humber Gateway Delivery Plan.Work commenced to identify the actual area of land required by wintering and migratory birds in the South Humber Gateway and, from this, a series of sites were identified which could then be managed to appropriately meet those birds’ requirements. A particular challenge for this measure was that much of the land in the area already had development aspirations attached to it.
Based on the initial analysis of data obtained thorough monitoring and survey work, together with discussions with various stakeholders in the area, an approach centred around a series of sites which became known as ‘stepping stones’ across the South Humber Gateway, along with land adjacent to it, was adopted. These sites needed to be large enough to accommodate the birds’ preference for roosting areas with long clear site lines. The management of the sites also needed to be tailored to the birds’ requirements for short vegetation swards, with wet grassland considered as optimal habitat.
The South Humber Gateway Delivery Plan hoped to provide the necessary framework to fulfil one of the more complex nature conservation requirements of the Humber Estuary Designation, specifically addressing mitigation needs arising from direct land take from development within the South Humber Bank Employment Allocation.
The Delivery Plan was also hoped to provide clarity and confidence that the impact of direct land take from within the South Humber Gateway could be mitigated both inside and outside the South Humber Gateway. Such an approach would enable the allocation of this area for future estuary related activity and identify a clear framework for potential investors. The Delivery Plan was hoped to work towards a strategic approach across the two unitary authorities, in place of an ad hoc site-by-site approach to mitigation, which would be better for both developers and for conservation.