LUC carried out an assessment of the potential ecological impacts of various options for the expansion of Bournemouth Airport, and then advised on potential mitigation options to address these impacts.
This aim of the project was to ensure that the habitats and wildlife surrounding the airport were considered early on in the development of expansion options, maximising the potential to avoid or minimise ecological impacts which can be disruptive and costly if exposed later in the process.
The airport is surrounded by habitats of international and national importance, which support a range of rare and protected species. Many nearby areas are designated as protected wildlife sites, and are visited by large numbers of people for recreation and enjoyment of wildlife, including The Dorset Heathlands and The New Forest.
The ecological assessment had a very wide remit. A key requirement was to inform Habitats Regulations Assessment, specifically looking at potential impacts on Special Areas of Conservation, Special Protection Areas and Ramsar sites (including The New Forest and Avon Valley).
The study also investigated impacts and mitigation options for protected species, national and local Biodiversity Action Plan habitats and species, and locally designated wildlife sites. This combined the HRA approach with Ecological Impact Assessment methodologies to enable assessment of the diverse range of features.
The broad scope of the project, in terms of the development options and the ecological features considered, was challenging but LUC developed a robust and transparent approach to address this. This included close working with the client, Christchurch Borough Council and consultation with the Airport owners Manchester Airports Group, and other agencies such as Dorset County Council and Natural England with whom we built a very strong working relationship. Highly-developed communication channels were necessary given the value of the ecological resource in the area, including internationally protected habitats and species.
The project was also inspiring as we helped to ensure the wildlife of the area is protected for people’s enjoyment, whilst recognising opportunities for enhancement without compromising development opportunities.
