The application process for this forest road commenced way back in August 2018. The process has been a tortuous one involving Natura Impact Statements (NIS) which are reports comprising the scientific examination of a plan or project and the relevant European Site or European Sites, to identify and characterise any possible implications of the plan or project individually or in combination with other plans or projects in view of the conservation objectives of the European site.
Veon Ecology completed the NIS reports which were then submitted to the Forest Service to inform the appropriate assessment process undertaken by the Minister for Agriculture, Food & Marine under Regulation 19 of the Forestry Regulations 2017, as amended, and Regulation 42 of the European Comunities (Birds & Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011, as amended.
In addition to the NIS, Veon Ecology further submitted addition ecology reports along with an engineer’s report for a pipe across a stream which was designated as a sensitive waterbody.
Licence Road approval from the Forest Service was eventually received in December 2021 (over 3 years from initial application) and the road construction commenced in early June 2022. The site is within a Hen Harrier (HH) Special Protection Area (SPA) (i.e. areas designated under the EU Birds Directive (2009/147/EC) for the protection of certain bird species) so our window to build this road was quite restricted. We were fortunate to find good quality base material on site which has helped control costs. Construction is now well advanced with the base road completed and we are awaiting delivery and spreading of the cap layer of limestone. At end stage we will have constructed 710 metres of harvesting standard road making the forest accessible for timber harvesting and it will remain a valuable asset over many decades and growing cycles if properly maintained.