ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
PROPOSED RELOCATION OF SCHLOTTER IRELAND TO
T OUGHER For inspectionBUSINESS purposes only.PARK Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. LEWISTOWN NAAS
DATE SEPTEMBER 2005
EPA Export 25-07-2013:20:44:33 Proposed Relocation Of Schlotter Irelands Metal Finishing Industry To, Tougher Business Park, Lewistown, Naas, Co. Kildare Tougher Environmental Ltd.
CONTENTS
SECTION A – PROJECT DESCRIPTION
A.1 Introduction A.2 Alternatives Examined A.3 Characteristics Of The Project A.4 The Existence Of The Project A.5 Other Developments
SECTION B – ENVIRONMENTAL TOPICS
B.1 Introduction B.2 Human Beings B.3 Flora & Fauna B.4 Soils & Geology B.5 Water B.6 Air B.7 Noise B.8 Vibration B.9 Climate B.10 The Landscape For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use.
SECTION C – PROJECT PARTICULARS
C.1 Introduction C.2 Project Description C.3 Environmental Effects C.4 Possible Mitigation Options
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SECTION A PROJECT DESCRIPTION
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A.1 INTRODUCTION
Schlotter Ireland proposes to develop and operate a new modified facility away from its existing site in the center of Newbridge and relocate to Tougher Business Park, Lewistown, Naas. The company is manufactures of proprietary chemicals and equipment for the electronics and metal finishing industry. Schlotter Ireland was established in 1976 to service Irish industries.
An Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) licence is required by the company to carry out its operations. This EIS has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Planning and Development Act 2000 and the Planning and Development Regulations 2001. This document is based on the original EIS which was prepared as part of planning application reference 02/1284 with updates to specific sections where applicable to this industry.
This document has also been prepared in accordance with the following Environmental Protection Agency documents Advice notes on current practice in the preparation of environmental impact statements Guidelines on the information to be contained in Environmental Impact Statements Integrated Pollution Control Licensing Application Guidance Notes
The EIS addresses the impact of the site development and construction works and also addresses the impact of the longer-term operation of the development. In determining the potential impacts of the construction and operation of the proposed development the EIS focused on impacts that "are environmentally based", "are likely to occur" and "have significant and adverse effects" (EPA Guidelines on Information to be contained in EIS). For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. The 2003 Newbridge Local Area Plan reads as follows “3.2.1 Zoning Objective A Town Centre - To provide for the development and improvement of appropriate town centre uses including retail, commercial, office and civic use” “3.5.0.b It is an objective of the Council to Safeguard residential areas and areas of high environmental quality from the adverse effects of industrial development”
The 2005 Kildare County Development Plan states, “15.31 In relation to Industrial Development the following should be taken into consideration, Any industrial or commercial development shall not be injurious to the residential amenity of adjoining properties. A landscaped buffer zone (minimum 5-10 metres) will be a requirement of planning permission for any Industrial/Warehousing development where it adjoins another zoning or where it would seriously injure the amenities of adjoining land uses”.
The 2005 Kildare County Development Plan specifically states in relation to
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Tougher Business Park, “NE 1: The zoning objective in this case is to provide for industrial and warehousing uses. The purpose of this zone is to provide sites for industrial, and in particular warehousing uses, at locations which are outside the built-up area of Naas”.
Consultation with the Local Authority in relation to a previous planning application on the site sighted the following, traffic management, foul and surface water drainage and potable water supply for the proposed development.
Following an investigation of the proposed activities on this site, an internal scope also included several aspects of the long-term operation of the proposed development were identified as requiring close attention, they include the potential impact of development related traffic on the local roads network potential loads on existing water and wastewater treatment resources, construction/operational impacts associated with air and noise and the visual amenity impact of the proposed development.
It is clear that both of these Development Plans encourage existing facilities such as Schlotter Ireland to relocate to the more suitable area of Tougher Business Park. The relocation of the existing factory will allow a more appropriate use of the existing town centre site.
This Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was compiled as a support document for the planning application for the proposed Schlotter Ireland Facility in compliance with Planning legislation for premises requiring an IPPC licence.
The following team were involved in the preparation of this document.
Malone O’Reagan Consulting Engineers Bord Na Mona, Environmental For inspection Consultancy purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. Biosphere Ltd, Ecological Consultant, Wicklow. Birch Hill Landscape, Landscape and Visual Consultant Landmark Design, Landscape Consultant Maurice Hurley, Archaeologist
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A.2 ALTERNATIVES EXAMINED
The existing Scholtter Ireland facility covers approximately 2200 Sq.M. of purpose build buildings. There are an additional 370 Sq.M. of temporary buildings and storage containers outside of these permanent structures. The existing offices are located away from the main production area, with additional temporary office space adjoining this area. (Figure A.2.1)
Proposals for the extension and alteration of the existing facility were explored, however following many design problems and given the position of the site in the center of Newbridge it was decided that a purpose build facility in a Business Park in close to the town would be more suitable in the long-term. In the interests of proper long-term planning for Newbridge the relocation and upgrading of the existing Schlotter Ireland facility to an area away from what is already heavily trafficked roads as well a large population center to an area designated for such development is a positive planning decision.
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Figure A.2.1 – Existing Schlotter Ireland Facility At Newbridge, Co. Kildare
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A.3 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PROJECT
The total floor area of the proposed building will be approximately 4000m2. The building will be located on lands re-zoned Industrial/Warehousing under the 2005 Kildare County Development Plan.
Figures A.3.1 – A.3.7 show the proposed site plans and building proposals for the proposed site.
Figure A.3.8 shows an Architects Perspective Views prepared as part of the planning application from the Northwest access road. A detailed description of the proposed development is provided in Section B of this document.
The nearest dwelling house to the proposed facility is over 300m to the south while an existing grain and fertilizer store is about 30m to the east. The ridge height of the proposed building is approximately 8.5m, which is significantly lower that the nearby 14m height of the grain and fertilizer store.
The area of the proposed site is approximately 1.2 Ha. and the total area of building including all floors on this site is approximately 4000 Sq.M. The present facility currently has approximately 50 staff and while this may increase following the proposed relocation, the 2005 Kildare County Development Plan requires that a parking provision for over 80 cars be provided for. There is a delivery yard of approximately 3000 Sq.M. to the east of the proposed building to allow for the onsite parking of trailers and ancillary machinery.
The proposed development will contribute towards these policies and improve the economic and social development of Co. Kildare. The proposed development ensure the long term future of Schlotter Ireland will in turn provide both short and long term employment opportunities For inspection purposes for only. Co. Kildare which will assist the Council Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. in meeting their policy objectives with regard to enterprise and employment.
The proposed site will be fully bunded. This will ensure that should any size spillage occur at any location on the site it will be fully treated before disposal to surface water drains.
The proposed building will house all materials storage and production areas necessary for the facility’s operation and will eliminate the need for external plant and storage. From Figure A.2.1 we can see that there is a significant amount of external temporary buildings and storage on the existing site.
The proposed building is designed to operate as an efficient building which will prior to its commissioning satisfy all relevant environmental laws. The new building will comprise three zones, office, and production and warehouse areas. There will be no external works carried out following commissioning such as storage or production work.
The proposed new facility will integrate the entire operation into a single building with no outside storage and room for a provision for the future 725 Sq.M.
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expansion of the facility. The site will have an entrance for light vehicles ancillary to the office area and a separate entrance for HGV’s for access to the storage area.
In addition to the proposed landscaping on the site, a 5m high landscaped earth berm is proposed to visibly shield the proposed building from the adjoining un- zoned areas to the southern and eastern boundaries. This earth berm is an effective screening feature of the existing Business Park and is maintained by the Business Park Management company who will retain its ownership to prevent further development on this land.
Surface water run-off from the existing Tougher Business Park drains northerly to the River Liffey. The recent extension to the Business Park will however drain to the western side of the Business Park and through attenuation ponds before finally being discharged to the River Liffey. A complete design is of all services including provision for surface water is currently being prepared for the approval of the local authority. The building will not be occupied until all required site development works are complete.
Existing foul water discharges to an existing foul drain laid to service the existing Business Park before being pumped through a rising main along the Red Lane to the north before being discharged to the public Foul Sewer before being treated at Osberstown Sewage Treatment Plan. This system was originally designed to allow for a future expansion to the Business Park. A complete design is of all services including provision for foul sewage is currently being prepared for the approval of the local authority. The building will not be occupied until all required site development works are complete.
A 100mm diameter water main connects the site to an existing 150mm diameter watermain already within the Business Park. Tougher Business Park are currently constructing a 200mm watermain from Naas to serve the site. There are also two wells on-site which currently For inspection supply purposes only.the water needs of the Business Park of Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. about 3,000 gallons hour. A complete design is of all services including provision for water for consumption and firefighting is currently being prepared for the approval of the local authority. The building will not be occupied until all required site development works are complete.
Telecommunications lines, electricity supply lines and a gas main supply the Business Park. The relevant suppliers/providers of such services have been contacted about their requirements for the extension to the Business Park.
