Urban Edge Environmental Consulting was re-appointed in 2014 to undertake the Habitats Regulations Assessment for the Mid Sussex District Plan, having previously been involved with carrying out the HRA for the Core Strategy since 2008. The assessment is greatly informed by a survey of visiting behaviour on Ashdown Forest undertaken UEEC staff in 2008.

Throughout this time, several meetings have been held with the Council, Natural England and other nature conservation bodies to establish an approach to avoiding effects on Ashdown Forest’s bird assemblage. The work has been characterised by extensive cooperation with neighbouring Wealden district.

The Council is currently moving towards a consultation on the plan, after which the final policy direction will be set and HRA avoidance and mitigation strategies finalised.

An integral aspect of securing requisite avoidance and mitigation is identifying suitable alternative sites to provide for the recreational needs of new communities. We advised the Council on which sites offer the most potential in this respect, as well as providing evidence to inform the Community Infrastructure Levy and Infrastructure Delivery Plan as possible delivery mechanisms for avoidance and mitigation.

We have also prepared HRAs for the Wealden Core Strategy and Arun Core Strategy.