Wirral, Liverpool and Mersey Heartlands Growth Point
Water Cycle Study Scoping Report
June 2013
Prepared for: Liverpool City Council & Wirral Council
UNITED KINGDOM & IRELAND
Wirral, Liverpool and Mersey Heartlands Growth Point Water Cycle Study
REVISION SCHEDULE
Rev Date Details Prepared by Reviewed by Approved by
01 Sept-11 Draft Elizabeth Young Andrew Woodliffe Senior Consultant Principal Consultant
Anita Longworth Principal Consultant
Alpha Robinson Principal Consultant
02 Dec-11 Final Draft Alpha Robinson Alpha Robinson Principal Consultant Principal Consultant
03 Jan-13 Final Issue Richard James Elizabeth Young Michael Timmins Graduate Consultant Senior Consultant Associate Director
04 Feb-13 Final Issue with minor Richard James Elizabeth Young Michael Timmins amendments Graduate Consultant Senior Consultant Associate Director
05 Mar-13 Final Issue with minor Richard James Elizabeth Young Michael Timmins amendments Graduate Consultant Senior Consultant Associate Director
06 Jun-13 Final Issue following UU Francesca Dee Elizabeth Young Michael Timmins response Graduate Consultant Senior Consultant Associate Director
URS Infrastructure & Environment UK Ltd Brunel House 54 Princess Street Manchester M1 6HS
Wirral, Liverpool and Mersey Heartlands Growth Point Water Cycle Study
Limitations
URS Infrastructure & Environment UK Limited (“URS”) has prepared this Report for the use of Wirral Council and Liverpool City Council (“Client”) in accordance with the Agreement under which our services were performed. No other warranty, expressed or implied, is made as to the professional advice included in this Report or any other services provided by URS.
The conclusions and recommendations contained in this Report are based upon information provided by others and upon the assumption that all relevant information has been provided by those parties from whom it has been requested and that such information is accurate. Information obtained by URS has not been independently verified by URS, unless otherwise stated in the Report.
The methodology adopted and the sources of information used by URS in providing its services are outlined in this Report. The work described in this Report was undertaken between January 2011 and June 2013 and is based on the conditions encountered and the information available during the said period of time. The scope of this Report and the services are accordingly factually limited by these circumstances.
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Wirral, Liverpool and Mersey Heartlands Growth Point Water Cycle Study
Table of Contents
1 Introduction ...... 1 1.1 Background ...... 1 1.2 Aims and Objectives ...... 8
2 Wirral, Liverpool and Mersey Heartlands Growth Point Scoping Water Cycle Study ...... 9 2.1 The Water Cycle ...... 9 2.2 Implications for Development ...... 10 2.3 Stages of a Water Cycle Study ...... 10 2.4 Integration with the Planning System ...... 13 2.5 Data Collection ...... 13
3 Water Cycle Environment and Infrastructure Baseline ...... 14 3.1 Introduction ...... 14 3.2 Water Resources and Supply ...... 14 3.3 Water Quality ...... 20 3.4 Ecology and Biodiversity ...... 23 3.5 Wastewater Treatment and Collection ...... 26 3.6 Flood Risk ...... 27
4 Preliminary Findings, Constraints and Outline Study Scope .... 29 4.1 Water Resources and Supply ...... 29 4.2 Wastewater Treatment and Collection ...... 32 4.3 Flood Risk and Surface Water Management ...... 33 4.4 Water Quality ...... 34 4.5 Ecology and Biodiversity ...... 36
5 Progression of WCS ...... 39 5.1 Outline WCS ...... 39 5.2 Project Group/Stakeholder ...... 39
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Figures
Figure 1-1: Wirral Council Boundary, Settlement Areas, SHLAA and Employment Sites ...... 4 Figure 1-2: Liverpool City Council Boundary, SHLAA and Employment Sites ...... 5 Figure 1-3: Wirral Growth Point Locations ...... 6 Figure 1-4: Liverpool Growth Point Locations ...... 6 Figure 2-1: Water Cycle Study (Source: Environment Agency) ...... 9 Figure 2-2: Stages of the Water Cycle Study Process (Source: Environment Agency ) ...... 11 Figure 3-1: Designated Sites near Wirral and Liverpool with WwTW Locations ...... 25 Figure 4-1: Map of United Utilities Water Supply Area ...... 30
Tables
