**Document:** Ecological Management and Monitoring Plan
**Application:** 26/10036/AIR — Information in relation to Conditions 4, 13 and 14 of PA 24/00314/B detailing ecological management and monitoring and soft landscaping
**Decision:**
**Decision Date:**
**Parish:** Patrick
**Document Type:** report / ecology_report
**Source:** https://planningportal.im/a/130744-patrick-land-east-of-landscaping/documents/1593283

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# Ecological Management and Monitoring Plan

## Clocktower Industrial Estate, Foxdale, Isle of Man

Ecological Management and Monitoring Plan

February 2026

## Control sheet

[Table omitted in markdown export]

This report is prepared by Ecology Vannin Consultancy Services for the sole and exclusive use of Cornerstone Architects and their contractors in response to their particular instructions. No liability is accepted for any costs, claims or losses arising from the use of this report or any part thereof for any purpose other than that for which it was specifically prepared or by any party other than Cornerstone Architects. Any biological records for wildlife found in survey will eventually be submitted to Manx Biological Recording Partnership. This report does not prevent MWT pursuing its charitable objectives in relation to planning.

This report has been prepared by an environmental specialist and does not purport to provide legal advice. You may wish to take separate legal advice.

The information which we have prepared and provided is true, and has been prepared and provided in accordance with the BS42020 2013 and Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management's Code of Professional Conduct and guidelines for preliminary ecological appraisals (CIEEM 2017). We confirm that the opinions expressed are our true and professional bona fide opinions.

Signed (Author)
Electronic Signature

Signed (QA)
Electronic Signature

## Biographies

Amy Dunderdale BSc (Hons) MSc is an ecologist with several years’ experience in baseline ecological survey and assessment, and some specialist protected species surveys including for bats and reptiles. Amy graduated with a First Class Honours degree in Biology bachelor’s degree from the University of Durham and a Master’s degree (achieved with Distinction) in Wildlife Management and Conservation from University of Reading. She has experience working in ecology consultancy in the UK including experience in completing PEAs and BREEAM Land Use and Ecology reports.

Adam Denard BSc (Hons) MCIEEM is Senior Ecologist with Ecology Vannin and has been a professional ecologist for over 15 years, with particular emphasis on recording and assessing habitats in England and the Isle of Man for their potential to support protected species. After graduation with First Class honours in Conservation and Land Management, Adam worked on professional bat surveys for Oxford University before going onto work for ecological consultancies in England 2004 –

2009. During this time key skills were surveying for higher plants (site assessment, NVC and aquatic macrophytes), Great Crested Newt, Bats, Birds (Breeding and wintering), Reptiles and Riparian mammals. Adam worked as conservation officer for Manx BirdLife in 2010 (including producing a preliminary Isle of Man Birds of Conservation Concern) and after a career break has been providing consultancy services for Manx Wildlife Trust since 2017. Adam regularly produces professional ecological reports within the Isle of Man planning system including Preliminary Ecological Appraisal Reports (PEARs), Specialist surveys for protected species, mitigation strategies and Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA).

### Glossary

ASSI Areas of Special Scientific Interest ASP Areas of Special Protection BCT Bat Conservation Trust BoCC Birds of Conservation Concern CEMP Construction Environmental Management Plan DBH Diameter at breast height LWS Local Wildlife Site MBG Manx Bat Group MBL Manx Bird Life MBRP Manx Biodiversity Recording Partnership PWMS Precautionary Working Method Statement PRA Preliminary Roost Assessment PRF Potential Roost Feature SAC Special Area of Conservation SPA Special Protection Area SUDS Sustainable Urban Drainage

Ecology Vannin Clocktower Industrial Estate EMMP 3

- 1.0 Introduction
- 1.1 Ecology Vannin were commissioned to produce an Ecological Management and Monitoring Plan for a parcel of land within Clocktower Industrial Estate, Foxdale, Isle of Man (centroid grid reference SC282778). This is in relation to planning conditions 13 and 14 of a permitted decision planning application (reference 24/00314/B).
- 1.2 The conditions state:

- 13.Prior to the commencement of any works details of an ecological management and monitoring plan shall be submitted to the Department and approved in writing. The plan will need to incorporate the measures detailed in Table 1, 2 and 3 of the Curragh Environmental Consultancy's Constraints and Opportunities Plan (as amended November 2023), Cornerstone Architect's Ecological Plan (Drawing No. 004 REV A) and the creation of a new lizard hibernaculum. The plan will need to be secured for at least 5 years post construction and the approved details shall be fully adhered to. Reason: In the interest of biodiversity of the site.
- 14.Prior to the commencement of any development a detailed habitat protection plan demonstration how the areas identified on the submitted ecological plan are to be protected/preserved during the construction period and post construction shall be submitted to the Department and approved in writing and the approved details shall be fully adhered to. Reason: In the interest of biodiversity of the site.