The existing Schlotter facility in the centre of Newbridge has become overcrowded and inefficient. There is currently no space available in any of the existing buildings that are resulting in the company using containers in the yard for the storage of materials and supplies. The existing site layout is such that there are three different permanent buildings with a number of porta-cabins and storage containers.
It is expected that the development will be built within one year following grant of planning permission and will have a fully approved IPPC licence prior to its commissioning.
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The development will form part of Tougher Business Park and will be integrated into the Park and supported by its close proximity the existing internal road and services infrastructure serving the development. Tougher Business Park is located approximately 6km from Naas and approximately 5km from Newbridge from where the existing activities are carried out. The proposed relocation of the factory to an industrial/warehousing zoned area away from Newbridge Town Centre is due to the town centre location of the existing factory combined with an inefficient use of the existing space.
Tougher Business Park is relatively level throughout. There is a gentle slope downward into the Business Park when entering from the R445. The site to which this EIS relates is level. The land to the south of the site gently slopes upward away from the site.
Access to the proposed site is provided within the Business park by a 9m wide Business Park access road with Dual Carriage way access to the M7 via the R445. the location of this road can be clearly seen in figure A.3.2.
The remaining lands to the west and north of the site will be developed with similar development to this proposal.
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Figure A.3.1 – Business Park Location Plan
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Figure A.3.2 – Site Location Within Business Park
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Figure A.3.3 – Site Layout Plan
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Figure A.3.4 – Underground Emergency Effluent Storage Tank
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Figure A.3.5 – Ground Floor Plan Of Proposed Building
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Figure A.3.6 – First Floor Plan Of Proposed Building
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Figure A.3.7 – Elevations Of Proposed Building
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Figure A.3.8 – Photo Montage Of Proposed Building From North East
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A.4 THE EXISTENCE OF THE PROJECT
The proposed site level will be similar to the existing ground levels. The site is relatively level and any soil removed during the construction phase will be stored for use elsewhere in the Business Park for landscaping or as a fill material.
Access to the proposed site is provided within the Business park by a 9m wide Business Park access road with Dual Carriageway access from the Business Park to the M7 via the R445.
The proposed drainage of the recently zoned lands at the Business Park shall be subject to a separate planning application and will be fully operational prior to the facility being commissioned. Given the nature of the activities at this facility, that include the use of inorganic chemicals, it is proposed to bund the entire site and to fit ph meters to all surface drains. The drains will operate as normally unless the ph meter closes a valve thus diverting the ground water to an effeluent treatment tank. The contaminated water will be treated to the guidelines set down by the EPA in the IPPC licence before being returned to the surface water drain.
There are no special requirements for the foul sewer or watermains that will also service the site.
The proposed construction works will be carried out on a fully fenced site with all required staff facilities on the site.
All topsoil will be removed from the proposed site and the level will be reinstated with a suitable fill material prior to and setting out on site. Access to the site will be from the existing Business Park roads network with some additional roads required the subject of a separate planning application. For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. The works are expected to last for in excess of 30 days and shall require the involvement of the Health and Safety Authority. Following the securing of the site it is expected that all earthworks, excavations and sub-structure works will be completed before works begin on the super-structure. It is not expected that there will be any unusually large or dangerous plant used that will have any special requirements in the construction phase of this building. Following completion of the shell of the building the fit out and commissioning of any plant will not begin until an IPPC licence is granted.
All emissions from the proposed facility will be treated in accordance with the guidelines set down by the EPA in the IPPC licence. There shall be no adverse effects on the local environment due to the treatment of contaminated air and water prior to their discharge from the proposed facility.
An application is currently being prepared for an IPPC licence from the EPA. This licence will set out the parameters for the proposed activities that include the storage and use of inorganic chemicals.
Schlotter Ireland are an environmentally aware company and will take whatever
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steps are necessary to ensure the safety of the environment from contamination including emission scrubbers at all ventilation chimneys as well as on site contaminated surface water treatment facilities should a spillage occur.
The proposed facility will not be used pending the granting of an IPPC licence from the EPA. During its commissioning all tests required by the IPPC licence will be carried out, tested and certified to the relevant EPA standards due to the use of inorganic chemicals at this facility the IPPC licence will define the use of and any limitations on the future use or manufacture of proprietary chemicals and equipment for the electronics and metal finishing industry at this facility.
The proposed production activities shall be similar to the existing operation that comprises, blending operations with capacities ranging from 50l - 10,000l, meltdown ovens and clean room for packing high purity chemicals. All loading and un-loading stations will be fully ducted to extraction system including air scrubbers.
He current annual output figures from the existing facility are, Manufacturing 2,000 Tonnes Toll Blending 3,000 Tonnes Total 5,000 Tonnes
The laboratory within the facility provides production analysis of products, customer support, and has research and development capabilities.
Section B of this EIS will outline details in relation to Air, Human Beings, Flora & Fauna, Soils, Landscape, etc.
The proposed new facility will include a provision for a future 725 Sq.M. expansion of the facility. There is no change of use envisaged for the overall facility should this extension For inspection ever purposes be developed.only. Following its termination of use Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. or significant change of use in the case of the new facility, decommissioning of the site at Tougher Business Park or the existing site at Newbridge will be in accordance with EPA regulations at that time.
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A.5 OTHER DEVELOPMENTS
The proposed development will require a new access road from the existing Business Parks roads network. This road will be the subject of a separate planning application that will include for the provision of relevant services to the site. The development will not require any additional upgrading works to the existing access roads.
The location of an Electricity sub station in the proximity of the site will be agreed with the ESB as part of the site development works planning application.
The proposed facility is already established in the centre of Newbridge. There will be no additional secondary developments required as part of the relocation of this development.
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SECTION B ENVIRONMENTAL TOPICS
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B.1 INTRODUCTION
The proposed facility, which is the subject of this EIS, comprises production, warehousing and offices ancillary to the metal finishing industry provided by the company.
The effects of a development on the environment impinge upon its local environment either directly or indirectly. Direct effects include such matters as human beings water quality, air quality, noise and landscape quality. Indirect effects pertain to such matters as flora & fauna, road traffic and property values.
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B.2 HUMAN BEINGS
The proposed development site is located in Tougher Business Park. The nearest private dwelling to the site is located to the south of the proposed Metal Finishing facility on a road in accessible from the Business Park. There are three dwellings within 300m of the proposed facility; these are to the south and southeast of the site see figure B.2.1.
The existing facility is located in the center of Newbridge. Newbridge is an important commercial service centre. Between 1971 and 1991 the population of Newbridge and its environs grew by 82%. Between 1991 and 1996 the population of Newbridge urban area increased by 10.1%; in 1991 the population was 11778 and by 1996, this had increased to 12970. The most recent figures for Newbridge Town show that the population has increased a further 21.4% to 15749 in 2002.
Noise is an identified form of air pollution and uncontrolled it can cause nuisance or a deterioration of amenities and the quality of human life. The potential impact of the proposed development on noise levels within the area is described in Section B.7. In summary, it is concluded that the noise levels from on-site activities associated with the limited construction phase of the project will have a small temporary impact on nearby residential properties due to noise emissions from construction activities. However, given that the development area is located within the confines of Tougher Business Park and is well screened by trees and a landscaped berm along side the nearby secondary road, it is considered that the various construction noise sources will not be excessively intrusive. Baseline noise measurements are included in Section C. Furthermore the application of binding noise limits and hours of operation, along with implementation of appropriate noise and Forvibration inspection purposes control only. measures will ensure that noise Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. impact from the construction phase is kept to a minimum.
In relation to noise associated with operations at the Facility, following construction the mitigation measures recommended in Section C will minimize any potential impact. The noise environment is currently influenced by existing activities within the Business Park. The levels will tend to decrease further south into the site upon moving away from these activities. Noise arising from increased traffic flows to the site at the beginning and end of operation hours on the surrounding road network will give rise to a marginal significant impact during peak hours only. It is not anticipated that the development will give rise to a traffic noise impact outside of these times.
The proposed facility will generate approximately 55 traffic movements twice daily due to staff movements to and from the site. The operational traffic associated with the facility will be approximately 25 vehicles weekly with about 35% of these being HGV’s.
A variety of air pollutants have known or suspected harmful effects on
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human health and the environment. In many similar developments these pollutants are principally the products of combustion from power generation or from motor vehicle traffic. The potential air pollutants derived from the proposed facility at Tougher Business Park will be removed in accordance with the IPPC licence from the EPA.
Mineral acids migrate within soil-water in the dissociated form, i.e. as the hydrogen ion and the corresponding anion (i.e. nitrate or sulphate). The buffering capacity of most soils tends to neutralise slight acidity. Dissolved nitrate and sulphate migrate freely through the soil. Acid spillage near buildings may affect the integrity of concrete and cement-based construction materials. Details of procedures to be in place should a spill occur will be setout by the EPA in IPPC licence.
The migration of inorganic contaminants in moist soil and water is closely related to their aqueous solubility, which may be enhanced by an alteration in soil pH. Aqueous solutions may if untreated seep slowly through permeable surfaces or cracks in concrete slabs depending on temperature and the presence of other chemicals. The slow breakdown of chemicals in soil may act as a long-term source of contamination. The EPA’s IPPC licence will setout what measures will be required to prevent such a spillage i.e. fully bunded site.
