Rodborough Common Special Area of Conservation (SAC)

Rodborough Common SAC 3.9km Zone of Influence Map 2022

Rodborough Common Special Area of Conservation (SAC) is a 109ha site just south of Stroud Town. The Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) of the emerging Stroud District Local Plan (Footprint Ecology, 2021), identified that recreational pressure has the potential to impact upon the qualifying features for which the Rodborough was designated.  A visitor survey was completed in 2019 which identified visitors are on site for a relatively short time, but they visit frequently and live very locally to the site. The data would suggest an average visitor makes 180 visits to the site per year, visiting for 60 minutes and lives within 3.9 km (75% of all interviewees, across all visitor types), most of whom are dog walking.

The 2022 mitigation strategy sets out a strategic approach to mitigate recreation impacts, associated with new housing growth, on Rodborough Common Special Area of Conservation (SAC). The overall objective is to provide a framework under which applications for development likely to have a significant effect because of an increase in recreational use can be permitted, with measures in place to ensure that adverse effects on the integrity of the SAC, alone or in-combination can be ruled out. This enables development, while ensuring sufficient protection in place for the SAC.

The zone of influence from this habitat site is 3.9km and in-line with visitor data (Panter & Caals, 2019).

The Council will welcome applications for funding specific projects from relevant partners that fit with the aims of the strategy.  This provides the potential for parish and Town Councils, other organisations/bodies or community groups with an interest in the Common to promote projects to give the strategy flexibility and ability to adapt to changing circumstances or new opportunities. A S106  proforma template is available from the Council for any such applications and the oversight group would have the task of recommending to the Council funding for any such projects.  There is an administrative fee for S106 agreements.

Housing growth within the Commons catchment is anticipated to be around 600 new dwellings over the life of the Plan.  This gives a mitigation cost per dwelling of £994. This figure is prior to the application of any administration fee. Per dwelling costs are likely to be adjusted annually in line with inflation.

The Mitigation Strategy was adopted by Environment Committee on 4^th October 2022.