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25/10018/AIR PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION
Application No. : 25/10018/AIR Applicant : Mr Mike Davies Proposal : Information in relation to condition 10 of PA 23/01407/B providing details in relation to fungi at Land West Of Glenfaba Road Site Address : Land West Of Glenfaba Road Fields 311835, 311836 And 311785 Glenfaba Road Peel
Planning Assistant: Charlotte Gatt
Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 26.02.2025
Conditions and Notes for Approval
N : Notes attached to conditions
NOTE. In this instance of the submitted Fungi Report and after consultation with the case officer confirming that they are happy with the level of detail, it is deemed sufficient to achieve the desired outcome and would be considered satisfactory for the planning condition 10 of application 23/01407/B, under the understanding that the development shall not be carried out unless in accordance with the approved details.
Plans/Drawings/Information;
This decision hereby approved relates to drawings and documents submitted to the Department titled: APPLICATION FORM 10.01.2025, CORRESPONDENCE FROM APPLICANT WITH AMENDMENTS, EPR FUNGI REPORT_030225_ISSUE and ISLE OF MAN PEEL STW__LEMMP 030225_ISSUE, recorded as being electronically received on 11.02.2025.
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Officer’s Report
1.0 Description 1.1 The proposed application 23/01407/B for the construction of a new Sewage Treatment Works and creation of new vehicular access was approved at appeal on 16.07.2024 subject to 4 conditions, some of which required submission of additional information prior to the commencement of works.
1.2 This report is specific to Condition (10) which the applicants are seeking to satisfy.
1.3 Specific wording of the condition as follows:
EARLY STAGE AND PRE-OPERATION CONDITIONS
Fungi Survey/Management
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25/10018/AIR A report of the Autumn 2024 fungi survey of field 311836 shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Department within one month of the date of this Decision. The report is to include a grassland fungi management regime. Thereafter, the field shall be managed in line with the recommended management regime for a minimum five-year maintenance period following the commencement of development. Should development not commence within 18 months of the date of this decision, a new fungi survey shall be carried out by a suitably qualified ecological consultancy at an appropriate time. Thereafter, development shall not commence until the associated fungi survey report, including a grassland fungi management regime, has been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the Department. The field must then be managed in line with the recommended management regime for a minimum five-year maintenance period following the commencement of the development.
REASON: In the interest of maintaining ecological value and the protection of fungi within the site.
2.0 Proposal 2.1 The applicants have submitted a document outlining a fully detailed Fungi Report as well as a duly completed application form on 10.01.2025.
2.3 The report highlights the Aims and Objectives, the Methodology, The Results and the Recommendations.
2.4 The C.H.E.G.D+ Grassland Fungal Survey includes the following: Introduction, Methodology, Negative Impacts, Assessment and Grading, Fungal Diversity and Species List, Notable Finds, Summary and Recommendations, and Recommended Mitigation for Site Works Directly Impacting Fungi.
2.5 Included are detailed tables listing the species that were found and their status. There has also been a heat map provided which clearly shows the areas of higher diversity encountered during survey work, and emphasising the expansive areas where no target species were detected.
2.6 The recommendations state: Consideration of outcome must be given for the adverse extended drought conditions causing baked soil during surveys, which is averse to Fungal fruiting. The results were however quite promising for Field 311836, for rare notable finds, and its high value CHEGD+ Fungi in grassland/Meadows. Providing disturbance is limited and management is maintained, retention and potential increase in diversity as land recovers and matures would be an expected outcome.
Fungi support at least 95% of the world's flora and are the building blocks of a healthy ecosystem. Global studies have shown that arbuscular Mycorrhizal fungi not only improve soil structure, but also increase plant tolerance to stress, improve growth through optimum nutrition and water uptake and greater plant reestablishment with connected mycelium networks.
Carbon sequestration by fungi in ancient grassland and pastures, even though exceeding that of tree planting, is currently greatly underappreciated or valued in both policy and conservation efforts. Therefore, negative impact upon fungi must be minimised. Fungi exist as a network of unseen fragile mycelium hyphae, either underground or within their respective host.
Soil compaction and disturbance can result in the loss of many grassland species. Loss of habitat (land), soil disturbance and felling of trees / removal of vegetation and the use of
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25/10018/AIR indiscriminate herbicides and fungicides, are the greatest threat to fungi. The following recommendations are made to maintain and potentially improve the fungal ensemble at Field 311836.
2.7 GRASSLAND / MEADOW CUTTING - It is recognised that 'one bill fits all' approach cannot be used at any one site due to complexities, needs and conservation priorities of Taxa diversity across Flora, Fauna &Fungi. Due to presence of C.H.E.G.D+ Fungi within grassland, it is recommended that a hard cut is achieved at least twice annually, ideally March/April and late summer / September for 2nd cut.
N.B Cutting recommendations will rely upon typical seasons, which are becoming less reliable with Climate Change, assessment for timing of cut best outcome is monitoring for optimum cut. This would benefit Waxcaps and other Taxa such as Meadow Ants.