Table 3-1: Statutory Main Rivers ...... 17 Table 3-2: Water Quality Status and Objectives of Tributaries to the River Mersey ...... 21 Table 3-3: WwTWs likely to be Impacted by Proposed Growth in Wirral ...... 26 Table 3-4: WwTWs likely to be impacted by Proposed Growth in Liverpool ...... 27 Table 4-1: Water Dependent European Conservation Sites with Potential to be Impacted by the Proposed Growth ...... 37
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Acronyms & Abbreviations
Abbreviation Description
AMP Asset Management Plan BGS British Geological Society BOD Biochemical Oxygen Demand CAMS Catchment Abstraction Management Strategy CBA Cost Benefit Analysis CFMP Catchment Flood Management Plan CSH Code for Sustainable Homes CLG Communities and Local Government CSO Combined Sewer Overflow DEFRA Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs DO Dissolved Oxygen DWF Dry Weather Flow DWI Drinking Water Inspectorate EQS Environmental Quality Standard FEH Flood Estimation Handbook FFT Flow to Full Treatment GQA General Quality Assessment GWMU Groundwater Management Unit HA Highways Agency HMWB Heavily Modified Water Body (under the Water Framework Directive) l/h/d Litres/head/day (a water consumption measurement) LCC Liverpool City Council LDDs Local Development Documents LP Local Plan LPA Local Planning Authority Ml Mega Litre (a million litres) NE Natural England NPPF National Planning Policy Framework NWA No Water Available (in relation to CAMS) OFWAT The Water Services Regulation Authority (formerly the Office of Water Services) O-A Over Abstracted (in relation to CAMS) O-L Over Licensed (in relation to CAMS) P Phosphorous PE Population Equivalent PPS Planning Policy Statement PR Periodic Review
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Abbreviation Description
PS Pumping Station pRamsar Proposed Ramsar Site pSPA Proposed Special Protection Area RBMP River Basin Management Plan RSS Regional Spatial Strategy RQO River Quality Objective SAC Special Area for Conservation SFRA Strategic Flood Risk Assessment SHLAA Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment SPA Special Protection Area SPD Supplementary Planning Document SPZ Source Protection Zone SS Suspended Solids SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest SWMP Surface Water Management Plan SuDS Sustainable Drainage Systems UKTAG United Kingdom Technical Advisory Group (to the WFD) UU United Utilities UWWTD Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive WBC Wirral Borough Council WCS Water Cycle Study WFD Water Framework Directive WRMP Water Resource Management Plan WRMU Water Resource Management Unit (in relation to CAMS) WRZ Water Resource Zone (in relation to a water company’s WRMP) WTW Water Treatment Works WwTW Waste Water Treatment Works
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1 Introduction
1.1 Background
1.1.1 Wirral Council (WC) and Liverpool City Council (LCC) are required to conduct a comprehensive Scoping and Outline Water Cycle Study (WCS) to support the Growth Point Status of the area and to inform the evidence base of each authority’s Local Plan. As required by the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, Wirral Council and Liverpool City Council are reviewing their adopted Unitary Development Plans and currently preparing their Local Plans which will outline the development strategy for both local authority areas.
1.1.2 The Core Strategy forms part of each authority’s Local Plan and sets out each Council’s vision and spatial strategy for future development to 2026/27. In preparing a Core Strategy, each Local Planning Authority (LPA) must ensure that the document is:
Founded on a robust and credible evidence base The most appropriate strategy in all the circumstances, having considered the reasonable alternatives o Deliverable, o Flexible, o Able to be monitored.
1.1.3 A WCS gives LPAs a robust evidence base to assess development impacts and to set out appropriate allocations, phasing of development and developer contributions. The WCS is not only required to support the implementation of the Mersey Heartlands Growth Point but is also a vital component of the development of the evidence base for both authorities and therefore timely completion of the study is important.
