Valero Pembroke Refinery Cogen Project
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Valero Pembroke Refinery Cogen Project Design and Access Statement Environmental Resources Management Ltd, on behalf of Valero Energy Ltd June 2017 Doc Ref: Cogen/DNS/DAS/B01 Valero Pembroke Refinery : Cogen Project Contents 1.0 Summary 1 2.0 Introduction 2 Report Structure 2 3.0 The Site 3 4.0 Planning Considerations 8 Planning Policy 8 Planning History 10 Discussion 10 5.0 Consultation 12 Statutory Consultee and Key Stakeholder Consultation 12 Public Consultation 12 6.0 Development Design, Character and Sustainability 16 Design Development and Alternatives 16 The Proposed Development 17 Environmental Sustainability 21 7.0 Access Considerations 22 8.0 Abbreviations 23 Valero Pembroke Refinery : Cogen Project Figures Figure 3.1 Site Location 3 Figure 3.2 View looking into the Refinery, towards the Project site 4 Figure 5.1 Valero Community Engagement 12 Figure 6.1 Photomontage of Proposed Project 19 Figure 6.2 Project Sections (heights shown represent level above Ordnance Datum) 20 Valero Pembroke Refinery : Cogen Project 1.0 Summary 1.1 This Design and Access Statement illustrates how the proposed development, namely a Cogeneration (Cogen) plant and associated infrastructure (considered together as the Project) at Valero Energy Ltd’s (Valero’s) existing Pembroke Refinery (the Refinery) is in line with local policy and guidance on the design of development, as well as higher level national and design aspirations. 1.2 The Project has evolved through an iterative design and review process, with specialist input from technical consultants and statutory consultees to ensure that the development assimilates within the existing context. The resultant proposal is a well- designed Project that meets the operational and functional requirements of the Refinery, whilst balancing a number of policy demands to achieve an optimal development. 1.3 In conclusion, the Project will provide a safe and sustainable development that will provide the Refinery’s electrical power and will supplement steam requirements. It will also generate employment during the construction phase; the use of local labour will be encouraged where possible. The development fully accords with the design principles set out in Planning Policy Wales (PPW) and the Statutory Development Plan, and should therefore be supported. Pg 1 Valero Pembroke Refinery : Cogen Project 2.0 Introduction 2.1 This Design & Access Statement (DAS) has been prepared by Lichfields on behalf of Environmental Resources Management Ltd (ERM) for Valero Energy Ltd (Valero). It accompanies an application for a Development of National Significance (DNS) to the Welsh Government (WG) for: “The development of a cogeneration facility of up to 49.9MW from the combustion of natural gas; production of superheated steam; ancillary infrastructure and electrical and gas connections within the existing Refinery boundaries.” 2.2 As the proposed development (the Project) is for a generating station that, when constructed, will have an installed generating capacity of between 10 and 50MW, as established by the DNS (Specified Criteria and Prescribed Secondary Consents) (Wales) Regulations 2016, it falls within the criteria to be considered as a DNS application. Accordingly Valero notified the Welsh Government of the proposed development and it was accepted as a DNS on 7 February 2017. 2.3 Following receipt of the acceptance of the DNS notification Valero has 12 months within which to submit the DNS application. Otherwise a fresh notification is required in accordance with Article 5 of the DNS (Procedure) (Wales) Order 2016. Report Structure 2.4 The Statement has been prepared in order to assess the planning policy issues raised by the proposed development. It is structured as follows: • Section 3 – discusses the Project site and its context; • Section 4 – sets out the planning policy and planning history context for the Project in respect of design and access matters. It also considers how the principle of the Project fits into this context; • Section 5 – summarises the consultation undertaken for the Project, and how this has influenced the development; • Section 6 – sets out details of the Project Design, its Character and Sustainability considerations; and • Section 7 – discusses access issues. Pg 2 Valero Pembroke Refinery : Cogen Project 3.0 The Site 3.1 The one hectare Project site houses a disused workshop along with pipework associated with the existing steam plant within the Pembroke Refinery (the Refinery). The Project site also includes the corridors of land that will be occupied for enabling infrastructure which will connect the Project into a supply of natural gas, electrical infrastructure and Refinery control systems. 3.2 A prior notification of demolition application is under preparation for the demolition of the existing disused workshop; however this will be submitted and determined under separate cover. 