From: Costain, Sophie (DEFA) Sent: 22 March 2024 12:57 To: DEFA, Planning Conditions; Spencer, Daniel Subject: 24/10025/AIR - Information in relation to condition 9 for PA 22/00416/B - Lighting
Plan for development south of Cooil road, Braddan.
Follow Up Flag: Follow up Flag Status: Flagged
Good afternoon
RE: 24/10025/AIR - Information in relation to condition 9 for PA 22/00416/B - Lighting Plan for development south of Cooil road, Braddan.
The Ecosystem Policy Team currently have concerns with the proposed lighting plan and we are not yet satisfied with the submitted details. The Manx Wildlife Trust determined through their bat activity surveys in 2020 that the most important location for bats was the mature trees in the east of the site. See the areas highlighted in red below, on a copy of Hartford Homes’ Lighting Plan.
Though the lighting plan shows that lux levels on most of the trees in these areas are limited to below 0.2 lux (with the recommendation in the BCT guidance for dark corridors to have illuminance reduced to <0.5 lux). We are concerned about the isolation of the area of woodland immediately to the west of Zone D. The proposed lighting scheme does not provide bats which may potentially be roosting in these trees (a beech tree was identified by the MWT with significant heart rot and extensive niches suitable for a significant aggregation of bats in this area), access to any intact linear habitat features which are unlit, which they can use for commuting and feeding. Essentially, whichever way the bats travel, they will have to pass over areas with lux levels of 5 in order to be able to access habitat areas. This is likely to be very harmful to any bats roosting in this area and could lead to roost abandonment (if a roost is present). Additionally, part of the proposed mitigation for this project was the installation of bat boxes in this area of trees, which may essentially be redundant features.
This image displays a detailed site layout plan for a commercial development, likely a business park, showing designated zones, building footprints, parking areas, and extensive landscaping along the road frontage.
We therefore need to see updated plans showing where an unlit or a dark (<0.5lux) migration and feeding corridor for bats will be created in this area.
In regards to the other lighting details, we are glad to see that the lighting colour is to be 2700 Kelvin and the peak wavelength is 550nm, which is in line with the BCT best practise guidance.
Best wishes
Sophie
Miss S Costain, Ecosystem Policy Officer Department of Environment, Food & Agriculture, Thie Slieau Whallian, Foxdale Road, St Johns, Isle of Man, IM4 3AS Tel +44 (0)1624 685963 Mob +44 (0)7624 431301 Fax +44 (0)1624 685851 Email [email protected] or [email protected] Website: www.gov.im/defa DEFA - working for a clean, safe, healthy, attractive and vibrant environment which will be enjoyed by present and future generations alike.
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