1.1.4 The WCS will also inform the forthcoming Infrastructure Delivery Plans and link into the respective Green Infrastructure Strategy work across the two authorities.
1.1.5 The status of the Core Strategy preparation at the two local authorities which make up the Mersey Heartlands Growth Point is described below.
Wirral
1.1.6 The consultation on Wirral Core Strategy Preferred Option was completed in January 2011, and the Core Strategy is scheduled for submission to the Secretary of State mid-2013. Anticipated adoption of the Core Strategy is 2014.
1.1.7 The Core Strategy Preferred Option (November 2010) indicates a total housing provision over the fifteen year period from April 2012 to March 2027 of 3,750 net additional dwellings, with alternative options including 9,599 (needs model), 18,522 (capacity model). 6,820 (market delivery model) net additional dwellings.
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1.1.8 The focus for new jobs will be at Birkenhead and Bromborough and at existing employment areas within eastern and central Wirral. Secondary district level services will continue to be directed to the larger existing centres of Liscard, Moreton, West Kirby and Heswall. Figure 1-1 shows the district boundary, settlement areas, SHLAA sites and employment land for Wirral.
Liverpool
1.1.9 To date the Liverpool Core Strategy has been subject to:
Issues and Options consultation in 2005 Preferred Options consultation in 2008 Revised Preferred Options consultation in February 2010 Core Strategy Draft Submission consultation in 2012
1.1.10 With the introduction of the Local Plan, Liverpool City Council intend to progress with submission to the Secretary of State 2013.
1.1.11 The February 2010 Core Strategy Revised Preferred Options1 indicates a total housing provision of 40,480 dwellings between 2008-2026.
1.1.12 Under the Core Strategy Revised Preferred Options, the City Centre and surrounding ‘Inner Areas’ would continue to be the primary geographical focus for new residential development (70%) supported by ‘Outer Areas’ such as Speke/Garston, Netherley/Belle Vale, Dovecot and Stonebridge/Croxteth.
1.1.13 Providing investment and job opportunities throughout the City, but particularly in the City Centre is a key objective of the Revised Core Strategy Preferred Options. Figure 1-2 shows the district boundary, SHLAA sites and employment land for Liverpool.
Mersey Heartlands Growth Point
1.1.14 Liverpool City Council, Wirral Council and Peel Holdings Ltd make up the Mersey Heartlands Growth Point Partnership. The Growth Point was designated with the aim of delivering additional dwellings, equivalent to an extra 20% of the annual RSS housing provision for each authority over the Growth Point period of 2008/09 to 2016/17, totalling 4,410. For Wirral, this amounts to 900 dwellings and for Liverpool, 3,510 dwellings. The additional dwellings accounted for by the Growth point have been factored into Liverpool’s and Wirral’s respective Core Strategies.
1.1.15 Although the Mersey Heartlands Growth Point is located within two LPA areas, there are common housing, socio-economic and environmental issues in the areas included. The River Mersey and the waterfront act as a unifying feature and there is a history of close working relationships between Liverpool City Council and Wirral Council.
1 the Core Strategy Preferred Options has been used as the basis for undertaking the WCS SCOPING STUDY: FINAL REPORT June 2013 2
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1.1.16 The Mersey Heartlands Growth Point was also programmed to deliver a number of commercial and employment land development proposals by 2016/17. The purpose of the WCS is to ensure that the proposed growth targets can be met without adversely impacting on the water environment and that required infrastructure can be planned for and brought online alongside new development, in a timely and phased manner. The WCS will also help identify areas of uncertainty that may require further detailed studies. Figure 1-3 and Figure 1-4 shows the Growth Point Area in Wirral and Liverpool, respectively.
