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Sites earmarked for protection
NATURE sites with a population of common lizard and harvest mice have been earmarked for protection by council bosses.
Hartlepool Borough Council carried out a review of the town's natural areas taking the total from 43 to 49.
The study also took the number of geological sites from one to six.
The study of its non-statutory nature conservation sites was undertaken by the council's experts, while geology group Tees Valley RIGS, looked at the geological areas.
And included in the rules of the review was that if land was home to common lizards, harvest mice, or 10 or more plant species, then they should be protected.
The areas will also be branded with new names, either Local Wildlife Sites or Local Geological Sites, or collectively as Local Sites.
The council report stated: "All of the existing non-statutory sites were surveyed to see if they met the criteria.
"In addition other sites that were thought to have substantive nature conservation interest features that might merit designation were surveyed."
In the 2006 Hartlepool Local Plan there were 39 nature sites listed, but during the course of the review it was decided that eight of those did not meet current criteria and are now proposed to be removed from the list.
Several sites sitting next to each other have been amalgamated and a further 15 new sites were identified. There are now 43 nature sites proposed.
Five new geological sites were also found, leaving a total of six areas now being proposed.
That leaves the total at 49 local sites.
Local Wildlife Sites include:
Hart to Haswell Walkway;
Land around Hartlepool Power station;
Rossmere Park.
Local Geological Sites include:
Longscar and Little scar Rocks;
An area at Hartlepool's Headland exposing magnesian rocks;
West Crimdon Dene.
"All of the existing non-statutory sites were surveyed to see if they met the criteria," stated the report.
"In addition other sites that were thought to have substantive nature conservation interest features that might merit designation were surveyed.
"Examples of these include all sites with population of common lizard or harvest mice and areas of woodland with 10 or more characteristic plant species."
Landowners have been informed about the list of sites, two of whom raised concern about public access.
However, the report stated that the "concerns have been responded to and assurance given that designation as a Local Site does not give any right of
access to any person to that area of land."
The review will be discussed in a meeting of the Cabinet on Monday, September 6, at 9am, at the Civic Centre, in Victoria Road.
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Monday 28 May 2012
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