Comment

Representation ID: 16326

Received: 11/10/2021

Respondent: Natural England

Employment sites

Walsall

WAE412 (GB1) Sandown Quarry, Stubbers Green Road, Aldridge

This site includes part of the Swan Pool & The Swag SSSI, which is notified for non breeding bird populations of Swallow, Hirundo rustica. Swan Pool & The Swag are two pools lying on an impermeable layer of Etruria Marl (of the Upper Carboniferous Coal Measures). Three sides of Swan Pool and the north-western end of The Swag are dominated by swamp and tall fen vegetation that holds a post-breeding roost of swallows and martins during the autumn migration. Peak populations of around 10,000 birds have been recorded. The two sites provide a roost for a significant proportion (at least 1%) of the total British swallow population.

We have the following concerns about this site:

• Bird disturbance
• Loss of habitat- on and off site.
• Impacts on water quantity and quality.

Please also see our comments about MSwa9 under Policy MIN3 - Preferred Areas for New Mineral
Development.