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Figure 1-1: Wirral Council Boundary, Settlement Areas, SHLAA and Employment Sites
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Figure 1-2: Liverpool City Council Boundary, SHLAA and Employment Sites
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Figure 1-3: Wirral Growth Point Locations Figure 1-4: Liverpool Growth Point Locations
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1.1.17 A Regional Scoping Study2 has been carried out for the North West and provides a foundation upon which to build this study. The Regional Scoping Study undertook the following tasks:
Identified water cycle steering groups and confirmed the relevant partners and their responsibilities, Defined the most appropriate study area for each growth point or group of growth points based on the natural and artificial water catchments and political boundaries, Identified previous studies regarding regional and local water infrastructure, and where there may be data gaps to informing the growth points and the partner authorities’ Core Strategies, Confirmed development scenarios and planning forecasts, and ensured that all relevant parties use the same forecasts, and work to the same timetables, Identified the objectives of the WCS and which plans and strategies it will inform and draw from, Outlined an outline project scope for each of the WCSs.
1.1.18 Wirral, Liverpool and Mersey Heartlands Growth Point WCS will support the Growth Point status of the Mersey Heartlands and will be used to provide an evidence base that can be used by both councils to inform the development of strategic site options with regard to the location and intensity of potential development. It is also anticipated that the WCS will be used by United Utilities (UU) and Dwr Cymru Welsh Water (DCWW) to further support business plans to provide future investment to infrastructure required to support new development.
2 North West Growth Area Water Cycle Strategy Scoping Study, Halcrow 2009 SCOPING STUDY: FINAL REPORT June 2013 7
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1.2 Aims and Objectives
1.2.1 The objective of Wirral, Liverpool and Mersey Heartlands Growth Point WCS is to identify any constraints on housing and employment growth planned for the Growth Point Area and Wirral and Liverpool in general, up to 2027 that may be imposed by the water cycle and how these can be resolved, i.e. by ensuring that appropriate water infrastructure is provided to support the proposed development, if necessary. Furthermore, it will provide a strategic approach to the management and use of water, which ensures that the sustainability of the water environment in the region is not compromised.
1.2.2 The first stage of this study, the Scoping WCS, has built upon the Regional Scoping Study and provides an overview of the following specific items:
Review the study area, objectives and drivers of the WCS Review the Steering Group and identify Key Stakeholders Confirm the development plans, scenarios and data availability Identify issues requiring further investigation. This is a high level assessment (mainly from existing information) in the following areas: o Water Resources: supply and demand balance, capacity and infrastructure o Wastewater: Wastewater Treatments Works (WwTW) and distribution baseline, sensitive hydrologically linked ecological sites and river water quality o Flood Risk Management: risk of flooding and management of surface water from new developments Define the scope of the Outline WCS and delivery mechanisms
1.2.3 This Scoping WCS has been undertaken following initial discussions with, and using data provided by, the following key stakeholders, who constitute the Steering Group for the WCS:
Liverpool City Council (LCC) Wirral Council (WC) Environment Agency (EA) United Utilities (UU) Dwr Cymru Welsh Water (DCWW)
1.2.4 Other stakeholders, including Natural England (NE), Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) and British Waterways (BW) will be involved in future discussions as the WCS progresses.
1.2.5 The Scoping WCS is a snapshot assessment using available data in respect of both growth trajectory and water and wastewater services at the time the study was undertaken. Applicants proposing development are encouraged to engage in pre-application discussions with the local planning authorities and utility providers at the earliest opportunity.
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2 Wirral, Liverpool and Mersey Heartlands Growth Point Scoping Water Cycle Study
2.1 The Water Cycle
2.1.1 In its simplest form, the Water Cycle can be defined as ‘the process by which water is continually recycling between the earth’s surface and the atmosphere’. Without considering human influences, it is simply the process by which rain falls, and either flows over the earth’s surface or is stored (as groundwater, ice or lakes) and is then returned to the atmosphere (via evaporation from the sea, the soil, surface water or animal and plant life) ready for the whole process to repeat again.
2.1.2 In the context of this study, the ‘water cycle’ has a broader definition than the simple, natural water or ‘hydrological‘ cycle. The human influence on the water cycle introduces many new factors into the cycle through the need to abstract water from the natural environment and its use for numerous purposes before it is returned to the natural system (Figure 2-1). The development and introduction of technology such as pipes, pumps, drains, and chemical treatment processes has meant that human development has been able to manipulate the natural water cycle to suit its needs and to facilitate growth and development. ‘Water Cycle’ in this context is therefore defined as both the natural water related environment (such as rivers, wetland ecosystems, aquifers etc), and the water infrastructure (hard engineering focused elements such as: water treatment works, supply pipelines and pumping stations) which are used by human activity to manipulate the cycle.