The landscape of the area will be developed as planned under the current Kildare County Development Plan 2005. The finishes on the proposed building will be similar to the existing buildings in the Business Park. The existing Grain Store nearby also has an industrial building type finish to its exterior. Hedgerows and tree lines on the site shall be retained where possible and the additional planting planned as part of the landscape plan. the land usage will therefore be in keeping with what is planned for the area and is not considered For inspection a purposessignificant only. impact and is not regarded as Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. important to the area as a whole.
It will not affect the agricultural industry usage of the adjacent lands or the agricultural or amenity usage of the surrounding land. The layout and landscaping of the site has been designed and will be operated in such a way as to inflict minimum visual intrusion from the surrounding area, therefore any potential impacts of the proposed development on the existing structural and land usage of the area are considered insignificant.
The development will have a limited social and economic effect on the area. These effects maybe categorized as follows:
The Primary Socio-Economic effects will be directly related to the building development itself such as changes in Local Population/Job Creation. It is considered likely that the proposed development will have minimal impacts on the existing population structure of the area. It is predicted that the proposed development will create further employment opportunities for the local population in a variety of areas including technical, administration, maintenance and general operatives following its
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construction. Where possible staff will be will be recruited locally. Although not insignificant the job creation benefits are secondary to the development, as it is the improved environmental efficiency in the facilities day-to-day operations as well as the facilities relocation away from the center of the center of Newbridge that will benefit the locality.
Secondary Socio-Economic effects will include those effects, which arise as a result of services required (e.g. Water Supply, etc.) for development infrastructure and resources during the operation of the facility. This type of industry is not a significant user of these resources and therefore it can be said that it will not have a noticeable impact on local services.
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B.3 FLORA & FAUNA
An ecological survey of the proposed development site and its environs was undertaken in February 2002 (part of the original EIS) to in order to:
Determine the existing ecology and diversity of the site; Establish the presence or absence of important species or habitats; Determine the conservation value of the site
The site for the proposed Metal Finishing Facility at Tougher Business Park is located to the south of the overall Business Park. Most of the site comprises active agricultural land, both arable and pasture. Adjacent to the site and within Tougher Business Park, to the north of the site, the land has been disturbed and partly developed with a road foundation. The southeastern boundary of the site is marked by a dry ditch and hedgerow and the northeastern boundary by a hedgerow only. There are not other existing boundaries to the site. Site area is 1.1 ha. approximately This part of Co. Kildare is characterized by intensive agriculture of a mixed character. Soils are mostly good quality agricultural soils and are generally well drained.
The site is low-lying and generally level, the maximum altitude being approximately 89 m. A small stream that flows in a northerly direction towards the River Liffey drains the lands locally.
No part of the site is covered by a conservation designation. The nearest such site is the Grand Canal proposed Natural Heritage Area (site no. 02104), which occurs within 1 km to the south of the site but separated by the M7 road. For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. th A field survey of the site and its environs was carried out on 12 February 2002. The survey comprised a thorough examination of the site area; habitats and land uses surrounding the site were also noted. Notes were made on bird species present within and around the site. For mammals, the main emphasis was on search for signs of activity or dwellings. During the survey, particular attention was given to the possible presence of habitats and/or species that are legally protected under Irish or European legislation (especially the Flora Protection Order 1999; Wildlife Act 1976; Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000; ED Habitats Directive; ED Birds Directive).
The standard literature was checked for references to the site and locality, as were the listings and maps of sites of conservation importance in Co. Kildare held by Duchas the Heritage Service.
A greater range of plant species would be expected during the main summer period, the absence of a survey at that time is not considered a constraint as there are no natural or semi-natural habitats of significant conservation value present at this site. Similarly, the absence of a survey for birds during the main nesting season is not considered a significant
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limitation at this site as no species of conservation importance would be expected to occur during summer due to the types of habitat present. Activity of mammals, apart from bats, would be expected to be fairly high at this time of year. Overall, no significant difficulties were encountered in compiling information on the flora and fauna of the study area.
The largest area of the site can be used for arable crops (cereals). At the time of survey, all of this was in stubble (see figure B.3.1). A range of grasses and other weed species were growing amongst the stubble, including chickweed (Stellaria media), common speedwell (Veronica persica), redshank (Polygonum persicaria), fumitory (Fumaria spp.) and conunon bent (Agrostis stolonifera)
The narrow area of the site between the Grain Store and Tougher Business Park has been much disturbed and is used to store various types of disused machinery and trucks. A partly constructed road runs through this area (figure B.3.2). A large mound of soil covers part of the area. All of the area appears to have been formerly pasture grassland, with a similar array of species still present as in the other areas of the site with this habitat. Weed species are frequent on the disturbed ground.
Hedgerows are the principal type of field boundary within the site. Many are low (between 1.5 m and 4 m high), well-maintained hedges, with low structural diversity and few tree standards (figure B.3.3 and figure B.3.1). The ecological value of such hedgerows is low. A small number are of higher stature, up to c.15 m though with some trees taller, and have a more typical structure with a recognizable understorey and ground flora. The ecological value of such hedgerows is moderate or moderate to good. The presence of wet ditches or drainage channels associated with some hedgerows increases their ecological value further. For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. Ash (Fraxinus excelsior) is the principal tall tree species and occurs in association mainly with hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna). Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) and elder (Sambucus nigra) are fairly well represented. Willows (Salix spp.) were occasionally found, mainly in the hedgerow at the ditch. The understorey of the hedgerows is mainly of brambles (Rubus spp) and occasional honeysuckle (Lonicera pericyclanum). Ivy (Hedera helix) is frequent in the hedgerows, both on the trees and shrubs and in the hedge bases. Hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium) was also present in the hedge base.
Few mammal species were recorded during the survey, reflecting the low habitat diversity within the site. Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) was the most frequent species, being fairly widespread throughout the site. Signs of brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) were noted in most of the ditches and hedgerow embankments. Other ubiquitous Irish mammals that occur in agricultural habitats and are likely at the site would be hedgehog (Erinaceous europaeus), pygmy shrew (Sorex minutus) and long-tailed field mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus). Particular search was made for signs (i.e. setts, feeding marks etc.) of badgers (Meles meles) but none were
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observed. The potential of the site for supporting bats is considered low as there no old buildings and relatively few mature trees.
Bats, however, are likely to occur in the general vicinity of the site and would be expected to forage along the hedgerows, especially where running water occurs. The common frog (Rana temporaria) is likely to occur in the wet ditches and channels within the site. The habitats are not suitable for the common lizard (Lacerta vivipara).
Bird species that occur on site are typical of mixed agricultural landscapes. The arable fields attracted finch species, including chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs), goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) and linnet (Carduelis cannabina). A flock of up to 40 skylarks (Alauda arvensis) were present, Woodpigeons (Columba palumbus) were frequent, as were crows, with rooks (Corvus frugilegus), jackdaw (Corvus monedula) and magpie (pica pica). The hedgerows had a good diversity of small birds, including blackbird (Turdus merula), song thrush (Turdus phi/omelos), robin (Erithacus rubecula), dunnock (Prunella modularis), blue tit (Parus caeruleus) and great tit (Parus major).
In summary, this site comprises intensively managed agricultural land or former agricultural land that is now partly developed. There are no habitats of significant conservation value.
The principal impact by this development will be loss of habitats. In addition, there is potential for pollution of watercourses in the vicinity during the construction phase and the operation phase however this would be restricted by measures put in place to treat contaminated surface water. No habitat, or indeed specific species of flora or fauna, would be lost from the immediate area by the development of this site and therefore the biodiversity of the local For inspection area purposes would only. not be adversely affected. The Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. proposed development would not have any impacts (direct or indirect) on the designated sites of conservation importance in the vicinity.
The loss of pasture grassland, arable land and ground that is already disturbed is not a significant adverse impact owing to the low value of these habitats. The hedgerows in the interior of the site, while of some value for local wildlife, are not of notable quality as regards species composition or structural diversity, and similar or better examples are widespread in the vicinity. The loss of these hedgerows is considered an impact of low significance.
During construction, there is potential for polluting substances to enter the streams and main drainage channels within the site. Should significant amounts of potentially polluting substances enter the stream, there could be adverse impacts on aquatic life further downstream, including the River Liffey (a designated salmonid river).
During the operational phase, if potentially polluting substances, particularly acid products, were to enter the local watercourses in surface
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run-off, there could be adverse impacts on the aquatic life further downstream, including the River Liffey (a designated salmonid river). Mitigating measures should be put in place to prevent such pollution as outlined by the EPA in its IPPC licence as part of commissioning of facility
No mitigation measures are necessary to compensate for the loss of the agricultural lands within the site. The loss of hedgerows can be mitigated by appropriate landscaping.
Prior to the release of surface water run-off from the site into local watercourses, there should be a screening process for contaminants and other potential pollutants and the water should be treated where necessary prior to discharge to surface water drains.
For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use.
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Figure B.3.1 – Arable Land, In Stubble At The Time Of Survey, Is A Main Land Use Within The Site. Hedgerows Are Generally Of Low Stature With Few Tree Standards.
