From:                                         Matthew Thomas <m.thomas@msa-architects.co.uk>

Sent:                                           30 November 2018 15:28

To:                                               Williams, Julie (Planning)

Cc:                                               Joseph Lowes

Subject:                                     RE: Comments from Ecology

Attachments:                          165-03 Island Road (West) - Woodland MP 301118.pdf

 

Julie,

 

Further to the additional comments received from the ecologist, please find a revised management plan attached that seeks to respond to the points raised.  Our response is summarised below:

 

�.      The site owner will appoint someone to implement the woodland management plan to comply with its objectives as set out in the 10‐year plan

Please refer to the addition of para 3.1.3

 

�.      Maps are incomplete e.g. Figure 2

Some of the references to plans and maps were incorrect and these have now been corrected.

 

�.      There are no maps showing where works will be undertaken

Works will be undertaken within the Woodland Management Plan area as identified in Figure 2.  The aims and objectives of the plan refer to this area.

 

�.      It is not clear which trees will be removed or when

The woodland management plan identifies the objectives for management of this area. As the trees benefit from a TPO then any removals would need to be reviewed with the Council beforehand.  The works under the management plan have not yet been instructed and this will only happen once the plan has been approved. The process for identifying trees for removal and timing for when this will happen are identified in table 12 (refs: GC1 & GC2).

 

�.      It is not clear what trees will be planted and when

Trees to be planted are to be selected from Table 14

Trees are to be planted in accordance with Table 21 (ref SD2)

 

�.      Figure 4 refers to fencing, but none is shown

The mention of fencing was a contextual item which refers to fencing outside the area of the plan, it was meant to be helpful, additional text - it has been removed and amended.

 

�.      They use the word “should” rather than “will”

All instances of ‘should’ have been replaced with ‘will’

 

�.      However the table below this text describes 10 years, so this section contradicts itself.

The text associated with Table 1 has now been amended

 

�.      It needs to be enforceable

The plan is required under a planning condition that also obliges the land owner to implement the plan.  If it is not implemented then the Council can take enforcement action.  The management plan is therefore enforceable in this manner. Furthermore, section 3.1.3 refers to bi-annual reporting of the progress of the management plan to the Council.

 

In terms of the format of the plan, the condition does not require the management plan to be prepared in a specific manner or to identify particular targets.  Indeed, the condition notes that the plan will be iterative so the important issue is the content of the plan and the proposed actions in this woodland area.  As noted above, it is for the applicant/land owner to implement the plan and the Council can enforce this through the terms of the planning condition.

 

I trust that this now allows the condition to be discharged.

 

Regards,

 

Matthew

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hello,

 

I can now provide further comments from the ecologist, which is questioning the vagueness of some of the statements – as follows.

 

I can’t work out from this what works (if any) they will undertake, how and where.  It reads:

 

“The site owner will appoint someone to implement the woodland management plan to comply with its objectives as set out in the 10‐year plan.”

 

Maps are incomplete e.g. Figure 2:

 

There are no maps showing where works will be undertaken

 

It is not clear which trees will be removed or when

 

It is not clear what trees will be planted and when

 

Figure 4 refers to fencing, but none is shown

 

They use the word “should” rather than “will” e.g. “To achieve this, the canopy will be opened up by thinning out poorer specimens of trees to create glades and when planting young trees, they should be a greater distance apart.” , “Too much bramble can smother the ground flora, although, they should not be removed only in the interests of tidiness”

 

The text associated with Table 1 reads: “This plan is to discharge Planning Condition 13 (planning ref: 170444), which states “The woodland management plan is to run for a period of 10 years”. The first five years will be as described here, but the following five‐year periods will be subject to the Plan Review in PM1 (Table 19).” However the table below this text describes 10 years, so this section contradicts itself.

 

The plan needs to be easy to follow, include definitive prescriptions, that can be checked (and action taken by the council if they are not being carried out)., i.e. it needs to be enforceable

 

As per Sarah’s comments there also needs to be a “A mechanism to ensure that the woodlands ecological value is maintained and enhanced after the 10 year management period has expired” which there currently is not.

 

In summary, the plan contains insufficient information to comply with condition 13 and condition 13 should not be discharged. 

 

It would be appropriate for an amended and reformatted plan, based on the Forestry Commission woodland management plan template, to be submitted.

 

Some of this might have been picked up before but it makes sense to make this document as clear as it can be at this stage and who is to be responsible and how over the next 10 years.

 

 

 

This is an EXTERNAL EMAIL. STOP. THINK before you CLICK links or OPEN attachments.

Good morning,

 

Did you get a chance to review the revised management plan reflecting your comments?

 

Hopefully this captures everything required, however we are due to have practical completion on site soon and would appreciate understanding if there are any further changes required to the plan.

 

Kind regards,

Joseph

 

 

 

Hello Julie,

 

Thanks for getting back to me and forwarding the comments. We have revised the plan reflected the comments from the ecology team and Sarah Hanson.

 

Hopefully this will satisfy both teams that the condition can now be discharged. Please let me know if you need anything further.

 

Kind regards,

Joseph

 

 

 

 

Hello,

 

Ecologist comments attached. Sarah’s earlier comments gave you a heads up.

 

Julie Williams

South West Area Team Leader

Planning Department | Directorate of Environment and Neighbourhood Services

 

Reading Borough Council

Civic Offices, Bridge Street, Reading RG1 2LU

0118 937 2461(internal extension 72461)

(julie.williams@reading.gov.uk)

We now charge for copies of decision notices, site history searches, conditions checks and s106 enquiries. See the attached for more details: http://www.reading.gov.uk/article/10488/Planning-Admin-Charges

 

 

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