3.3 The Project site is in the south west of the existing and established Refinery, to the north of Refinery Road, which is an internal private road running from the site entrance and along the southern boundary of the refinery. 3.4 The Refinery itself abuts the Milford Haven Waterway (to the north) and farmland to the east, south and west. Pembrokeshire Coast National Park forms the western boundary of the refinery. Figure 3.1 Site Location Source: Google Earth Pg 3 Valero Pembroke Refinery : Cogen Project Physical Context and Character 3.5 The Project site is within the Refinery, set amongst existing refinery infrastructure such as storage tanks (to the west), operational areas and pipelines (to the east), warehouse/operations buildings (to the north) and an estate road to the south, beyond which is further infrastructure including an electricity substation that can be seen in Figure 3.2 below. Figure 3.2 View looking into the Refinery, towards the Project site Source: Google Earth 3.6 The topography of the Project site is level as it houses a workshop and make-up water pipes. The wider Project site falls toward the south and west. 3.7 With regards to designations, whilst the site of the Project is brownfield, there are a number of sensitive sites in close proximity, as discussed below. Ecological Context 3.8 The Project site is not located within any statutory or non-statutory nature conservation designations. Within 2km of the Project site, there are a number of designated sites as shown in Table 3.1. Pg 4 Valero Pembroke Refinery : Cogen Project Table 3.1 Statutory Designated Sites for Nature Conservation within 2 km of the Survey Area (in order of increasing distance Project Site) Site Name Approx. Approx. distance Reason for Designation Area and direction (ha) from the Project site (km) Pembrokeshire 138,069 0.58km Annex I habitats (qualifying features); sandbanks, Marine SAC ha Mudflats & sandflats, coastal lagoons, Atlantic salt meadows & Submerged or partially submerged sea caves Annex II species (qualifying features): Grey seal (Halichoerus grypus), Shore dock (Rumex rupestris), Sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus), River lamprey (Lampetra fluviatilis), Allis shad (Alosa alosa), Twaite shad (Alosa fallax), and otter (Lutra lutra). Milford Haven 2,192 0.58km west Ancient woodland, saltmarsh, swamp, saline Waterway SSSI ha lagoons, rare and scarce plants and invertebrates, nationally important numbers of migratory waterfowl, lesser horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus hipposideros) and otter. Limestone 1583.86 1.51km south- Annex I habitats (qualifying features); Vegetated sea Coast of South Ha west cliffs of the Atlantic and Baltic Coasts, Fixed coastal West Wales SAC dunes with herbaceous vegetation (‘grey dunes’) Annex II species (qualifying features): greater horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum), Early gentian (Gentianella anglica). Broomhill 201.1 1.51km south- One of Pembrokeshire's largest dune systems with Burrows SSSI ha west the most extensive and most diverse dune slack vegetation including species-rich dune grassland and vestigial strandline vegetation occurs on the narrow shingle ridge. Numerous notable plants occur, including scarce lichens while notable insects include several rare beetles, flies, bugs and moths. Castlemartin 1114 ha 1.84 km south 3.5percent of the GB breeding population of Chough Coast SPA west Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax (as of count at 1998) 3.9 There are five further European sites (including two candidate sites) and a further 21 SSSIs (including a candidate site) within 15km of the site. In addition there are seven ancient woodland sites within 2km of the Project site. 3.10 The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park borders the wider refinery site to the west (a significant portion of which is over land in Valero’s ownership), and abuts the south Pg 5 Valero Pembroke Refinery : Cogen Project west corner of the Project application site. A coastal path runs along the coast, approximately 440m to the west. 3.11 Full details of the ecological context of the Project site can be found in the Ecological Impact Assessment Report (Doc Ref: Cogen/DNS/EcIA/C01). Heritage Context 3.12 The Project site is not deemed to be archaeologically sensitive. However, there are clusters of Scheduled Monuments and Listed Buildings within 2.5km of the Project site, including Eastington Manor house approximately 100m to the west, a cluster of assets at Rhoscrowther village 180m to the south and Fort Popton approximately 700m to the north west of the Refinery. 3.13 Full details of the heritage context of the Project site can be found in the Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment Report (Doc