National Planning Framework 4: habitats regulations appraisal
Details the Habitats Regulations Appraisal (HRA) process that has been carried out in support of National Planning Framework 4, as required under the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 (as amended).
3. HRA Screening Results
3.1 A summary of the HRA screening of NPF4 is provided in this section. Further details can be found in the Initial HRA Screening Record (AECOM, 2021b).
3.2 Part 1 of NPF4 sets out Scottish Government's Spatial Strategy to 2045. It sets out a vision for how planning will deliver a net zero Scotland and how all parties will work together to build:
- Sustainable places
- Liveable places, and
- Productive places
3.3 Recognising that each part of Scotland can make a unique contribution to achieving this vision, NPF4 identifies regional spatial priorities to be taken forward.
3.4 Although it refers to projects, both existing, and those which may be brought forward in future, the purpose of the Spatial Strategy is to set out the overall vision of NPF4, in order to inform other plans and strategies such as regional spatial strategies, local development plans and local place plans. At the local level, it is for individual planning authorities to determine how the Spatial Strategy of NPF4 should best be achieved through their own plans and strategies. Consequently, and in accordance with SNH (2015) guidance in relation to elements of development plans which are general and do not include a specific location, the Spatial Strategy was screened out of further assessment.
3.5 Subsequent to the publication of the HRA Screening Report, changes were made to the Spatial Strategy. No likely significant effects were identified from these changes, and the conclusion of the Spatial Strategy remained the same, and it was screened out of appropriate assessment.
3.6 No likely significant effects were identified from any draft policy, either alone or in-combination with other national or local plans, programmes or strategies. Subsequent to the publication of the HRA Screening Report, a number of changes were made to National Planning Policies. Although there are numerous policies which promote or support certain types of development that have the potential to result in likely significant effects, the policies themselves do not make specific allocations or commitments to a specific quantum or location of such development. All of the policies of NPF4 were therefore screened out of further assessment. This remains the case for the revised Draft NPF4.
3.7 A summary of the HRA screening of the National Developments of NPF4 is provided in Table 1.
| National Development |
Summary of test of likely significant effects |
HRA screening outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 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. |
Screened in |
| 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. |
Screened in |
| 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. |
Screened in |
| 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. |
Screened in |
| 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. |
Screened in |
| 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. |
Screened in |
3.8 Of the 18 National Developments, 7 were screened out of further assessment, as described in Table 1. These were:
- Strategic Renewable Electricity Generation and Transmission Infrastructure
- Circular Economy Materials Management Facilities
- Urban Sustainable, Blue and Green Surface Water Management Solutions
- Urban Mass/Rapid Transit Networks
- Central Scotland Green Network
- National Walking, Cycling and Wheeling Network, and
- Digital Fibre Network.
3.9 Likely significant effects from these National Developments on European sites, both alone and in-combination with other plans, programmes and/or strategies, were excluded, in accordance with SNH (2015), either because:
a) they are intended to protect the natural environment
b) they will not themselves lead to development or other change
c) they make provision for change but could have no conceivable effect on a European site
d) they make provision for change but could have no significant effect on a European site, or
e) effects on any particular European site cannot be identified, because they are too general or lack any spatial definition.
3.10 These 7 National Developments were therefore not taken forward to the next HRA stage of appropriate assessment. However, although screened out at the level of NPF4, further HRA of these National Developments will be necessary at lower tiers in the planning process including, where relevant, at the local development plan level, and for individual projects. At these levels, additional detail is likely to be available, including the location of infrastructure. On the basis of available information at that time, it may not be possible to exclude the possibility of likely significant effects on the qualifying features of European sites from the proposals, either alone or in-combination with other plans or projects, and in the absence of mitigation. In this case, it would be necessary to progress to the appropriate assessment stage, irrespective of the conclusion drawn in this HRA of NPF4.
3.11 Likely significant effects were identified for the remaining 11 National Developments:
- Energy Innovation Development on the Islands
- Pumped Hydro Storage
- Edinburgh Waterfront
- Dundee Waterfront
- Stranraer Gateway
- Clyde Mission
- Aberdeen Harbour
- Industrial Green Transition Zones
- Hunterston Strategic Asset
- Chapelcross Power Station Redevelopment, and
- High Speed Rail.
Contact
Email: Chief.Planner@gov.scot
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