Figure 2-1: Water Cycle Study (Source: Environment Agency3)
3 Draft Water Cycle Study Manual - Guidance on how to carry out a water cycle study, Environment Agency (http://publications.environment-agency.gov.uk/pdf/GEHO0109BPFF-e-e.pdf) SCOPING STUDY: FINAL REPORT June 2013 9
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2.2 Implications for Development
2.2.1 Building new homes and developing employment land requires assessment and potential parallel development of a wide range of infrastructure to support growth. Key components of this infrastructure that relate to water are:
Water sources and supply of clean water for drinking, washing and industrial use, Wastewater collection and treatment, Flood risk management.
2.2.2 There is a finite capacity of water within the environment, in terms of the volume that can be abstracted from groundwater and surface water sources without adverse effects. Equally, there is a limit to the amount of wastewater that can be safely returned to the natural environment (rivers and tidal waters) without having a detrimental impact. Furthermore, the impact of climate change on drainage systems and flooding could potentially impose additional constraints on development.
2.2.3 A WCS is an ideal vehicle to ensure that the sustainability of new development is considered with respect to the water cycle, and that new water infrastructure introduced to facilitate growth is planned for in a strategic and sustainable manner. A WCS should also investigate opportunities to encourage water infrastructure contribution to the shift to a low carbon economy.
2.3 Stages of a Water Cycle Study
2.3.1 Current Environment Agency guidance on WCSs suggests that WCSs should generally be undertaken in three stages:
Scoping, Outline, Detailed (if required).
2.3.2 The timing of the delivery of each stage is dependent on the status of the Local Development Documents (LDDs), as part of the wider Local Plan, being prepared by LPAs for submission.
2.3.3 Appropriate timing will enable the WCS to inform the Growth Point Area’s responses and submissions.
2.3.4 Figure 2-2 illustrates the three stages of the WCS and how they inform planning decisions and documents.
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Initial scoping study Form steering group Regional spatial strategy Identify Issues to be considered or subregional strategy Identify need for and scope of outline study
Outline Study Environmental constraints analysis Core Strategy Local Plan Infrastructure constraints analysis Provide evidence base for Core Strategy and Sustainability assessment Sustainability Appraisal and Sustainability Leading to an Appraisal Outline Water Cycle Strategy
Detailed Study What infrastructure is needed? When is it needed? Provide evidence base for DPDs Is the strategy sustainable? Site Allocations DPD Development Plan How is it going to be funded and implemented? Sustainability construction DPD Area action plans Documents These form a Detailed Water Cycle Strategy
Implementation of the strategy, and monitoring Strategy implementation planning applications against the strategy. The Monitoring of compliance with strategy strategy may need to be revised on a periodic Planning applications Managing changes to strategy basis if growth forecasts change
Figure 2-2: Stages of the Water Cycle Study Process (Source: Adapted from the Environment Agency Water Cycle Study Guidance4)
Scoping Water Cycle Study
2.3.5 The main objective of a scoping study is to identify, at an early stage, potential constraints in the ‘water-cycle’ and how this may affect the locations of allocation options, or the amount of development that can be provided within an allocation site and the scope of work for the Outline WCS.
2.3.6 It is a high level assessment that looks at city/town-wide or area-wide issues. The scoping study for Wirral, Liverpool and Mersey Heartlands builds upon the North West Growth Area Water Cycle Strategy Scoping Study5 and makes reference to relevant planning, water and environmental literature and publications. The level of assessment covers whether:
There is a potential for an area-wide negative supply and demand balance for potable water, i.e. demand is likely to be greater than supply for the growth area, There are any ecologically sensitive sites that have a hydrological link to development i.e. a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) wetland site etc. located on a river downstream of discharges from a wastewater treatment works, Known history of sewer flooding and other sources of flooding and hence potential restrictions on new connections from development,
4 Water Cycle Study Guidance, Environment Agency (January 2009) 5 Halcrow (2009). North West Growth Area Water Cycle Strategy Scoping Study. Peterborough. Halcrow Group Limited. (Environment Agency, North West Region, should be contacted for further information), SCOPING STUDY: FINAL REPORT June 2013 11
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Local watercourses have water quality concerns which will be made worse if further discharge of wastewater from new development occurs.