- 1.3 Previous ecological reports that formed part of the application and utilised for the following management plan include:

-  Preliminary Ecological Appraisal Report (PEAR) (Curragh Environmental

Consultants, 2022)

-  Ecological Constraints and Opportunities Plan (ECOP) (Curragh Consultants, 2023)

-  Phase 2 special surveys for Bats (Manx Bat Group, 2022) Invertebrates (Hawkins.

2023) and Common Lizard (Ecology Vannin, 2023).

- 2.0 Site Overview/Ecological Baseline
- 2.1 The survey site is a former industrial site that has been colonised and impacted by various human interference e.g. previous vegetation clearance to produce a typical ‘brownfield site’ habitat type and structure. Habitats are a mosaic of bare open metalliferous substrate, short ephemeral, tall ruderal, grassland patches and scrub. The unusual soil chemistry supports the rare vascular plant Petite-leaved Hawkweed Hieracium daedalolopioideswhich is a red list ‘high’ conservation species in the Isle of Man (Bellamy & Dubbeldam, 2023). The site also supports five Schedule 8 legally controlled invasive plant species (Japanese Knotweed Reynoutria japonica, Himalayan Balsam Impatiens glandulifera, Montbretia Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora, New Zealand Broadleaf Griselinia littoralisand a Cotoneasterspecies).
- 2.2 In terms of fauna, there is suitable habitat for Common Lizard Zootoca vivipara(a fully protected Schedule 5 species), and foraging and commuting Bats (Schedule 5 – all species) were confirmed as present during specialist survey. Invertebrate communities present were not considered particularly high value but the habitats present provide a range of habitat structure and niches for a relatively diverse number of species for a site of this size.

Ecology Vannin Clocktower Industrial Estate EMMP 4

## 3.0 Ecological Objectives

[Table omitted in markdown export]

3.1 The ecological objectives for the site were provided in Table 1 of the ECOP report and are provided below to cross reference with the 'Ecological Plan –Drawing 004' in Appendix I.

Table 1: Ecological aims and methods

![A table detailing ecological management zones B and C, specifying habitat types like calcareous grassland and providing instructions for vegetation treatment and concrete crushing.](https://images.planningportal.im/2026/03/7300000.jpg)

![A table detailing ecological management conditions for different habitat types, including specific instructions for drainage and gorse removal.](https://images.planningportal.im/2026/03/7300001.jpg)

[Table omitted in markdown export]

## 4.0 Management Prescriptions

[Table omitted in markdown export]

## Habitat Management

4.1 Habitat Management Prescriptions were provided in Table 2 of the ECOP report and are provided below. These have been reviewed with some additional instruction for site management/contractors. Areas are to be cross referenced with the Ecological Plan in Appendix I.

Table 2: Long-term management prescriptions  Key: JK = Japanese Knotweed / HB = Himalayan Balsam

- 4.2 Additional recommendations are:

-  Area C should be included in the bi-annual (twice per year –before and after

main flowering period April to August) mowing to promote open grassland structure including rare Hawkweed species.

-  Area Dii should be included in the annual mowing/strimming regime.

-  Area E should remain unmanaged.

-  Arisings from gorse clearance works could be chipped on site and used as a

mulch in ecologically low value areas as directed by an ecologist.

-  Tree and shrub removal should be undertaken outside of the main breeding

period (typically March to August) wherever practically possible. Should clearance be required during the breeding season, a pre-clearance nesting check should be undertaken and any nests safeguarded until all young have fledged and are independent of the nest. Checks are to be no more than 5 days prior to works continuing. (NOTE –nests are also protected whilst in the process of being built). Ideally this should be by an experienced Ecologist but can be undertaken by site operatives. If in any doubt all work should be temporarily suspended and advice sought by DEFA Ecosystem Policy Team

(651577).

-  As birds can potentially nest at any time of year site workers must be vigilant

for the presence of nesting activity at all times. Evidence includes (but not exclusively) agitated calling adult birds, distraction displays by adults, adult birds carrying nesting material and/or food for young, a fresh nest, eggs and sounds of calling young.

