Habitats Regulations Assessment

Under the Habitat Regulations it is a statutory requirement for local authorities to undertake an assessment' of land use plans to ensure the protection of the integrity of sites designated as Special Protection Areas (SPA) and Special Areas of Conservation (SAC).

Special Protection Area

The Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area (SPA) is made up of a number of designated sites that contain species of rare birds of international nature conservation importance. As a whole these sites span across eleven districts and within Woking it includes Horsell Common, Sheets Heath and part of Brookwood Heath. The regulations covering this designation require that any plan or proposal should have regard to whether it would have a significant effect on the rare birds that the sites contain.

Special Area of Conservation

A part of the Thursley, Ash, Pirbright and Chobham Special Area of Conservation (SAC) lies within the borough boundary. The SAC contains important North Atlantic wet heaths and European dry heaths, for example, and like the SPA, is protected through the Habitats Regulations.

Habitats Regulations Assessment of the Core Strategy

In order to meet the requirements of the Habitat Regulations the Council undertook screening opinions of the need to undertake an appropriate assessment of the Core Strategy. The Habitats Regulations Assessment has found there to be no significant effect on the SAC or SPA, so an Appropriate Assessment is not required.

The report and relevant appendices can be viewed below:

Habitats Regulations Assessment Report

Habitats Regulations Assessment Appendicies