2.3.7 In summary, a Scoping WCS defines the study area, confirms the key stakeholders required to input to the study, determines the issues that require further investigation and identifies the scope of the Outline WCS.
Outline and Detailed Water Cycle Studies
Outline Water Cycle Study 2.3.8 The Outline WCS considers the manner and extent to which new developments will impact on the water environment or water infrastructure specific to where growth is most likely to be targeted. It is usually undertaken during consideration of allocation of sites such that it can inform the decision process in terms of where development will be targeted for each authority. The key aim of the Outline WCS is to provide LPAs with the evidence base which ensures that water issues have been taken into account when deciding the location and intensity of development within an authority’s planning area as part of the development of their Core Strategy. It also helps in setting Core Strategy policies related to water as part of the development control policies and any relevant Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs). Finally, it provides district specific information to water companies with respect to the need for investment in upgrades or provision of new infrastructure required to service proposed development.
2.3.9 The Outline WCS will follow immediately upon completion of this Scoping WCS to ensure that water cycle issues are adequately addressed and provide part of the evidence base for the Councils’ Core Strategies.
2.3.10 It is possible that the Outline WCS identifies that water cycle issues are not significant, and that new development can be implemented without significant new investment. If this is the case, a Detailed WCS may not be required. However, if new infrastructure is required, or an impact on the water environment cannot be ruled out as significant, a Detailed WCS may need to be undertaken for site specific allocations, or for the study area as a whole.
Detailed Water Cycle Study 2.3.11 A Detailed WCS can vary significantly in its scope and remit. However, its key purpose is to define what specific infrastructure and mitigation is required to facilitate development, once the decisions, in respect of specific locations, have been made on allocations and the likely intensity and type of development confirmed. The level of detail and degree of complexity of the Detailed WCS depends on the outcome of the Outline WCS. In any case the Detailed WCS should be undertaken in conjunction with the development of DPDs such as Area Action Plans (AAPs) and in close collaboration with the water company servicing the study area. It should also provide the evidence base for any site-specific policies developed by the authorities.
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2.4 Integration with the Planning System
2.4.1 As part of the process of preparing the Local Plan, LPAs are required to produce evidence which provides the support and justification for policy development, including the identification of housing and employment needs over the plan period, and the identification of targeted areas for development and growth. The WCS is an evidence-based study which specifically addresses the impact of proposed housing and employment growth on the ‘water cycle’.
2.4.2 As part of Wirral Council and Liverpool City Council’s overall strategies to meet future growth targets the WCS will make up one of a number of strategic studies which will form part of the evidence base supporting the production of each Council’s Local Plan. The WCS will also inform the potential development of policies and relevant SPDs to assist in ensuring the delivery of water cycle management requirements at the planning application level.
2.4.3 It is important that the findings of the WCS feed into, and are informed by other Local Plan evidence base studies that both LPAs are undertaking. Consistency is important in terms of the underlying assumptions about the nature and location of proposed development, although the approach for each LPA may be different. The studies where such relationships are particularly important include the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA), the Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA), the Surface Water Management Plan (SWMP) and any work undertaken on Infrastructure Planning. The statutorily required Sustainability Appraisals (SA) and Habitats Regulations Assessments (HRA) will also be informed and or updated by the findings of the WCS. Similarly, the Councils have certain duties and obligations under the Flood and Water Management Act (2010) that could impact on the findings of the WCS – for example, the duties to investigate flood events and the creation and maintenance of asset registers.
2.5 Data Collection
2.5.1 Undertaking a WCS requires a large amount of data collection, much of which is reliant on the willingness of third parties (i.e. other than Wirral Council and Liverpool City Council) to supply the data required in order to enable the study to be progressed. In some cases, the availability of data with respect to water cycle infrastructure and future planning is limited within the time required to undertake the assessment and various assumptions may be needed to enable the study to continue.