For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use.
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Figure B.3.2 – The Area Adjacent To The Site Has Already Been Disturbed By Building Activities
For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use.
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For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use.
Figure B.3.3 – Habitat Location Map
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B.4 SOILS & GEOLOGY
The following text will examine the type of soils and geology likely to be encountered on the site and in the general area. It also addresses the impact of the proposed development on soils and geology and the remedial measures that will be employed to eliminate or reduce these impacts.
The soil types found in the area of the site are dominated by gleys (figure B.4.1). The parent material or quaternary geology associated with these soils is alluvium. To the south, north and west of the site the soil type is dominated by minimal grey-brown podzolics, which are characteristic of the flat to undulating topography of the area. The grey-brown podzols are usually formed from a calcareous parent material. To the east of the site gleys also appear, though the parent material or quaternary geology associated with these soils is grey brown limestone glacial till.
The Geology Survey of Ireland has published maps (at scale of 1:100,000) and memoirs of the bedrock geology in which the site is located. The maps show the rock formations that are interpreted to be present below the surface drift deposits. The underlying bedrock in the area is characterized by carboniferous limestone of the Palaeozoic origin (figure B.4.2).
There are two formations in the study area; the Rikardstown Formation and the Ballysteen Formation. Reef beds form the lower part of the Rikardstown. The upper part of the formation consist mainly of rather uniform, dark, fine grained dolomite with abundant chart. This dolomite has been found at thickness of at least 40 meters but it is unclear what is the full thickness or what overlies it. The limestone bedrock is overlain by a succession of boulder clay interspersed with extensive sand and gravel deposits throughout the For County. inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use.
The proposed Facility will require some digging for foundations of the building and its emergency effluent storage tank as well as the installation of site drainage and services.
The potential impacts of the development on soils and geology are
Loss of topsoil. Damage to underlying geology through vibration. Contamination of soils through spillage of liquids.
In order to avoid significant impacts neither rockbreakers nor blasting methods will be utilised to prepare the site. Thus the development works will not involve activities that can give rise to vibration that could cause damage underlying geology. As there are no geological features of any significance present at or beneath the site, the proposed development will have no impact on local geology. Storage areas for underground and over ground bulk liquids, such as the emergency effluent storage tank, transport and heating oils that have the potential to give rise to soil contamination,
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will be fully bunded in accordance with relevant environmental guidelines and recognised standards such as an IPPC licence from the EPA. In addition oil absorbent materials will be kept on site in close proximity to any fuel storage tanks or bowsers during site development works. Foul drains will be constructed in accordance relevant engineering standards thereby minimizing the potential for leaks in underground pipelines.
The overall impact of the proposed Facility on the soils and geology of the site and local area is not expected to be significant either during the construction or operational phases.
Soils and geology interact with other environmental attributes as follows:
Solid Waste such as waste soil generated during the construction stage will be recycled and reused for landscaping purposes, where possible.
Water, however due to the measures outlined above it is unlikely that contamination of soils, geology or groundwater will occur through surface water run-off.
For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use.
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For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use.
Figure B.4.1 – Soil Type Map
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For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use.
Figure B.4.2 – Bedrock Type Map
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B.5 WATER
The impact of the proposed Facility on surface water, foul water systems, potable water supplies and groundwater is described and assessed in this part of the EIS.
Small streams flow along the extreme western boundary of Tougher Business Park. This continues north and join the River Liffey. The stream is approximately 2m in width. The surface water from the proposed development will discharge into the middle catchment. The water quality standards assigned to this stretch of the river are high due it being used as a public drinking water supply at Leixlip. The quality criteria for salmonid bearing waters are considered to be a suitable basis on which to formulate water quality standards for the River Liffey Catchment. The IPPC licence will ensure that no surface water contamination takes place by setting parameters for the water to be discharged from the Facility.
A surface water collection system will be installed to accommodate rainwater runoff from the hard surface areas of the site and will discharge to the stream located along the western boundary of the Business Park. To prevent flooding down stream attenuation ponds will be designed and constructed in the west of the Business Park to retain excess surface water. All pipes used for surface water drainage will be in accordance with the relevant Irish and British standards and regulations.
The potential impacts of the Development on surface water are as follows:
Local flooding caused by overloading of surface water drainage system will be controlled by the addition of attenuation ponds to control the outflow of water into the For inspectionstream. purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use.
Silting of surface watercourses. Silt traps will be utilized to control surface water discharges from the site during development works. This will minimize the potential for increased loading of suspended material in the runoff during the earthworks. The silt traps will be regularly inspected during site works and maintained in good working order.
Contamination of local watercourses. A bunded tank will be used during site development work to collect waste oil arising. A Local Authority approved waste disposal contractor will dispose of this. Accordingly, seepage into surface water should not occur. When operational the site is to have an effluent tank capable of storing contaminated water on the site for treatment prior to discharge as set out in IPPC licence.
Surface water will flow through ph meter valves, treatment tanks when necessary and oil/ petrol interceptors prior to discharge to the streams to prevent contamination of local watercourses.
The proposed development is not anticipated to give rise to adverse impact
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on surface waters owing to the above reductive measures. There will be no process discharges to waters arising from the initial site development works. Surface water runoff from the proposed site will be diverted through a silt trap to reduce the suspended material loading in surface water runoff generated during the site development phase.
Flora and Fauna: Either directly or indirectly and both in the short and long term the proposed Facility will not impact on the aquatic flora and fauna of the River Liffey.
A foul drainage network will be installed on the site with the capacity to accommodate the projected effluent arising from the proposed development. The site will be serviced by a minimum 150mm Sewer and appropriately sized pumping station elsewhere in the Business Park. The station will pump foul water to the public sewer located at the bottom of Red Lane that is located adjacent to the entrance of Tougher Business Park (figure A.3.2), subject to the approval of Kildare County Council. This will discharge for treatment to the Osberstown Waste Water Treatment Plant.
A potential impact of the proposed development on the existing foul drainage system may be the overloading of wastewater treatment plant at Osberstown if contamination of groundwater through the ingress of foul effluent into the aquifers. Contamination of surface water courses from leaking of the foul water drainage system.
Foul sewers will be installed in accordance with BS 8010: Code of Practice for Pipelines reducing the likelihood of leaks.
The upgraded Osberstown WWTP has adequate capacity to accommodate effluent arising from the proposed Facility in the long term. Trade effluent will not be generated For inspectionas a purposesresult only. of activities associated with the Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. development. If this were to occur appropriate licenses from the Local Authority or the EPA would be sought. Bulk liquid storage facilities constructed on any of the individual sites (for example heating oil storage tanks) will require bunding in accordance with planning and environmental guidelines.
The Mid Regional Water Supply Scheme takes its Potable Water supply from the Dublin Corporation works at Ballymore Eustace. Naas and Newbridge are included in the towns and villages which are supplied by this source.
Potential Impacts of the Development include
Reduction in capacity or pressure in potable water supply. Disruption during construction on neighbouring service infrastructure.
Due to the nature of the proposed Facility the existing and projected water supply will have adequate capacity to meet projected demand at the proposed development. It is unlikely that the proposed development will
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impact on the water supply pressure of existing users.
The Aquifer Map (figure B.5.1) indicates that the proposed site overlies, or is on the boundary of a major sand or gravel aquifer. The bedrock geology underlying the proposed site is the Ballysteen Formation and the Rickardstown Formation, which are Limestone from the Lower Carboniferous period. These are clean shelf-type limestones. The dolomization of these strata are less extensive than those to the south therefore the permeability and porosity is generally low and the rocks are therefore classified as minor aquifers. Nevertheless there are areas where the dolomitization is quite intensive (e.g. along faults).
The proposed Facility involves the provision of an internal site infrastructure including roads, drainage, underground services and water mains. The infrastructure requirements of the facility will be dealt with by a separate planning application.
The potential impacts of the proposed Facility on groundwater are as follows:
Alteration of groundwater levels within and off-site. Contamination of groundwater through the ingress of foul effluent into the aquifers.
Reductive and remedial measures shall include the following, surface water from the proposed road network will discharge to a piped drainage system. Foul sewers will be installed in accordance with BS 8010: Code of Practice for Pipelines. Oil interceptors will be used. A bunded tank will be used during site development work to collect waste oil, which will then be disposed of by a local authority approved waste disposal contractor. There will be no direct discharges For inspection to, purposes or only.abstraction from groundwater at the Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. proposed site during the construction phase. During the operational phase discharges to, or abstraction from groundwater by units is not expected due to the nature of the development however if this does occur it will only be carried out with the appropriate licenses. Over the long-term development of the units, impervious areas will be drained and appropriate containment and bunding arrangements will be provided in accordance with relevant planning and environmental guidelines.
The mitigation measures listed above will ensure that groundwater is not contaminated with foul effluent or stored liquid chemicals.
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For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use.
Figure B.5.1 – Aquafier Map
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B.6 AIR
A survey of existing ambient air quality data was investigated to ascertain the air quality in the general area. The potential impact of the proposed Facility was then investigated to ascertain its impact on this environment.
