Policy information sourced from The Woking Local Development Document - Core Strategy

CS8: Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Areas

The Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area is a European designated site which is accorded priority protection and conservation by Woking Borough Council.

New residential development which is likely to have significant effect on its purpose and integrity will be required to demonstrate that adequate mitigation measures are put in place to avoid any potential adverse effects. The measures will have to be agreed with Natural England who will help take a strategic approach to the management of the SPA.

The Council will take a precautionary approach to the protection and conservation of the SPA and development will only be permitted where the Council is satisfied that this will not give rise to a significant adverse effects upon the integrity of the SPA.

The Council will ensure that no sites are allocated or granted planning consent for (net) new residential development within the 400 metres exclusion zone of the Thames Basin Heath SPA because the impacts of such development on the SPA cannot be fully mitigated. New residential development beyond 400m threshold but within 5 kilometres of the SPA boundary (in a straight line) will be required to make an appropriate contribution towards the provision of Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG) and the Strategic Access Management and Monitoring (SAMM). Details of how the contribution will apply are set out in the Council’s Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area Avoidance Strategy 2010 – 2015.

An applicant may wish to provide SANG as part of development. Where that is the case, all relevant standards including standards recommended by Natural England should be met and a contribution will have to be made towards SAMM.

A minimum of 8 hectares of SANG land (after discounting to account for current access and capacity) should be provided per 1,000 new occupants.

Development of fewer than 10 dwellings should not be required to be within a specified distance of SANG land provided it is ensured that a sufficient quantity of SANG land is in place to cater for the consequent increase in residents prior to occupation of the dwellings.

Mitigation/ avoidance measures shall be delivered prior to occupation of new residential development and secured and maintained in perpetuity.

Where further evidence demonstrates that the SPA can be protected using different linear thresholds or with alternative mitigation measures, these must be evidence based and subject to Appropriate Assessment and also agreed with Natural England.

Any proposal with potential significant impacts (alone or in combination with other relevant developments) on the Thames Basin Heaths SPA will be subject to Habitats Regulations Assessment to determine the need for an Appropriate Assessment.

For more information please see the Core Strategy