Habitat Regulations Assessment (HRA)

The Habitats Regulations (opens new window) state all Local Plans must be subject to a HRA. Read our HRA FAQs and briefing note (PDF, 132 KB)(opens new window). We use a Habitat Regulations Assessment (HRA) to identify which parts of our Local Plan could potentially affect:

• Special Areas of Conservation (SACs)
• Special Protection Areas (SPAs)
• Ramsar sites (opens new window)
• Natura 2000 sites (opens new window)

HRA also identifies appropriate strategies for avoiding or mitigating these effects.

The European Habitats Directive (opens new window) means we can only allow these sites to be developed if we're satisfied the work will not harm their integrity.

Two European sites fall partially in Guildford:

• Thames Basin Heaths SPA
• Thursley, Ash, Pirbright and Chobham SAC

During past HRA, our consultants URS (now AECOM) (opens new window) and Natural England concluded our HRA report only needed to focus on the Thames Basin Heaths SPA.

The HRA screening (PDF, 637 KB)(opens new window) determined whether our Local Plan would affect the Thames Basin Heaths SPA.

Read HRA documents below. The latest HRA was produced in 2016, but has been updated in 2017 and 2018. The attest updates clarify the HRA complies with a European Court judgment (opens new window). The 2019 HRA addendum supports the Main Modifications made to our Submission Local Plan after it was examined.

• Guildford Local Plan HRA November 2017 (PDF, 505 KB)(opens new window)
• Guildford Local Plan HRA May 2018 (PDF, 1 MB)(opens new window)
• Habitat Regulations Assessment (HRA) Addendum September 2018 (PDF, 1 MB)(opens new window)
• Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) Addendum January 2019 (PDF, 609 KB)(opens new window)
• Guildford Local Plan HRA November 2017 Appendix A Figure A1 - Local Designations (PDF, 2 MB)(opens new window)
• Guildford Local Plan HRA November 2017 Appendix A Figure A2 - Site Allocations Overview (PDF, 3 MB)(opens new window)
• Guildford Local Plan HRA November 2017 Appendix A Figure A2 - Site Allocations (PDF, 8 MB)(opens new window)
• Guildford Local Plan HRA November 2017 Appendix B Figure B1 - SANG Sites (PDF, 998 KB)(opens new window)
• Guildford Local Plan HRA May 2018 Covering Letter (PDF, 97 KB)(opens new window)
• Note in relation to HRA Addendum January 2019 (PDF, 973 KB)(opens new window)
• Guildford LP HRA June 2018 (with tracked changes showing amendments since submission version) (PDF, 1 MB)(opens new window)