Contact: Andrew Smith Tel: 020 8583 6794 E-Mail:

Contact: Andrew Smith Tel: 020 8583 6794 E-Mail: [email protected]

West Area Committee – 1 December 2011 Section 106 funding proposals for Hounslow Heath

Report by: Director of Environment.

Summary

This report sets out the proposals for tree planting and heathland re-generation on Hounslow Heath in accordance with S106 funding of £50,000 as detailed in Scheme 219 clause 3 in relation to Land at the former Feltham Eastern Marshalling Yard.

1.0 RECOMMENDATION 1.1 Members note the enclosed proposals. 1.2 Members agree to the enclosed proposals. 1.3 Members release the S106 funding of £50,000 as detailed in Scheme 219 clause 3 in

relation to Land at the former Felltham Eastern Marshalling to carry out the works as detailed in the costed proposals submitted by John Laing Integrated Services Ltd.

2.0 Background and further information. 2.1 Hounslow Heath is a designated Local Nature Reserve and Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (of Metropolitan Importance) and is made up of lowland heath, dry acid grassland, woodland, scrub, neutral grasslands, wetlands, wildflower meadows, providing a wild, rugged country setting with a large network of paths in what is a heavily urbanised area 2.2 History

Hounslow Heath is an Archaeological Priority Area and as such a place of great historical importance within the Borough. The recorded history dates back to Norman times. Some of the major land uses and historical events are as follows:

• 11th - 16th century Royal hunting grounds

• 17th century to present Military camps and training grounds

• 17th – 18th century Highwaymen, robbers; public hangings

• 18th – 19th century Agriculture and the parliamentary enclosures

• 1784 Development of cartography and the Ordnance Survey

• 16th – 20th century Gunpowder manufacture and early Industrialization (e.g. milling: sword, flax, snuff, flour, copper, oil, and calico mills).

• 1919 – 1923 First World War air defences and development of civil aviation

• 19th century – 1973 Extraction of sand and gravels. Waste and refuse disposal

• 1985 – Present day Wildlife conservation, recreation and education Unfortunately, many archaeological features within the reserve were destroyed during extraction for sand and gravels during the past 200 years. Those remaining include the butts of a former army shooting range that can be found in the northwest corner of the reserve. Another shooting range known from 19th century OS maps was found in the south of the reserve and both areas are characterized by high concentrations of lead from spent ammunition. Excavations of the Hounslow Heath area have uncovered a range of historic artefacts including a number of Bronze Age axes, spearheads as well as knife and sword fragments. These items are stored at the British Museum along with a collection of Celtic amulets and badges discovered locally in 1864. An excavation of the adjacent former Feltham Marshalling Yard in 1999 unearthed an Iron Age furnace and post holes from a round house. The northern boundary– Staines Road – was the site of Roman Camps and the Roman Road which linked London to western Britain via Trinobantes. This road ran through the heart of the heath at its greatest extent along with the A4 Bath Road.

3.0 Costed Proposals 3.1 Site Proposals 3.2 Planting of native Birch, Oak, Rowan and resistant Elm trees to the south west corner (See figure 1) and the moving of existing trees to more appropriate areas. The number of trees to be purchased will be defined by the number of existing stock on site suitable to be transplanted and retained. The total number of specimen trees of 14 to 16cm dbh (Diameter at breast height) to be as follows: 20 Scots Pine 20 Silver Birch 20 Rowans 20 Pendunculate Oak 50 Wych elm (large whips) Total cost for tree planting: £12,464.84

3.3 Approximately 7 hectares of scrub and small trees to be selectively removed to create an overall zone of wood pasture into which the trees will be planted. Total cost of scrub removal: £15,344.64 3.4 To create 0.7 hectares of heath land habitat to the south east boundary (see figure 2) linking the existing heath land so as to establish a continuum of heath land throughout the western half of Hounslow Heath.

