Designated site details and development pressures
The Upper Nene Valley Gravel Pit SPA and Ramsar is designated for its breeding and non-breeding season bird assemblage and wintering waterbird species. These species use a variety of habitats outside the SPA and Ramsar designation boundaries for nocturnal and diurnal foraging and roosting. Golden Plover and Lapwing often spend time feeding or roosting on grassland, wetland and arable land outside the designation boundaries. These areas of habitat comrpise functionally linked land. Studies have shown that functionally linked land for Golden Plover and Lapwing may be located up to 10km from the SPA and Ramsar boundary and is vulnerable to urbanisation effects.
Local plan details and best practice
The Milton Keyes City Plan (Proposed Submission Milton Keynes City Plan 2050
Regulation 19 for consultation October 2025) was published for Regulation 19 consultation between January and February 2026. Policy CEA10 (at item E and F) of the Regulation 19 version of the plan contains provisions to ensure protection of functionally linked habitat associated with the Upper Nene Valley Gravel Pits SPA and Ramsar.
Policy CEA10 builds in ZoI thresholds to aid decision making and identifies circumstances when additional survey input is required. A key strength to this policy is that it protects not just the designated site, but also supporting habitat outside it; functionally linked land.