The study from Bord na Móna Environmental Ltd., concluded that levels of nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and BTEX (volatile organic compounds) monitored were below current EU Directive and pending Council Directive limits. Dust deposition results obtained at all locations are within the German T.A. Luft recommended guidelines value of 350 mg/m2/day. The odour levels determined at locations up and down wind of the existing Business Park are low and are indicative of background rural levels.
The characteristics of the proposed Facility in relation to air quality includes the removal of top soil for the construction of an internal roads, services and to provide level sites for buildings which could lead to dust emission. Exhaust emissions from earth moving equipment could also be generated. The main source of air pollution from the operational phase will be from vehicular movements as all emission and odour traces shall be scrubbed from the air prior venting to outside air in accordance with the IPPC licence.
The potential impacts of the proposed Facility on the receiving ambient air quality include:
Increased dust levels arising from site clearance and development works. Reduction in air quality arising from emissions of combustion gases from plant and machinery used For inspectionduring purposes site works only. and construction. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. It is not considered however that the traffic movements to the site will cause any deterioration in local air.
The following are mitigation or remedial measures to minimize the impact of the site development and construction phases:
The development site will be cleared as required, thereby minimizing the potential for dust generation. Bowsers will be used to reduce dust dispersion. The quantity of material deposited by HGV traffic from the site on the adjacent roads will be minimized through the use of a wheel-wash and a road sweeper. Care will be taken to ensure that the access roads are maintained in a tidy and mud free condition. All landscaped areas will be grassed as soon as possible after the completion of the re-spreading of topsoil, thereby further reducing dust emissions.
Construction equipment will comply with relevant vehicle emission standards. In the long term, when the proposed Facility is complete the following reductive and remedial measures apply:
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The free flow of traffic is important in order to minimize the generation of traffic emissions which is taken into account in the design of the proposed Facility.
Modern efficient boilers will be used and accordingly emissions of Nox will be low, with no SO2. the proposed Facility will be required to comply with air quality standards and emission limit values in order to minimize the potential for impact on the receiving air quality as set out in building regulations and the IPPC licence from the EPA.
The other environmental factors which air interact with include exposure of wind blown dust, other particulates and emissions of pollutants from road traffic are important considerations for human health and a pleasant living environment. However, due to the scale and type of this development, no adverse impacts are predicted.
Air monitoring at the site shall be in accordance with EPA’s IPPC licence.
For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use.
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B7 NOISE
This chapter discusses the existing noise levels at the proposed site, the potential impacts of the proposed Facility on the existing noise levels and the abatement measures that may be employed to reduce/eliminate the impact.
Noise levels at the proposed site ranged between 55 and 72 dBA LAeq and were dominated by construction activities and traffic from the R445, the M7, and to a lesser extent Ladytown Road. Closer to the proposed site, noise levels gradually decrease when moving away from the roads. The LAeq values were lower, with readings obtained at NM 1 and NM 2 of 55 dBA.
Bord na Móna Environmental Ltd., carried out an ambient noise survey at eight units of the existing Tougher Business Park during normal working hours (e.g. 0800 – 1800 hours) and when the site ceased operations.
The site operational noise levels (Leq) determined at the four selected monitoring locations ranged from 51 – 62 dBA. It was noted that a significant contribution towards the measured levels of noise originated from site external sources (traffic from the M7 & R445) and consisted predominately of transitory noise as indicated by the L10 values that ranged from 52 – 62 dBA. Background noise levels measured on the adjoining lands ranged 49 – 55 dBA (Leq). It was noted that similar noise values were detected during the existing site operational and non- operational hours and that the majority of the measured noise originated from site external sources.
The noise source associated For inspection with purposes the only.proposed Facility will be significantly Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. different during the two distinct stages, the construction phase and the operational phase. Initially site development works will involve the operation of construction equipment within the proposed site and the movement of 30 HGV’s and 100 PUC’s onto and off site. Development works and construction traffic will enter the proposed site from the R445 at the existing roundabout. The main noise source from the operational phase will be from vehicular movements.
The activities of the proposed Facility will not result in the introduction of significant external noise sources when operational. All equipment such as boilers, scrubbers and pumps will be enclosed within the building.
The potential impacts of the proposed Facility on the receiving environment arise through:
Construction Phase may include a temporary elevation of ambient noise levels at the nearest noise sensitive receptors through use of plant equipment e.g. excavators, diggers.
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Operational Phase may include a long term elevation of ambient noise levels at the nearest noise sensitive receptors through increased traffic on surrounding road network. Increase in noise disturbance through the use of mechanical equipment air handling units, boilers and scrubber units for the operation of the Facility.
The potential for noise impact arising from the proposed site development works is mitigated by a number of factors as follows:
Site development works and earthmoving will be once off activities. The earthworks involved will be kept to a minimum. The proposed facility will be operational during normal daytime working hours only. Due to the agricultural nature of the proposed site the use of rock breaking equipment is not expected. Equipment used during site development works will comply with regulations regarding maximum admissible noise levels e.g. CE-marking. During the operational phase fixed sources of noise associated with activities of the proposed Facility will be limited under the IPPC licence from the EPA. All HGV’s and moving equipment will comply with the EU Directives regarding the permissible sound power levels from construction plant and equipment (SI No. 320 of 1988). Account will also be taken of BS 5228: 1984 - Noise control on construction and open sites.
Site Development and Construction Phase work can pose different problems of noise and vibration control compared with most other types of industrial activity because it is mainly carried out in open spaces, it is temporary in nature, may emanate from different activities and its intensity and character can vary greatly during different phases of construction.
For the following assessment prediction of construction noise has been conducted as described For ininspection BS purposes5228: only. Part 1: 1997, Noise and Vibration Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. Control on Construction and Open Sites.
The construction phase will generally consist of three stages. The first will involve site preparation and will involve the operation of heavy earthmoving equipment, such as tracked loaders and tracked excavators within the proposed site and the movement of HGVs onto and off site. Due to the agricultural nature of the proposed site the use of pneumatic drills is not expected. Once site preparation has occurred, the second stage of construction will take place. This will include unloading and leveling of hardcore and rolling of gravel using road rollers. Movement of HGVs onto and off site will also occur. Water pumps may be used in excavated areas if rainfall or ground water levels are high. In the third stage, construction on the units will take place involving concreting operations, dismantling and loading scaffold poles and clips, compressors to supply air to power tools, petrol generators for electricity power supply, circular saws for timber cutting and HGVs onto and off site. The noise not only varies in intensity and character but also in location over time.
Noise sources can be both static and mobile in nature. Therefore prediction
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of noise from the development will be carried out for all three stages. Within each stage, noise is predicted for static plant equipment, mobile on site equipment and mobile equipment on haul roads. The noise levels predicted from these sources are combined to give an overall noise prediction for each stage of construction.
Three noise sensitive receptors are located on the close to the site (figure B.7.1) Receptor 1 is located to the north, Receptor 2 is located to the west and Receptor 3 is located to the south.
These predictions demonstrate that during the construction phase of the project there will be some impact on nearby sensitive receptors due to noise emissions from site traffic and other activities when carried out near the boundaries of the site. Therefore, noise control measures will be implemented to provide reductions in overall site noise levels. These include the use of sharp saws and drills and screws as opposed to nails where possible. In addition, good practice will be implemented when handling materials, for example lowering rather than dropping materials such as scaffolding poles. The use of particularly noisy equipment will be restricted in early morning and late evening hours when people are most likely to be affected. With these measures noise impact from the construction phase will be kept to a minimum and within acceptable levels to nearby dwellings.
Long Term Noise Impact of the proposed Facility on the existing ambient noise environment and sensitive receptors can be clearly divided into a number of areas; - the impact of plant equipment such as air conditioning units, the impact of deliveries and car-parking and the increased traffic related noise impact.
Long term Noise from For inspectionBuilding purposes Services only. will begin when the Facility Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. becomes fully operational, a variety of electrical and mechanical plant will be required to service the unit. The bulk of electrical and mechanical plant, such as boilers, operate quietly and will be enclosed within the building plant rooms. Accordingly, these items are not expected to give rise to nuisance noise. Some electrical and mechanical plant may operate 24 hours a day, and hence would be most noticeable during quiet periods (i.e. overnight). Noisy items, such as chillers and air handling units, will potentially have the greatest impact on nearby sensitive receptors. The plant equipment on the proposed site will be designed so as to not breach the day and night-time EPA noise limits for noise sensitive receptors which are 55 dB(A) and 45 dB(A) respectively.
Noise Generated as a Result of Car-Parking and Delivery Activities will not be affected as the distance of the nearest receptors to the Facility ensures that car parking and service yard activities will not impact on Receptors 1, 2 and 3 (the nearest noise sensitive receptors to the proposed Facility). Nonetheless, to verify this, the noise levels have been predicted.