2.5.2 A lot of information and data were collected as part of the Regional Scoping WCS for the North- West Region and additional data has been requested from various data providers at the start of this study.
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3 Water Cycle Environment and Infrastructure Baseline
3.1 Introduction
3.1.1 A basic assumption of the WCS is that it is preferable to maximise the use of existing facilities without causing negative effects upon the existing water environment. It is therefore necessary to have a detailed understanding of the entire local water environment. This baseline of information includes details on the hydrological climate, rivers and watercourses, groundwater and coastal waters. This information is relevant as all of these parts of the water cycle are and will continue to be impacted by growth in the area. This section describes the baseline position, for both water supply and treatment infrastructure and the wider water environment within Wirral, Liverpool and Mersey Heartlands Growth Point areas with regard to the various components of the water cycle.
3.1.2 By establishing the baseline, the spare capacity of the water environment and associated water/wastewater infrastructure can be determined and opportunities to reduce negative impacts on the water environment can be identified. This can help to reduce cost, reduce the impact to existing communities and allow early phasing of some new development, thereby obviating the need to rely on longer lead in times associated with securing funding for new infrastructure through the statutory water company planning process.
3.1.3 The Regional Scoping WCS commissioned by the Environment Agency was published in 2009, and covered six North West Growth Points, including the Mersey Heartlands. Along with other studies and reports reviewed, the Regional Scoping WCS provides a good starting point for background baseline information.
3.1.4 Initial assessments of the potential impacts from the proposed level of growth in Wirral, Liverpool and Mersey Heartlands Growth Point area and recommendations for further investigation are provided in Section 4.
3.2 Water Resources and Supply
3.2.1 Wirral, Liverpool and Mersey Heartlands Growth Point area is generally characterised by coastal lowlands and estuaries. Wirral is part of a geographical peninsula, bounded by the Mersey and Dee estuaries to the north and south respectively, and the Irish Sea to the northwest. Liverpool is bounded by the Mersey Estuary on its southern and western boundaries. The Mersey Heartlands Growth Point Area straddles the Mersey Estuary and lies on the east coast of Wirral and to the north of Liverpool city centre.
Climate
3.2.2 Annual average rainfall (1961-1990) is approximately 760mm on Wirral and 830mm for Liverpool6. Both areas have a graduation of rainfall, with more rainfall on the western boundaries. The western edge of Wirral lies in the path of moist, south-westerly winds and it is afforded some shelter by the North Wales Mountains.
6 FEH and Dee CAMS SCOPING STUDY: FINAL REPORT June 2013 14
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Geology and Groundwater
3.2.3 The physical geography of Wirral and Liverpool is relatively flat. The topography of Wirral is generally a low lying undulating plain punctuated by sandstone ridges7.
Wirral 3.2.4 Wirral peninsula is formed of Keuper marls, waterstones and basement beds, and Bunter sandstones and pebble beds belonging to the Triassic formation8. The north-western boundary of Wirral is underlain by post-glacial alluvium and blown sands. There are two minor synclines running north and south bounded by fault lines. These are the Storeton/Liscard syncline and the Heswall/Moreton syncline. The formation divides into two principal parts with the lower ‘Bunter’ sandstone and the upper or ‘Keuper’, mainly of red marl with some firm sandstone at the base. The Bunter sandstone covers the largest area with the Keuper being confined to the northern part of Wirral9. The basement beds of the Keuper, composed of massive pale-red sandstone with beds of pebbly conglomerate, are the hardest rocks in Wirral and therefore rise in ridges. The next higher subdivision of the Keuper is the Waterstones, consisting of alternations of soft sandstone and red shaly marl. These beds pass upward gradually into the Keuper marl, which is composed almost wholly of red silty clay. In Wirral it is confined to the low ground and almost wholly concealed by drift.
3.2.5 The solid geology is generally overlain by a variable thickness of drift deposits of glacial boulder clay and sand and gravels, with alluvium and wind blown sands along the northern section and along the River Birket. There are outcrops of Bunter sandstone and pebble beds at Bidston, Caldy, Thurstaston and Storeton hills.