Invasive Plant Species

- 4.3 Table 3 of the ECOP report (shown below) provides project advice on the control and eradication of legally controlled Schedule 8 species. The EMMP has reviewed this and provided additional clarity for the client.

Ecology Vannin Clocktower Industrial Estate EMMP 8

## Additional comment re Invasive Plant Species

![A table titled 'Invasive species eradication plan' listing specific plant species and their required treatments and monitoring schedules.](https://images.planningportal.im/2026/03/7300002.jpg)

![The image displays a table titled 'Table 4: Protection measures during construction works', listing specific areas and corresponding ecological protection measures.](https://images.planningportal.im/2026/03/7300003.jpg)

- 4.4 For effective treatment by a watercourse, Japanese Knotweed and Himalayan Balsam should be treated by herbicide stem injection. Late summer August/September is the best period of treatment. Treatment should occur as soon as possible given the time elapsed since baseline ecological surveys.
- 5.0 Protection Measures

5.1 Table 4 of the ECOP report (provided overleaf ) outlines the key protection measures required. These have been reviewed and extra instruction for site managers and contractor provided.

Ecology Vannin Clocktower Industrial Estate EMMP 9

- 5.2 Additional recommendations:

-  A copy of this report is to be held on site by the site manager and used to ensure

protection measures are adhered to. In addition, site induction should include ecological information on sensitive areas and species.

-  Before works commence, the plant refuge area and location of Japanese Knotweed

and Himalayan Balsam avoidance areas are to be staked out to prevent incursion by site traffic and operatives.

-  Management of site run-off and drainage must prevent sedimentation and,

particularly, soils containing heavy metals entering the catchment. Methods such as sedi-mats and straw bales are typically deployed. Additional advice from DEFA Inland Fisheries is strongly recommended to ensure best practice is followed.

-  The project should engage an Ecological Clerk of Works for site checks and

compliance with the 5-year post-construction period stated in Condition 13.

-  Site works should follow precautionary Reasonable Avoidance Measures (RAMs) for

Common Lizard and Common Frog Rana temporaria(see Appendix II).

- 6.0 Habitat Creation

- 6.1 Habitat creation is limited to Area ‘A’. along the northern boundary of the development. Screening tree cover is to include Manx native tree species with known ecological benefit and with suitability for site soils e.g. Downy Birch Betula pubescens, Grey Willow Salix cinereaand Common Alder Alnus glutinosa(see Appendix I (ii)).
- 6.2 Area B in the Ecological Plan is to receive crushed concrete from the spoil heaps to be cleared to make way from development. This should be left to colonise naturally from neighbouring plants already adapted to calcareous soil conditions.
- 6.3 A reptile hibernaculum (hibernation area) is to be sited in a sunny aspect within Area ‘B’. This is to be created from concrete slab and stone recycled waste from the development footprint. An example construction drawing is provided in Figure 1 below. Key features are to ensure that it is free draining and likely to protect from frost.

Figure 1 Example reptile hibernacula

Ecology Vannin Clocktower Industrial Estate EMMP 10

![Technical cross-section diagram illustrating the construction layers and dimensions of an ecological mound feature.](https://images.planningportal.im/2026/03/7300004.jpg)

- 7.0 Monitoring
- 7.1 The project should appoint an Ecological Clerk of Works (ECoW) to ensure site compliance with the EMMP in terms of species and habitat protection and management.
- 7.2 Monitoring recommendations within the 5 year post-completion period are:

-  Annual check to confirm continued presence and health of Petite-leaved

Hawkweed Hieracium daedalolopioidesin plant refuge area at a favourable status (i.e. no reduction in number of flower spikes from baseline survey).

-  Annual check of effectiveness of invasive plant species control programme to

prevent further spread in the wider countryside. Successful control will be no further expansion in distribution from baseline surveys and likely significant reduction from successful treatment options provided.

-  Single visit to confirm installation of suitably constructed Lizard hibernaculum

and advise on any alterations as required.

-  Year 2 check on habitat management to assess desired outcomes and any

beneficial changes required. Habitats should be of expected species composition, area and structure for optimal ecological functionality.

-  Year 3 check on plant health of proposed tree planting zone and advise on

any changes/replacements as necessary.

-  Annual summary report to DEFA and Planning authority to confirm

compliance with planning conditions as specified.