It cannot be emphasised enough that clearance of arisings is also essential to avoid nutrification and thatching, but a recognised challenge with budgets/staff. However, this raises opportunity for increases engagement for volunteer participation where 'rake off' events can prove quite popular, educating the biodiversity work and commitment whilst strengthening public relationships.
Sacrificing is often used for benefit of flora, but it must be noted that the technique removes Bryophytes, and therefore should be avoided unless absolutely necessary, if the floral value dictates / exceed fungal value, in which case due to site exceeding SSSI in Geoglossum and Clavaria, it does not, and Fungi take precedence. Ideally cutting should cease by September to allow the Hygrocybe, Clavaria and Geoglossum to fruit and spread spores. Entoloma can appear much earlier during summer months.
2.8 It was noted that no dog fouling was observed on this site, as well as no fly tipping.
2.9 Livestock Grazing has been observed by surveyor as best long-term outcome for overall Biodiversity. Bringing neighbouring cattle (small breed or calf's to avoid issue with excess weight damage) or sheep in for limited periods would naturally open areas out and reduce encroachment of bramble and bracken scrub. Support (financial) for introduction of parasite testing to avoid unnecessary treatments would likely be well received by livestock owner and strengthen working relationships with other community landowners. For such a small area, ponies would likely cause an unwanted latrine area of dense nutrification, and effluent run off, and potentially over browse Hedgerows.
2.10 SUMMARY - It is highly recommended that further surveys are carried out in future seasons, to capture further fungal groups and species, to better assess the site and further enhance C.H.E.G.D+ score. Surveys should commence no later than September for targeting grassland Fungi, and as Hygrocybe can appear as early as May, introduction of best practice to monitor fungal fruiting at all inspections by staff or volunteers would be of great benefit, and training can be provided to assist. Ongoing annual monitoring and surveys to identify further C.H.E.G.D+ species, and to determine if current management methods are continuing to benefit conservation status fungi that have been identified during these surveys would be essential.
2.11 RECOMMENDED MITIGATION FOR SITE WORKS DIRECTLY IMPACTING FUNGI Site was surveyed using intensive hand search using 2 metre strips, ensuring all areas were covered. Largely Steep sloping, and benefiting from capturing South facing sunlight, the site seems to have historical disturbance, causing a mosaic in both Flora and Fungi dispersal. Potentially caused by infrastructure such as electric pylon in centre of site but also ploughing or being turned over for seed piling. From surveyor's experience, the less disturbed more matured areas are evidential of 'recovery' from agricultural input, of 2-3
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25/10018/AIR years as they are fairly dense in Clavaria and Ramariopsis, in particular C. helvola which is one of the 1st to return to a site. 19 For ease of clarity, Field will be referenced in 3 sections
3.0 Consultation 3.1 The Department's Ecosystems Policy Team were consulted for advice on the satisfaction of condition. The advice received 17.02.2025, after their review of the submitted documents, concludes that they are pleased to confirm that the information satisfies the relevant clauses.
3.2 Miss Sophie Costain - "The updated information from EPR, containing the results of the Fungal Survey by Coal Spoil Fungi, highlights the importance of field 311836 for fungi and therefore the requirement for avoidance and mitigation measures to be put in place for protection of the fungi interest, as much as is reasonably possible given the layout of the access road.
It is therefore essential that the recommendations made in EPR's Fungi Survey Technical Note are followed, this includes recommendations on turf cutting and re-instatement (additional details on this are contained in the information provided for PA 25/10011/AIR), retention and re-use of soil from the access road area (additional details on this are contained in the information provided for PA 25/10011/AIR), construction safeguarding measures (additional details on this are contained in the information provided for PA 25/10012/AIR), management practises to promote fungal diversity and spread following construction (additional details on this are contained in the information provided for PA 25/10013/AIR), it also highlights the need for an Ecological Clerk of Works to advise on the various requirements.
In line with the wording of condition 10 of PA 23/01407/B, The Ecosystem Policy Team can confirm that we are content with the management regime specified in Section 4.6 of EPR's Fungi Survey Technical Note. Field 311836 should be managed in line with these specifications for a minimum of 5 years post construction (and ideally from now on so that the fungi interest is retained and enhancement permanently)" 17.02.2025
4.0 Recommendation 4.1 In this instance of the submitted Fungi Report and after consultation with the case officer confirming that they are happy with the level of detail, it is deemed sufficient to achieve the desired outcome and would be considered satisfactory for the planning condition 10 of application 23/01407/B, under the understanding that the development shall not be carried out unless in accordance with the approved details.
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I can confirm that this decision has been made by the Head of Development Management in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation and that in making this decision the Officer has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded Interested Person Status
Decision Made : Permitted Date : 27.02.2025
Determining officer
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25/10018/AIR
Signed : S BUTLER
Stephen Butler
Head of Development Management
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