Car-Parking Activities Noise level measurements have been conducted in
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the vicinity of store car parks in support of numerous shopping centre planning applications. These figures can similarly be used for car-parking within the proposed Facility. The typical noise level 10m beyond the boundary of these car parks has been found to fall within the range 43 to 48dB LAeq,1hr. The actual noise level depends on the time of measurement (with higher levels during peak trading periods) and the location around car parking (with higher levels close to entrances). In this instance, we have adopted the upper level of 48dB LAeq,1hr in order that our assessment is representative of “worst case” conditions. The nearest noise sensitive receptors at approximately 100m and 500m distant from the site boundary will not be affected by car parking in the proposed Facility.
For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use.
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For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use.
Figure B.7.1 – Location Of Noise Sensitive Receptors
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B.8 VIBRATION
Vibration checks done during the noise survey showed no appreciable sources of vibration could be attributed to the existing construction activities in the Business Park.
For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use.
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B.9 CLIMATE
The climate section of the EIS establishes the existing climate in the area, and investigates the impact of the proposed Facility on existing climate.
Climate change is identified as the one of the most significant and threatening global environmental problems facing people today. This has lead to the conclusion that global emission cuts of up to 70% are needed over the next century in order to stabilize concentrations of emissions in the atmosphere. As a first step, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) requires developed countries to put in place polices and measures to return emissions of greenhouse gases to 1990 levels by the end of the decade. Through the Kyoto Agreement (1997) developed countries agreed legally binding targets to reduce global emissions of six greenhouse gases by 5.2% in the period from 1990 to 2012. The EU reduction agreed is 8% overall, with Ireland agreeing to limit its growth in greenhouse gases emission by 13% above 1990 levels. This is a reduction in emissions of 13.1 million tonnes (Mt) CO2 equivalent. If this strategy were not put in place it is projected that net annual emissions from Ireland would increase by 37.3%.
The main greenhouse gas in Ireland is carbon dioxide (CO2) that mainly arises from the burning of fossil fuel in transport, heating and electricity generation. Other greenhouse gases include methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O), which are higher in Ireland compared to other countries. They are usually associated with the agricultural sector, which contributed 35% of all greenhouse gas emissions in 1990, the highest sector. It is forecasted that by 2010 transport industry emissions will have the largest increase. Some of the measures to be adopted by Ireland to limit the growth in greenhouse Forgas inspection emissions purposes only. include; The use of cross-sectoral Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. market based instruments including emissions trading and taxation; In the energy sector - expansion of renewable energy, maximization of CHP, enhanced demand side management and fuel switching towards less carbon intensive fuels. In the industrial, commercial and services sector - market instruments, reduced tax burdens with reduced fuel usage and investment support. in the built environment and residential sector - improved spatial and energy use planning, more efficient new buildings and sustainable building.
The dominant influence on Ireland’s climate is the Atlantic Ocean. Consequently, Ireland does not suffer from the extremes of temperature experienced by many other countries at similar latitude. The average annual temperature is approximately 9°C. In the middle and east of the country temperatures tend to be somewhat more extreme than in other parts of the country, for example, with temperatures of 19°C for summer mean daily maximum and 2.5°C for winter mean daily minimum. Mean annual wind speed varies between about 4m/sec in the east midlands and 7m/sec in the northwest. Strong winds tend to be more frequent in winter than in summer. Sunshine duration is highest in the southeast of the
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country. Average rainfall varies between about 800 and 2,800mm. With southwesterly winds from the Atlantic dominating, rainfall figures are highest in the northwest, west and southwest of the country, especially over higher ground. Rainfall accumulation tends to be highest in winter and lowest in early summer. The annual number of days with more than 1 mm of rain varies between about 150 in the drier parts and over 200 in the wetter parts of the country.
As there is no synoptic weather station for County Kildare, the information on existing climate was compiled from data collected by Met. Eireann at the Casement Aerodrome Weather Station, where there has been a Climate station since 1943. The Meteorological Service established a full synoptic station at the location in 1964.
During the measuring period (1968-1996) the mean daily temperatures from the Casement Meteorological Station ranged from 4.6°C in the month of February to 15.2°C in the month of July, with an average of 9.3°C throughout the period. The maximum temperature recorded during the measurement period was 30.5°C for the month of August, while the minimum was -12.4°C for the month of January.
The mean monthly amount of rainfall throughout the year at Casement Meteorological Station is 711.4mm, with the greatest rainfall typically occurring in the months of October, November, December and January and the least amounts of rainfall occurring during April and July. The greatest daily amount was 108.6mm occurring in June. There was more than 0.2mm of rain on 185 days of the year, while there was more than 5.0mm of rain on 45 days of the year. Rainfall intensities recorded ranged from 19.7mm over a fifteen minute duration to 103.7mm in a 48hr duration.
Casement Meteorological For inspection Station purposes recorded only. during the period that on 20.3 Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. days of the year gales occurred, with the predominant wind being westerly. The average mean monthly wind speed was 11 knots. The high gust detailed occurred during December with a wind speed of 81 knots.
The annual mean relative humidity measured at Casement varies from 74% to 83%. As is the case at other recording stations, relative humidity values are generally highest in the morning (09.00) and decrease during the afternoon period (15.00).
The mean daily duration of sunshine at the Casement Meteorological Station throughout the year is 3.64 hours, with the greatest daily duration, 16.0 hours occurring in June. The mean number of days with no sunshine is 55 and ranges from 1 in July to 11 days in December.
For January to December 2001, the mean daily temperatures recorded at Casement ranged from 4°C in January to 15.3°C in July, with an average of 9.6°C throughout the year.
The greatest daily amount of rainfall at Casement was recorded during
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August (103.1mm of rain), with the least amount of rain recorded in December (220.1mm of rain).
Microclimate can be described as the climate within 1-2km of a site. The microclimate of an area is influenced by both the natural (topographic) and built environment (buildings and structures). The surrounding area is agricultural in nature with a few isolated dwellings. There are no significant topographic features or massive structures within the locality, which could cause wind channeling, or accumulation of gases.
The proposed building will involve the construction of a production facility for use as a provider to the metal finishing industry and associated landscaping.
The construction of every new building alters existing microclimates and creates new ones of greater complexity depending on the design, density and function of the building. The degree to which the architect can favorably influence microclimate is frequently determined by the size, location and nature of the site. Therefore the proposed development may impact on the microclimate of the existing environment. The potential impacts of the development on the receiving environment arise through:
Modification of heat budget, such as heat production, resulting from human energy consumption by combustion, changes in heat storage by surfaces (building replacing green fields) and evapotranspiration (reduction in vegetation cover). Other effects of modification of surface roughness and composition e.g. wind tunnels. In terms of macroclimate, modification of atmospheric composition e.g. emissions due to heating and energy usage is the main potential impact.
The following mitigation For inspectionmeasures purposes are only. used to reduce any potential impact Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. on the microclimate of the area:
Careful design layout of building and open spaces on the proposed site. Planting and landscaping of the proposed site. In terms of reducing the potential impact for greenhouse gas emissions, and thus the impact on the macroclimate, provision for energy efficient heating and air-handling systems will be adopted.
The proposed site can be described as rural in nature rather than urban and therefore will not be affected by an urban microclimate. The provision of wind shelter in the form of landscaping measures reduces the amount of wind-induced damage to buildings, provides for protection against driving rain, reduces energy requirements for space heating and makes external open spaces, both private and public, more usable. The existing perimeter hedgerows will be retained where possible and supplemented by additional planting. This proposed Facility will, through adequate design prior to construction, ensure that a favorable influence is exerted on microclimate. Accordingly, the proposed building is not expected to have any significant impact on the microclimate of the area.
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The environmental factors with which climate interacts include:
Human Beings were described in more detail earlier in this section, the proposed development will involve careful design and layout and will not give rise to massive structures and will therefore not adversely impact on the microclimate of the area. Air in the form of the contribution of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere through heating systems and traffic emissions is an important consideration for both climate and microclimate. The proposed building will be required to have an IPPC licence from the EPA and control measures for emissions and odour from the facility will be regulated by the licence.
For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use.
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B.10 THE LANDSCAPE
Landmark Designs and Birch Hill Landscape were commissioned to address the Landscape/Visual dimensions of the proposed Park extension. The report has been prepared in accordance with the following publications of the Environmental Protection Agency. "Advice Notes on Current Practice 1995" and "Guidelines on the Information to be Contained in Environmental Impact Statements 2002".
The site is located east of Newbridge town in the townland of Lewistown. The site lies between the M7 and the R445 road from Naas to Newbridge. The lands currently zoned total 75 hectares. The site is sparsely vegetated with some hedgerow and occasional trees, the bulk of which are Ash (fraxinius excelsior). Around the perimeter of the site the hedgerows are somewhat stronger and the trees are more mature. To the northeast of the site are a number of large, mature specimen trees.
The site is located within the context of the open low lying plains of central and southern County Kildare to the west of the east Kildare uplands. The Hill of Allen (406m) is clearly visible to the north-west of the site.
The site is relatively level and is very free-draining by small streams which run towards the River Liffey to the north-west.
The current land use activities consist mainly of grazing, silage production and grain growing.
There are no distinctive views within the site. For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. Viewed near The Red House, exposure in varying degrees to the visual impact of the small segment of the proposed development that lies in the adjoining land along the western side of the site. However, the intervening existing hedgerows and the natural topography of the ground greatly reduces the visual impact for a number of the viewers.