Ecology Vannin Clocktower Industrial Estate EMMP 11

## APPENDIX I – Ecological Mitigation Plan and Soft Landscaping

![A site plan featuring a central oval track or facility surrounded by color-coded zones indicating ecological management and landscaping areas.](https://images.planningportal.im/2026/03/7299998.jpg)

(i) Ecological Mitigation Plan

KEY
A AREA OF ECOLOGICAL VALUE
Ai ROTATIONAL GORSE MANAGEMENT
B ZONE OF NON-DISTURBANCE
C PLANT REFUGE
D LEAVE UNDISTURBED BUT MANAGE GORSE
E WASTE GROUND

SPECIAL TREATMENT AREAS
1. HAWKWEED - PROTECTED BY FENCING DURING THE WORKS
2. BOUNDARY WITH MINE DEADS - MINIMISE DISTURBANCE IN THIS AREA DURING WORKS, ON SITE ECOLOGIST TO SUPERVISE
3. LEAVE BARE AND NO DISTURBANCE WHERE THE SURFACE WATER COLLECTS - THESE AREAS TO BE MARKED OUT / PROTECTED BY FENCING DURING WORKS

CONCRETE RUBBLE / SPOIL HEAPS
a) RETAIN AS WILDLIFE REFUGIA
b-f) CRUSH AND USE FOR SURFACING AREA B
g) USE CONCRETE AS a) ABOVE USE STONE TO BUILD LIZARD HIBERNACULUM / REFUGIA

PLEASE USE THIS PLAN IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ACCOMPANYING REPORT: CLOCK TOWER INDUSTRIAL ESTATE - PROPOSED EXTENSION ECOLOGICAL CONSTRAINTS AND OPPORTUNITIES PLAN, CURRAGH ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANCY, AUGUST 2023, PART 2. TABLES 1-4.

![A proposed site plan illustrating a commercial development with parking areas, access roads, and soft landscaping features.](https://images.planningportal.im/2026/03/7299995.jpg)

## APPENDIX II –Common Lizard/Common Frog RAMs

Working methods for enabling and construction work should include the following Reasonable Avoidance Measures (RAMs):

### Site information

 Protected species information sheet to be provided in site briefing of all operatives for due

consideration of Common Frog and Common Lizard presence and potential for injury and mortality. To be supplemented by ‘toolbox talks’ on site if considered necessary. This should be done prior to the commencement of work.

### Vegetation management

-  Minimisation of disturbance boundary hedgerows / trees and scrub

-  For removal of, any stone/rubble areas that could provide sheltering or hibernation habitat,

clearance is recommended to be undertaken by hand, or proceed with caution for the protection presence of lizards and frogs.

-  Vegetation clearance ideally to be undertaken during the lowest risk period (November to

February). Outside this period clearance should be undertaken in a one-way direction to enable any frogs/lizards that may be active to move out of the way into adjacent habitat ahead of machinery.

-  If vegetation cutting is required outside of this period:

- o Vegetation should be cut slowly in one direction, no shorter than 10cm, to allow any lizards or frogs to relocate to adjacent habitat. The direction of cut will depend on which area is being cut. Cutting should start at the existing levelled footprint area and move towards the boundary of the field.
- o Vegetation should then be left for 24-48 hours, to allow frogs and lizards to relocate, before removal of the remaining grass sward.
- o It should be completed on warm sunny days 120C+ ambient temperature.
- o If there is any significant delay (greater than 2 weeks) that enables the sward to become attractive to use by lizards and frogs the vegetation height will need to be managed by regular use of the above methods.

### General construction phase

-  Construction materials should be stored on existing levelled areas / areas of hardstanding,

rather than on remaining grassland areas. If this is not possible, materials must be kept off the ground in a compact, defined area to minimise disturbance and avoid protected species using them for shelter.

-  Any trenches should have suitable escape ladders (e.g. planks) or be covered at the end of

each working day.

-  If any lizards or frogs (or anything suspected of being a lizard or a frog) are found during

operations, work must stop immediately, and advice sought from Ecology Vannin (844432) or DEFA (651577). Licences may be required to undertake translocation into neighbouring habitat.

-  Site vehicles and heavy plant should adhere to an on-site 10mph speed limit to avoid injury

and mortality of frogs and lizards.

Ecology Vannin Clocktower Industrial Estate EMMP 14

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*Data sourced from the Isle of Man public planning register under the [Isle of Man Open Government Licence](https://www.gov.im/about-this-site/open-government-licence/).*
*Canonical page: https://planningportal.im/a/130744-patrick-land-east-of-landscaping/documents/1593283*