CONTEXT AND JUSTIFICATION
The Government has made it clear that Planning Authorities have a duty to recognise the importance of protecting features of nature conservation interest (see Circular Environment No. 13/1991, the Scottish Executive’s Revised Guidance (June 2000) updating Scottish Office Circular No. 6/1995 and National Planning Policy Guideline 1: The Planning System (NPPG 1), National Planning Policy Guideline 3: Land for Housing (NPPG 3) and National Planning Policy Guideline 14: Natural Heritage (NPPG 14). The Government is also committed to protecting biodiversity and has identified a number of key habitats and species which are under threat nationally. These are detailed in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. Many of the City’s statutory Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), Local Nature Reserves (LNRs), Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINCs), particularly City-wide SINCs, and Wildlife Corridors are nationally important from a biodiversity point of view, either because they constitute a key habitat or because they support a key species. As such, the Council is working in partnership with various agencies to produce a Local Biodiversity Action Plan (LBAP) for the City. This LBAP will complement the City Plan.
The Council first identified SINCs in its Wildlife and Nature Conservation Policy of 1989. Since then, the policy has been monitored and updated.
In assessing sites, the Council’s Conservation Officer uses a set of selection criteria based on those used by Scottish Natural Heritage to identify SSSIs, thus producing a hierarchy of sites of importance, as recommended in NPPG 14. SSSI’s are of national significance, C-SINCs are of City-wide significance, and L-SINCs are locally significant. Monitoring allows for new sites to be identified and existing ones to be re-classified.
In 2000, the City contained 36 C-SINCs and 39 L-SINCs. These are shown on the Environmental Policy Designations maps (see Definition) and listed in the following SINCs table.
POLICY
1. City-wide Sites
There will be a presumption against any development or change of use likely to have an adverse effect on any land or water identified as being a C-SINC, including the level or quality of water supply within the catchment area of wetland sites.
2. Local Sites
(a) In order to conserve an integrated system of wildlife habitats, the Council will also aim to protect L-SINCs from proposals which might adversely affect them.
(b) In assessing proposals affecting a L-SINC all of the following criteria must be met before a development may be looked on favourably:
(i) no alternative site can be found for the proposed development;
(ii) the social and economic benefits of the scheme outweigh the total or partial loss of nature conservation; and
(iii) the loss can be compensated by habitat creation/site enhancement elsewhere, and where there are satisfactory arrangements to do this.
(c) where the Council is disposed to grant planning permission for a development in accordance with part 2(b) of this policy, proposals must aim for high quality design/landscape work and must include details of methods to be adopted, including legal agreements etc. to guarantee future maintenance arrangements.
DEFINITION
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY DESIGNATION
Environmental policy designations cover the built and natural heritage of Glasgow. These areas are important because of their environmental quality, biological diversity and/or their historic, architectural or archaeological significance, and contribute positively to the quality of the environment, image and diversity of the City.