To scrape off the top layer of vegetation and top soil exposing the underlying gravels, similar to the works undertaken in 2009. This area will then be reseeded with heath land seed gathered from existing plants (heathers, dwarf and European gorse) on site and left to reestablish. Birch and oak will naturally reseed into these areas and these will be managed to affect the correct amount of tree cover within the area. Remove and re-site the bunded areas within the heath land restoration area in the south western corner of Hounslow Heath (see Figure 2, area 2). Bunds will need to be scraped off down to the level of the existing gravel. These areas of gravel will then be reseeded with heath land seed (heathers, dwarf and European gorse) to link with the surrounding restoration area. The soil from areas 1& 2 will be moved to cover an area of approximately 0.25 hectares to the south of Paradise Wood (see Figure 2, area 3). This soil will then be layered so as to achieve low nutrient conditions with the high gravel content to produce an ideal growing medium for heath land vegetation. Total cost of top soil movement and heath land creation: £15873.44 3.5 Cost of the scheme = £43,682.92 Contingency sum = £6,317.08 Total Cost = £50,000 3.6 These areas will then be managed under Hounslow’s Higher Level Stewardship Scheme in partnership with Natural England which has now been in operation for some 14 years.

3.6 Consultation Consultation with the friends of Hounslow Heath, Natural England and users of the Heath has been taking place and we are awaiting feedback from these groups. 3.7 Timescales Timings for the above proposals will be: Tree planting and transplanting- November 2011 to February 2012 Heathland Regeneration – November 2011 to March 2012 Bund removal - November 2011 to March 2012 4.0 CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER 4.1 There is £50,000 of section 106 receipts available under scheme 219 to fund the expenditure in this report. 4.2 There is S106 funding of £50,000 from Scheme 219 (Clause 3) in relation to Land at the former Felltham Eastern Marshalling Yard. - Green Belt Improvement Works £50,000 Works to be undertaken by the Council to that part of Hounslow Heath which is nearest to the Site and which may include (without prejudice to generality) the

creation of a landscaped bund addition tree planting or general works of improvement or maintenance to help mitigate against the visual effects of the Outline Development of the Detailed Development on Hounslow Heath. 5.0 Environmental Implication 5.1 These site improvement works will assist the Hounslow Heath Nature Reserve in achieving it’s ecological, aesthetic, education and amenity objectives. The site improvements will enhance the local environmental quality and restore the

area back to an ecologically diverse, well managed nature reserve. The site improvements will encourage a greater range of flora and fauna to establish within the reserve. The site improvements will greatly improve the biodiversity of the area The site improvements will assist in the education and promotion of the site to residents of Hounslow, school children throughout the borough, the general public and visitors to London.

6.0 ASSISTANT DIRECTOR CORPORATE GOVERNANCE COMMENTS 6.1 The Assistant Director Corporate Governance supports the recommendations in the

report. 7.0 EQUALITIES IMPACT ASSESSMENT 7.1 Environmental and ecological improvements enhance the area for all and are

appreciated by all sections of society and all age groups. 7.2 The Council has had due regard to its Equalities Duties and in particular with respect to

its duties arising pursuant to the Equalities Act 2010 section 149. A relevance test has been carried out and it is considered that there will be no adverse impacts in respect of protected characteristics. As such, the Council considers that there is no need for an Equalities Impact Assessment to be carried out and that in approving this proposal the Council will be acting in compliance with its duties

Background Papers: Site Plan and Red Line Drawing Hounslow Heath S106 visitor notification Site Photographs LBH Web site information

This report has been or is due to be considered by: West Area Committee.

This report is relevant to the following wards/areas: Hounslow Heath

Figure 1: Tree Planting

Planting of native Birch, Oak, Rowan and resistant Elm trees to south west corner and moving existing trees to more appropriate areas

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Figure 2: Site Plan

LBH Web site information Link: http://www.hounslow.info/parks/hounslowheath/index.htm

Hounslow Heath Nature Reserve

Hounslow Heath is a designated Local Nature Reserve and Site of Importance for Nature Conservation

(of Metropolitan Importance) and is made up of lowland heath, dry acid grassland, woodland, scrub,

neutral grasslands, wetlands, wildflower meadows, providing a wild, rugged country setting with a

large network of paths for your visit, in what is a heavily urbanised area.

Hounslow Heath has won awards for conservation management excellence.

Find out more about Hounslow Heath and the facilities we have to offer by clicking the links on the

left.

Appendix A: Images of Proposed Heathland Regeneration – Area 1