Common use of Description of the Site Clause in Contracts

Description of the Site. The reserve is in on the middle reaches of the River Wharfe on level ground. The site is roughly a very elongated triangular in shape. The area of the reserve is approximately 4.5 hectares, (note - with the neighbouring IAA site the total area of the SEGI is 8.8h). The site is accessed from a public footpath on the IAA site that runs from the road down to river at the site of a former river crossing. There are no designated public footpaths on the site itself but informal paths and tracks. The site is regularly visited by dog walkers, anglers and people who want to observe the wildlife. The lay-by on the busy A65 makes it easy for people to visit the site by car. Vehicle access for maintenance vehicles is via the main metal gate from the A65. This is currently blocked by an earth barrier, to deter tipping. The western boundary is delineated by post and wire fence, with mainly trees/shrubs marking the boundary with the IAA site. There are two gateways, one from the public footpath near the road and the other next to the river, a river side path runs from here along the length of the site. This path has been curtailed by the large drainage ditch at the eastern end. The northern boundary is the River Wharfe, following a fairly straight path for approximately 600m. The silt banks are varying degrees of stability and steepness. There are shingle bars towards the western end and consequent undercutting causing instability. Mature trees – predominantly willows, sycamore and hawthorn line most of the bank with occasional breaks. In the areas of undercutting, large boughs of some of the willows are unstable and fall into the river or sometimes create potential ‘couching’ areas for otters, for example. The southern boundary is a hedgerow running for approximately 600m along the verge/footpath along the A65. The hedge was properly laid in the early 2000s by a local conservation group and in the winter of 2008, the large gaps that had developed over a number of years were filled in by the Forest of Bradford with mainly hawthorn – supplemented by ▇▇▇▇▇ and ▇▇▇▇▇ in the shaded areas. This work was funded by CBMDC and carried about at the request of WNS. The lagoon covers an area of 3200m2 and is shallowest at the eastern end where it is wadeable with care. The height of the water varies by several metres depending on height of the river with water seeping through the banks; there are no water courses feeding directly into it. The sides are steep and, in many areas, unstable. Access to the water is possible at about 10 points where steps have been constructed by angler/council to create fishing ‘pegs’. Trees and scrub surround most of the top of the banks. There are 3 drainage ditches at the eastern end of the site. The new (main) ditch was constructed in recent years to take water from the railway line on the hillside. It is straight along its length and 4m wide at ground level. The ditch effectively cuts the far southern end of the site from the main site (passable by the roadside hedge where the pipe runs under the road. A few metres to the north is a 2nd smaller (old) drainage ditch, with 2 outflow pipes (at different heights) which are piped as they run under the riverside path. A 3rd minor drain is at the very far southern end where it runs for only a few metres. The habitats on the site have been greatly influenced by its former status as gravel pits that have largely been in-filled. The tipped material has been compacted and drainage is severely impeded. The soil that capped the infill is very thin ranging from 5 -15cm. There are a number of areas that were more recently tipped with hardcore that are devoid of soil. The soils on the river banks are fine silt and sand and host rabbit warrens. To the north and south of the lagoon are 2 large grassy areas – known as the “North lawn” and “South lawn” – these are marshy due to only a thin capping of soil onto hardcore/tipped material. Tree/shrub species will not establish here due to the lack of soil and rabbit grazing. The public access the site via the public footpath on the IAA site – either by the road or at the riverside. The riverside footpath is popular for dog walkers and people wishing to observe the wildlife in the Reserve and on the Wharfe. IAA anglers occasionally fish the lagoon.

Description of the Site. The reserve is in on the middle reaches of the River Wharfe on level ground. The site is roughly a very elongated triangular in shape. The area of the reserve is approximately 4.5 hectares, (note - with the neighbouring IAA site the total area of the SEGI is 8.8h). The site is accessed from a public footpath on the IAA site that runs from the road down to river at the site of a former river crossing. There are no designated public footpaths on the site itself but informal paths and tracks. The site is regularly visited by dog walkers, anglers and people who want to observe the wildlife. The lay-by on the busy A65 makes it easy for people to visit the site by car. Vehicle access for maintenance vehicles is via the main metal gate from the A65. This is currently blocked by an earth barrier, to deter tipping. The western boundary is delineated by post and wire fence, with mainly trees/shrubs marking the boundary with the IAA site. There are two gateways, one from the public footpath near the road and the other next to the river, a river side path runs from here along the length of the site. This path has been curtailed by the large drainage ditch at the eastern end. The northern boundary is the River Wharfe, following a fairly straight path for approximately 600m. The silt banks are varying degrees of stability and steepness. There are shingle bars towards the western end and consequent undercutting causing instability. Mature trees – predominantly willows, sycamore and hawthorn line most of the bank with occasional breaks. In the areas of undercutting, large boughs of some of the willows are unstable and fall into the river or sometimes create otter habitat potential ‘couching’ areas for otters, for example. The site is accessed from a public footpath on the IAA site that runs from the road down to river at the site of a former river crossing. There are no designated public footpaths on the site itself but informal paths and tracks. The site is regularly visited by dog walkers, anglers and people who want to observe the wildlife. The lay-by on the busy A65 makes it easy for people to visit the site by car. The southern boundary is a hedgerow running for approximately 600m along the verge/footpath along the A65. The hedge was properly laid in the early 2000s by a local conservation group and in the winter of 2008, the large gaps that had developed over a number of years were filled in by the Forest of Bradford with mainly hawthorn – supplemented by ▇▇▇▇▇ and ▇▇▇▇▇ in the shaded areas. This work was funded by CBMDC and carried about at the request of WNS. The lagoon covers an area of 3200m2 and is shallowest at the eastern end where it is wadeable with care. The height of the water varies by several metres depending on height of the river with water seeping through the banks; there are no water courses feeding directly into it. The sides are steep and, in many areas, unstable. Access to the water is possible at about 10 points where steps have been constructed by angler/council to create fishing ‘pegs’. Trees and scrub surround most of the top of the banks. There are 3 drainage ditches at the eastern end of the site. The new (main) ditch was constructed in recent years to take water from the railway line on the hillside. It is straight along its length and 4m wide at ground level. The ditch effectively cuts the far southern end of the site from the main site (passable by the roadside hedge where the pipe runs under the road. A few metres to the north is a 2nd smaller (old) drainage ditch, with 2 outflow pipes (at different heights) which are piped as they run under the riverside path. A 3rd minor drain is at the very far southern end where it runs for only a few metres. The habitats on the site have been greatly influenced by its former status as gravel pits that have largely been in-filled. The tipped material has been compacted and drainage is severely impeded. The soil that capped the infill is very thin ranging from 5 -15cm. There are a number of areas that were more recently tipped with hardcore that are devoid of soil. The soils on the river banks are fine silt and sand and host rabbit warrens. To the north and south of the lagoon are 2 large grassy areas – known as the “North lawn” and “South lawn” – these are marshy due to only a thin capping of soil onto hardcore/tipped material. Tree/shrub species will not establish here due to the lack of soil and rabbit grazing. The public access the site via the public footpath on the IAA site – either by the road or at the riverside. The riverside footpath is popular for dog walkers and people wishing to observe the wildlife in the Reserve and on the Wharfe. IAA anglers occasionally fish the lagoon.