The landscape of the site has witnessed significant changes in recent years due to changing agricultural practices, which have involved the removal of hedgerows and the construction of the Mill adjoining the site. These changes have introduced agri-industry to the local landscape.
The construction of residences, including those listed above under viewers, over a period of time has led to a degree of sub urbanism or ribbon development in the area. The minor road to the east of the site has also led to a degree of urbanization or ribbon development in the area. It is expected that the lands between the site and Newbridge, and areas of the site which stretch back to toward the M7 will experience construction activities over the coming years, thus integrating the site with an urban landscape. The construction of the M7 has introduced modern
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infrastructure elements to the landscape.
The proposed Facility will involve the construction of an industrial type building. The building height is approximately 8.5m. The project will involve the construction of all necessary infrastructure to service the complex, including all roads, car-parks and all services, some of which are subject to a separate planning application. A landscape strategy has been conducted for the proposed facility which is intended to identify a range of landscape/ visual mitigating measures to be incorporated in the design of the project that would address the potential landscape/ visual negative impacts of the proposed extension.
Details from the Landscape Strategy include the following: Significant proportion of the green areas within and around the site will be seeded with wildflower seed mixtures to provide an attractive feature that also function as a wildlife habitat. To mitigate the visual impact of the complex of buildings and infrastructure extensive tree planting throughout the site both around the perimeters and on all green spaces within the site will take place. Around the perimeters the trees will largely consist of native or naturalized species to blend in with the local landscape, whilst within the site, a somewhat wider range of trees including park-land trees will be used. Trees will be planted in a range of heights from 1.5 metres up to 5 metres high with appropriate staking and tying. Fast growing deciduous and evergreen trees will be include but may be subsequently cut out from the scheme and removed as the longer term species become established. This will establish green cover as rapidly as possible, but acknowledges the undesirability of these species being retained over the long term within the site.
The development will not be expected to have a profound negative impact in the medium to long-term For inspection due purposes to the only. mitigation measures. The site works Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. and construction operations can be expected to have a short-term negative landscape impact. Measures will be taken to ensure the lighting infrastructure will have the minimum amount negative impact on the local landscape.
The following mitigation measures when implemented will address any adverse landscape impacts that may arise in association with the project. The measures are listed in order of priority and time implementation.
Preparatory earthwork will be carried out in such a manner as to preserve the quality of retained top soil, avoid damage to retained vegetation and in particular to avoid temporary or long term interference with water tables and surface water movement. During construction activity on site, constant vigilance will be required to ensure that none of the retained vegetation is damaged. The colour scheme chosen for the building will be complement its surrounding areas to reduce the visual impact of the building. Infrastructure lighting will be designed such as to minimise night time impacts on the surrounding landscape with baffling being used where necessary. The landscaping measures incorporated in the proposal for the
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development will be implemented at the earliest possible time, preferably on a phased basis with all plants well firmed, secured and supported as necessary. These landscaping measures are identified in the Landscape Strategy. The Landscape Strategy also identifies suitable species to be planted in all areas of the proposed development. An ongoing after-care program will be put in place immediately after the completion of landscaping measures to ensure the successful establishment of all landscaped areas. In addition to the above, a programme for implementation of mitigation measures has also been devised, and these are listed below:
Protective measures in relation to retained vegetation in advance of the construction activities in each phase of the development will be achieved by the construction and shaping of all mounding will be implemented on a phased basis in parallel with construction of buildings and infrastructure. Seeding will be carried out at the earliest possible opportunity following the preparation and topsoiling of landscaped areas. Seeding and tree planting will take place in the appropriate growing season. The planting of trees and shrubs should be implemented at the earliest possible opportunity consistent with the construction programme as areas become available. Planting should take place in the appropriate growing season with bare- root trees being planted during the period mid- November to mid-March, and containerised plants being planted during the period October to early April and at other times if irrigation can be put in place. An after-care programme should be put in place immediately on completion of landscaping in each area to ensure the successful establishment of all landscaping measures. All plants which fail to establish over a period of three years from the completion of the project should be replaced at the first opportunity. All retained vegetation should be inspected in detail on completion of construction activities to ensure that no detrimental developments have taken For inspection place purposeswhich only. might threaten their future viability, Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. with particular reference to compaction, water table changes and surface water flooding.
The existing site, being agricultural/marginally industrial in nature and a relatively open landscape with significant visual exposure externally, would be subject to a profound negative landscape/visual impact initially. However, the implementation of the scheduled mitigation measures can be expected to reduce the landscape and visual impact from a profound negative impact initially, to a moderate to significant impact as the shrubs and trees mature. The anticipated reduction in the negative impact of the development over time is linked to the establishment and growth of the trees which will be planted throughout the scheme and the fact that a clear commitment is given to the aftercare and monitoring of the same. The development of the surrounding lands for non-agricultural purposes will further change the landscape context of the development and should ultimately reduce the impact of the current development to neutral.
The Environmental Attributes which landscape and visual interact include: Flora and Fauna: The planting and seeding of trees and shrubs and
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retention of hedgerows will impact positively on the flora and fauna of the area by increasing biodiversity. Accordingly the impact on flora and fauna will not be significant.
Landscape/Human Beings will be impacted upon concerning landscape but planting of trees will help to mitigate this.
Visual/Human Beings may impact if the exposure of the proposed site to local viewers was open, but intervening hedgerows and natural topography of the proposed site reduces the impact greatly. In addition, visual impacts on human beings will be reduced by the selection of an appropriate colour scheme for buildings, retention of hedgerows and trees, contour mounding, extensive planting and seeding and design of lighting to minimise escape of light into surrounding landscape.
The aftercare measures recommended in the reductive and remedial measures will be implemented on an ongoing basis to ensure the proper establishment/implementation of the mitigating measures.
For the period of at least five years, an annual detailed inspection will be carried out on all landscaped areas and a report prepared of the findings. A summary of the findings will be made available to the planning authority. Remedial measures identified in this report must be implemented in the appropriate season within twelve months of completion of the report.
The environmental impacts resulting from the use of natural resources can be direct and indirect. Direct impacts result from the use of a finite non- renewable resource or unsustainable use of a renewable resource. Indirect effects are the pollution aspects associated with by-products of use e.g. release of gases from fuel combustion. For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. The land for the proposed Park extension and the lands surrounding it are predominately agricultural in nature. Quinns of Lewistown, a working mill, is located adjacent to the proposed site. The existing Tougher Business Park is still partially under construction in lands adjoining the proposed development. The land is zoned industrial/warehousing in the Kildare County Development Plan, 2005.
The proposed site will be developed from its former agricultural use. Existing field fences will be removed as and when required. Topsoil will be removed from parts of the proposed site in advance of the construction. In the long-term, all units within the proposed Park will consume fuel and electricity in the course of their activities.
The Facility will be designed in accordance with the current Building Regulations that require the incorporation of energy conservation features into buildings. The IPPC licence from the EPA will set the parameters for the activities to be carried out on site and will ensure that all emissions are treated prior to disposal from Facility.
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Use of energy derived from fossil fuels, either directly or indirectly through electricity use, is unavoidable for practically all operations.
However, measures can be taken to limit fuel consumption such as:
Design of buildings to maximize energy conservation and reduction of related CO2 emissions. Climatic sensitive design of buildings which takes account of the orientation, topography and surrounding features to control wind effects while optimizing sunlight, daylight and solar gain benefits. The proposed development will make optimum use of renewable materials and reduce the use of non-renewable materials in the construction phase. Energy efficient gas boilers will be installed.
The negative impacts on the renewable nature of the landbank are negligible. The proposed site is currently under agricultural practice, resulting in low biodiversity and the possibility of nutrient enrichment of watercourses. Intensive agricultural practices can also lead to over fertilization rendering the soil useless for subsequent crop growing, and nutrients may also be percolating down to groundwater etc. Landscaping measures proposed for the proposed Park extension include the planting of native shrubs and trees. The biodiversity of the proposed site will improve and the renewable nature of the land will be maintained when intensive agricultural practices cease. The company relocating to the Business Park will be required to comply with all environmental legislation regarding waste handling, bunding of liquids.
The other environmental factors which the use of natural resources interact with include:
Flora & Fauna / Human For inspectionBeings purposes and only. natural resources such as water and Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. soil are important to the survival of many humans, plants and animals. Therefore the prevention of pollution of these resources during the construction and operational phases will be implemented as outlined in the reduction measures. Climate too may be a factor but the design of the unit to accommodate sufficient daylight and solar gain is important for the reduction of energy consumption, thus reducing emissions to the atmosphere.
Monitoring may be carried out as part of individual company’s guidelines and procedures relating to waste handling and energy conservation. Enactment of the Energy Conservation Bill, 1998 may see energy management systems, with inherent monitoring tools becoming more frequently used within companies.
Road sweeping and/ or the use of wheel washers will be put in place to mitigate dispersal of debris and mud onto the public highway during construction phase. The majority of the material excavated onsite during construction works will be reused onsite for landscaping purposes i.e. mounding. Therefore this will reduce the numbers of HGV's entering and
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exiting the proposed site during the construction phase.