City-Wide Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (C-SINCs)
|
Quadrant/
Site Code |
Site Name |
Ward
No. |
Grid Ref |
DPP
Policy |
Owner |
Description of Site |
|
West/GW |
Garscadden Wood
|
2 |
NS528720 |
Green Belt |
GCC |
Large broad-leaved plantation and semi-natural woodland with bordering meadows and scrub. |
|
West/GB |
Garscadden Burn
|
2 |
NS524709 |
Green space |
GCC |
Areas of willow/alder scrub, marsh, fen and sandy heath connected by burn with rich species diversity. |
|
West/CLB |
Cleddans Burn
|
1 |
NS507715 |
Green Belt |
GCC |
The burn forms the western boundary of the site which comprises marshland, neutral and acid grassland, heathland, wet flushes and native tree planting. The burn supports the nationally threatened Water Vole while locally rare plants, Greater Butterfly Orchid and Long-stalked Yellow Sedge, grow in the grassland and marshy grassland. |
|
West/DP |
Dawsholm Park
|
9 |
NS553695 |
Green space |
GCC |
Large broad-leaved plantation containing high songbird populations, with developing scrub fringe and species-rich grassland. |
|
North/MF |
Millichen Flood |
22 |
NS571717 |
Green Belt |
Private |
Seasonal flood pool in pasture, frequented by passage waders and wildfowl. |
|
North/KM |
Kenmure Marsh |
23 |
NS592705 |
Green Belt |
Private and GCC |
Complex wetland with fen vegetation and surrounding diverse rough grassland. Important for Water Rail and other marshland species. |
|
North/LM |
Lochfauld Marsh |
23 |
NS590708 |
Green Belt |
Private |
Large area of marsh and swamp that may have developed following subsidence. Important for Water Rail and other marshland species. |
|
North/RP |
Robroyston Park (part) |
31 |
NS629683 |
Green space |
GCC |
Northern half of Park consisting of an area of exposed rough grassland and the Barmulloch wetlands/pools. |
|
East/LG |
Lethamhill Golf Course (part) |
38 |
NS643668 |
Green space |
GCC |
Primarily a small, species diverse wetland surrounded by rough grassland and trees in the eastern part of the golf course. |
|
North/MW |
Millerston |
38 |
NS639678 |
Green space/ Green Belt/
Robroyston South |
Railway Paths/ GCC/ Private |
A complex variety of habitats and micro habitats including lowland raised bog. Supports 8 ‘priority’ bird species and important populations of water vole and roe deer. |
|
East/AP |
Alexandra Park
(part) |
32 |
NS622658 |
Green space |
GCC |
The West Pond is important for its breeding Tufted Duck population and other waterfowl. |
|
East/TW |
Todd's Well |
49 |
NS668667 |
Green Belt |
GCC/
Private |
Rocky outcrop with wetter depression includes a combination of heath and marsh plant communities. Also includes plantation of native tree species. |
|
East/CE |
Craigend Moss |
49 |
NS676663 |
Green Belt |
GCC |
Relatively undisturbed area of raised peat bog adjoining Bishop Loch LNR. |
|
East/GS |
Garnkirk Moss
(south) |
49 |
NS680678 |
Green Belt |
Private |
Extensive peat mire, including some raised bog and developing birch woodland. |
|
East/GL |
Gartloch Hospital Woodlands |
49 |
NS687672 |
Green Belt
(Gartloch) |
Private |
Mature woodland some of which is semi-natural. Important for woodland mammals and various bird species including Green Woodpecker (only regular Glasgow site). |
|
East/GP |
Gartloch Pool |
49 |
NS673673 |
Green Belt |
Private |
Open water in marshy grassland with breeding and migrant waterfowl and other marshland bird species. |
|
East/FL |
Frankfield Loch |
49 |
NS655678 |
Green Belt |
S’clyde Uni. |
Shallow eutrophic loch with marshland and scrub fringe. Important for waterfowl, other marshland bird species and migrant waders. |
|
East/LW |
Lochwood Wetlands |
49 |
NS695669 |
Green Belt |
Private |
A series of rush-dominated marshy pastures providing a rich habitat for breeding marshland songbirds and passage Snipe. |
|
East/BB |
Bothlin Burn |
49 |
NS696674 |
Green Belt |
Private |
Contains a very extensive reedbed of Common Reed (Phragmites), provides an important autumn roost site for Swallows. |
|
East/GK |
Garnkirk Moss Plantations
|
49 |
NS680676 |
Green Belt |
Private |
Forms an important part of the Gartloch Hospital Woodlands complex, with good diversity and structure. |
|
Quadrant/
Site Code |
Site Name |
Ward
No. |
Grid Ref |
DPP
Policy |
Owner |
Description of Site |
|
East/CM |
Cardowan Moss Woodland |
49 |
NS661674 |
Green Belt |
Private and GCC |
Damp peaty lowland raised bog and marshy depression within young plantation of native tree species. |
|
East/CH |
Commonhead Moss |
50 |
NS695660 |
Green Belt |
Private and GCC |