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Nature conservation

Sites of Special Scientific Interest

There are eight Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) that have been designated by Natural England (This link will open in a new window). These sites have been identified because of their nature conservation value. The sites in Tandridge are:

• Quarry Hangers - Species rich chalk grassland with rare flora and scrub species
• Woldingham & Oxted Downs - Species rich chalk grassland with rare flora and scrub species
• Titsey Woods - Wet semi-natural woodland on Gault Clay
• Staffhurst Wood - Ancient semi-natural woodland on Wealden Clay
• Godstone Ponds - Range of wetland areas including rare wet woodland
• Blindley Heath - Damp relic grassland
• Lingfield Cernes - Species rich wet grassland with alluvial meadows
• Hedgecourt - Wetland site, including wet & dry woodland and Hedgecourt Lake

To find out more about the above SSSIs, including maps you can look at the SSSI search (This link will open in a new window) facility on the Natural England web site.

Staffhurst Wood

Cattle grazing at Blindley Heath

Sites of Nature Conservation importance

Surrey Wildlife Trust conducted a survey of the district on behalf of the Council, which identified many Sites of Nature Conservation Importance (SNCIs) and potential Sites of Nature Conservation Importance (pSNCIs). These are included within the Tandridge District Local Plan. When considering planning applications which may affect these areas this Council consults the Surrey Wildlife Trust (This link will open in a new window) and considers the impact of the proposal on the nature conservation value of the site.

Local nature reserves

Parish Councils, private landowners and local residents can apply to Natural England to have sites considered and designated as Local Nature Reserves (LNRs). This allows a management agreement to be set up between the landowner and the Council. There are currently seven LNRs in Tandridge: Staffhurst Wood, Lingfield Centenary Fields, Lingfield Wildlife Area, Nore Hill Pinnacle at Woldingham, Blindley Heath Common, Blanchmans Farm at Warlingham and Hill Park at Tatsfield.

Blindley Heath is actively managed by the owner Godstone Parish Council with help from the District Council. It has been fenced allowing cattle to be grazed. Scrub clearance takes place and ponds have been restored. Although much of the site has reverted to woodland the active management is opening up the centre of the site and this is important if its Site of Special Scientific Interest status is to be retained and improved. The public can walk freely over the whole site. The Downlands Countryside Management Project is involved in managing Blanchmans Farm and Hill Park, see the Surrey Countryside Management website. (This link will open in a new window) for more information about the Project.

Protected Species and Biodiversity

Many individual species of plants and animals are legally protected in their own right. Bats, badgers and nesting birds are well known protected species but along side these native snakes, great crested newts and even crayfish are covered. It is often not just the plant or animal which is protected, but its associated habitat. A full list of protected species can be found attached to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 in schedules 1 to 9 on the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (This link will open in a new window) website.

Part of the job of the Planning Department is to identify developments that might have a detrimental effect on designated areas, protected species or on the biodiversity of an area. It may be possible to introduce mitigation measures to limit the impact of a development, for example wildlife protection zones can be created where a development such as housing encroaches on a badger foraging area; or works may have to timed carefully to avoid bat and bird breeding seasons. New habitat creation may be possible in some situations. Some developments may be refused permission if it is considered that the impact on wildlife would be harmful.

Pipistrelle Bat	Badger

More information

For further information on countryside or biodiversity matters nationally, contact Natural England (This link will open in a new window).

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