The road network for Toughers Business Park is designed to cope with the scale of the development and the growth of background traffic. The design will incorporate the following elements: Adequate parking for employees, visitors, coaches and HGV's A defined hierarchy of roads. An integrated traffic circulation system for pedestrians and vehicles. Provisions for vehicular and pedestrian movement within the Park. Traffic calming and the overall design of the internal road network together with prioritized pedestrian crossing points will ensure that the safety of all of the road users will not be compromised within the site.
The extent of residual impacts on traffic associated with the construction phase will be limited to increased movements of HGV’s entering/ exiting the site and works.
There is sufficient capacity on the R445 and the M7 motorway to facilitate the increased traffic arising from the proposed development. The majority of the traffic arising from the development will not travel through Newbridge Town during peak hours due to the existing traffic congestion problems in the town. The small percentage of development traffic that will travel into Newbridge town during peak hours will contribute to these existing problems at locations such as the Wyeth roundabout. However the contributory effect is deemed to be minimal in the context of the current situation.
The disposal of solid wastes generated at the proposed site could contribute to pollution of the land or water environment if incorrectly disposed of. There will however be negligible solid waste requiring off-site disposal during the site development For inspection phase. purposes Disposal only. of this material will be carried Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. out in accordance with the Waste Management Act, 1996
The activities of the proposed occupants of the building are such that typically there are not expected to give rise to significant quantities of non- hazardous or hazardous waste. In the event that hazardous waste does arise from the facility, it will be handled in accordance with the Waste Management (Hazardous Waste) Regulations, 1998. All waste generated on the proposed site will be handled in accordance with the Waste Management (Permit) Regulations, 1998.
An overall Waste Management Plan will be developed for the proposed facility by management inconjunction with the EPA and the local authority prior to commissioning. This will where possible incorporate recycling, reuse and waste minimization initiatives, in line with best practice procedures.
Due to the reductive measures outlined above the impact of solid waste disposal arising from the proposed facility is not regarded as significant. Given the nature of activities projected for the proposed Park extension,
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solid waste generation is likely to comprise of a significant proportion of packaging waste, for which potential reuse and recycling outlets exist. All packaging waste will be handled in accordance with the Waste Management Packaging Regulations, 1997. Waste will be handled in the future in accordance with Kildare County Council's Waste Management Strategy.
The other environmental factors which solid waste interact with include: Human Beings: Responsible disposal practices during the construction stage will ensure that impact on residents in the surrounding area is avoided. During the occupation phase the disposal of waste will be in accordance with the Waste Management Act, 1996. Flora & Fauna: Responsible disposal of solid waste will be available to avoid disruption to habitats in the area. Drainage: Correct disposal of solid waste will prevent pollution of the nearby waterways. Soils and Geology: Solid waste containing soil etc. will be reused on site where possible, thus decreasing the amount of waste that will be landfilled.
Monitoring will be undertaken by the company in order to assess, where relevant, their compliance with the Waste Management (Packaging) Regulations, 1997, the Waste Management (Permit) Regulations 1998 and the Hazardous Waste Management Regulations 1998. Any future legislation pertaining to solid waste reduction, reuse, recycling and disposal will be assessed or reviewed by the company.
The proposed Facility is situated in Tougher Business Park, midway between Newbridge and Naas, within 2km from the Newhall Roundabout. Naas is situated 32 km from Dublin City, and Newbridge is a further 8 km south. The physical environment For inspection purposes of theonly. existing site, and the lands to the Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. south, west and east, can be described as agricultural in nature. Adjoining the site to the north, the area is more urban in nature with the existing Tougher Business Park, which is still under construction, and consists industrial and warehousing units, two restaurants and a petrol station located off the R445.
Two of the major employers in Newbridge are the Wyeth factory and Oral B. There are several properties to the north of the proposed site along the R445, and there are three properties to the south of the proposed site along the Ladytown Road. Also to the south, the M7 motorway is located approximately 1km from the southern boundary of the proposed site. Naas lies approximately 4km to the north east of the proposed Park extension.
New developments can adversely affect adjoining existing development through factors including overlooking, overshadowing, intrusion of lighting effects, creation of traffic and associated noise and air impacts. On the positive side, the development can stabilise an uncertain situation as to the future use of a site and, depending on the type of development proposed, can stabilise and even increase property values in the locality.
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The subject proposal can be perceived as a high quality development and the scheme contains a high quality landscaped treatment, thus ensuring that immediate surrounding properties are not negatively impacted on.
It is likely that the overall development will benefit the Newbridge/Naas area in general. Air, noise and visual impacts are addressed under Section
The number of persons employed in the farming sector has declined in recent years and it is unlikely that with the close proximity of Kildare to Dublin that this trend will be reversed.
The development will not negatively impact on properties in the immediate vicinity of the site.
The proposed development will not impact on the residential amenity of adjoining properties due to the mitigation measures listed in this EIS.
For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use.
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SECTION C PROJECT PARTICULARS
For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use.
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C.1 INTRODUCTION
Schlotter Ireland manufactures of proprietary chemicals and equipment for the electronics and metal finishing industry. The company proposes to develop and operate a new modified facility away from its existing site in Newbridge Town Centre and relocate to Tougher Business Park, Lewistown, Naas. An IPPC licence is required by the company to carry out its operations.
For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use.
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C.2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The site to which Schlotter Ireland propose to relocate to is located on lands zoned Industrial/Warehousing at Tougher Business Park, Lewistown, Naas. The proposed site is relatively flat and is low lying. Drainage for the proposed site is to provided by surface water drains, attenuation facilities and a local watercourse to the reiver liffey. No remedial works such as land drainage will be required at the site.
Schlotter Ireland are already operating a successful if somewhat overcrowded facility in the centre of Newbridge. The company provides metal finishing products to several companies based in Ireland and abroad. There are approximately 50 staff currently required to operate the facility and the company’s operating times are 0800 – 1800 Monday – Friday.
Many of the staff are from the environs of Newbridge however almost all the staff use private transport to commute to their workplace. The traffic generated by employees of the company will therefore be removed from Newbridge town centre at peak times and relocated to the less trafficked area of Tougher Business Park. Tougher Business Park is serviced by public transport that will allow those not already dependent on private transport to remain so.
As already outlined in Section B the construction phase of the project will require measures to ensure minimal disruption to the adjoining lands and measures to be put in place to prevent contamination of the local environment. The only access road to the site shall be through the existing business park. Mitigation measures as outlined in Section B will be implemented to ensure that disruption will be minimal to the surrounding area. For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use.
The site will require the extension of existing services already in the business park. These will be applied for under a separate planning application and the construction methods were outlined in Section B.
The existing activity is the manufacture and storage of chemicals as per current IPC licence NO 87. There are no proposed changes to the current activities following the proposed relocation to Tougher Business Park. Existing production activities will be upgraded to Best Available Technology Not Entailing Excessive costs (BATNEEC) or Best Available Techniques (BAT) to the requirements of EPA’s IPPC licence.
The majority processes involve basic blending / mixing. Some as outlined in the existing licence involves electrolysis while more involves chemical synthesis. The storage is in accordance with HSG 71.
Operations traffic comprise of approximately 25 vehicles varying in size from transport vans to HGV’s. A waste management licence is not
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currently required however as Schlotter Ireland are responsible for some goods transportation they may require a local authority waste licence. The disposal of waste will be in accordance with the IPPC licence from the EPA.
No contaminated surface water will be disposed of to the surface water drains unless it is treated to levels set out in IPPC licence, while an air scrubber system will be installed to cleanse emissions to regulated levels.
There is no explosion risks associated with the products used in the processes carried out on site. An emergency plan will be drawn up and proper training will be given to all staff members to ensure efficiency in the case of an emergency. Protective measures to ensure the health and safety of all employees will be implemented following consultation with specialist.
All emissions will be monitored in accordance with the IPPC licence from the EPA.
The existing site at Newbridge will when vacated require tests to ensure that any contamination of the site is carefully and correctly controlled. All decommissioning of plant or the entire site in this case will be done in conjunction with the EPA.
The possible future growth of this facility is expected to be in the order of 30%.
For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use.
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C.3 ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
There will be no adverse effects on the local environment from this facility. All emissions and discharges will be monitored to a level set out by the EPA in its IPPC licence to Schlotter Ireland.
Should any need arise to disturb the ground surfaces within the site, samples will be taken where requested by EPA and testing will be carried out to ensure that there is no contamination of the soil. The site will be fully bunded however and this will ensure that no spillage will seep below ground level.
The proposed facility will when operational form part of Tougher Business Park which will comprise various types of industries.
For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use.
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EPA Export 25-07-2013:20:44:36 Proposed Relocation Of Schlotter Irelands Metal Finishing Industry To, Tougher Business Park, Lewistown, Naas, Co. Kildare Tougher Environmental Ltd.
C.4 POSSIBLE MITIGATION OPTIONS
All mitigation options will be explored in conjunction with the EPA during the application process for an IPPC licence.
For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use.
September 2005 68
EPA Export 25-07-2013:20:44:36