Nature Conservation
A wide variety of natural habitats are represented in the
landscape of the Borough. The protection and enhancement of these
habitats with their plant and animal species are guided by national
environmental legislation and through policies being developed in
the Local Development Framework.
In the UK, there is a hierarchy of environmental designations
and habitat classifications which can be applied to protect
specific sites of nature conservation interest. These range in
significance from international to local level, vary in scope and
extent and may overlap. Cheshire East, with its rich ecological
resources, has a number of sites with such designations.
Internationally important sites
A number of sites in the Borough, were declared Ramsar sites by
Natural England. This
designation recognises these areas as wetlands of international
importance for waterfowl habitats and migratory birds, affording
additional protection from development. An area of the Peak Moors,
which includes the Goyt Valley is also protected for its regularly
occurring migratory species of birds as a Special Protection Area
(SPA). In
addition, the South Pennine Moors are internationally recognised as
a Special Area of Conservation (SAC), identified as an
outstanding example of its habitat type.
Nationally important sites
33 sites either
wholly or partially within the Borough are classified by English
Nature as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI’s). They
range from vast areas of the open Pennine moorland in the east, to
smaller areas of ancient woodland, to the mosses and meres of the
Cheshire plain in the west. Each SSSI represents a
significant fragment of the much-depleted resource of wild nature
remaining in Britain, and are intended to link to a national
network of quality native habitats. SSSI’s are designated with the
aim of limiting or preventing operations that are potentially
damaging to the wildlife interest of the area.
Rostherne Mere (also a Ramsar site) and Wybunbury Moss are
National Nature Reserves (NNR) owned and managed by
Natural England. National Nature Reserves (NNRs) contain examples
of some of the most important natural and semi-natural ecosystems
in Great Britain. They are managed to conserve their habitats,
providing special opportunities for scientific study of the
habitats, communities and species represented within them.
Locally important sites
Over 420 sites
in Cheshire east are classified as being of local importance in
Cheshire as Sites of Biological Importance (SBI). This designation,
recognised in the Local Development Framework Plan, is subdivided
into 3 grades, with Grade A being of highest value. Sites
designated as Sites of Biological Importance may be of value as
ancient woodland, unimproved grassland, or a number of other
habitats and species considered to be of local importance.
The first Local Nature Reserve (LNR) to be created in Cheshire
was Lindow Common in Wilmslow (also an SSSI), a site owned and
managed by the Borough. This designation is favoured as a means of
involving the community in the management of wildlife sites.
There now a total of 8 LNRs is Cheshire East.
In addition to habitats and species sites can also be designated
for there geological interest these sites are known as Regionally
Important geological Sites (RIGs). RIGs
in Cheshire are identified by a Cheshire RIGs Group.
Protected Species
The Wildlife and Countryside Act and European Habitat
regulations allow for the protection of a number of species of
native flora and fauna, together with specific measures which
developers are legally obliged to follow to protect their habitats
or mitigate the effects of any development as part of the planning
process. The presence of protected species such as Great Crested
Newts, Bats and Water Voles in the Borough is taken into account in
planning applications.