3.2.6 Principal aquifers are highly permeable rock formations, generally fractured, and capable of supporting large abstractions. The Principal aquifer within Wirral is the Permo-Triassic Sandstone which is present over almost the entire borough and forms the bulk of Wirral aquifer unit. The aquifer is heavily exploited for both public water supply and for industrial abstraction. The chief quality of the Bunter is its free permeability and its storage of large supplies of good quality groundwater.
3.2.7 Secondary (A) aquifers within Wirral are confined to the more permeable drift deposits. Secondary (A) aquifers are defined as permeable layers capable of supporting water supplies at a local, rather than strategic scale, and in some cases forming an important source of base flow to rivers. These are generally aquifers formerly classified as minor aquifers. They include blown sand along the coast between West Kirby and New Brighton and the alluvial deposits along the watercourses, particularly in the north around the Birket, the Fender and Arrowe Brook. Glacial sand and gravel occurs in a few small scattered deposits in the south east of the borough which are classed as Secondary (B) aquifers. These deposits often occur as complex or mixed drift sequences and whilst they may generally reduce the vulnerability of the underlying aquifer, there may be hydraulic continuity between the two levels. Groundwater quality in the drift deposits is variable and may be highly susceptible to surface pollution.
7 http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/farming/funding/ecs/sitings/areas/059.aspx 8 BGS, Solid and Drift Geology Sheet 96, Liverpool, 1: 50,000 9 Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council, Contaminated Land Inspection Strategy SCOPING STUDY: FINAL REPORT June 2013 15
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3.2.8 There are a number of major groundwater sources and associated Source Protection Zones (SPZ), both within Wirral and adjacent to the borough boundary. These are located at Grange, Newton, Birkenhead Park, Prenton, Arrowe Park, Clatterbridge and at Hooton and Gorstons within the former Ellesmere Port and Neston Borough Council (EPNDC, now Cheshire West and Chester) area. Groundwater within this system also supports many small scale abstractions and additionally, provides baseflow to Clatterbrook and discharges to the Dee and Mersey estuaries.
Liverpool 3.2.9 The solid geology under Liverpool is predominantly Sherwood sandstone, pebble beds and basement beds. Along the Docks area, the geology is alluvium. Limited coal measures of the Carboniferous outcrop in a relatively small area on the eastern edge of the city, to the southeast of Croxteth10.
3.2.10 The overlying drift deposits vary in thickness and comprise boulder clay, alluvium and blown sand, particularly at Liverpool Airport and Speke11. Outcrops of the solid geology are present.
3.2.11 Groundwater within the Sherwood Sandstone principal aquifer in Liverpool is exploited for both public and industrial use with many major abstractions located within and adjacent to the Liverpool boundary. Groundwater also contributes baseflow to the River Alt and discharges to the Mersey Estuary. The groundwater quality in the Sherwood Sandstone is reported as being generally high although contamination from surface activities has resulted in occasional elevated nitrate levels. Additionally, past over-abstraction for industrial purposes, close to the River Mersey, has resulted in localised areas of saline intrusion.
3.2.12 Minor aquifers within Liverpool area are dominated by rocks of the Carboniferous age, predominantly coal measures, and unconsolidated drift (superficial) deposits. Groundwater quality in the drift deposits is variable and may be highly susceptible to surface pollution.
3.2.13 There are a number of major groundwater sources and associated SPZs, both within Liverpool and adjacent to the Liverpool City Council boundary. The Source Protection Zones classify groundwater source catchments into three zones:
SPZ1: Defined as the 50 day travel time from any point below the water table to the source; SPZ2: Defined by a 400 day travel time from a point below the water table; and SPZ3: Defined as the area around a source within which all groundwater recharge is presumed to be discharged at the source.
3.2.14 SPZ1 are located at Walton, Stoneycroft, Belle Vale and Netherley. Most of the eastern section of the borough lies within either SPZ2 or SPZ3.
10 Liverpool City Council, Contaminated Land Inspection Strategy, 2nd Edition July 2009 11 BGS, Solid and Drift Geology Sheet 97, Runcorn, 1: 50,000 SCOPING STUDY: FINAL REPORT June 2013 16
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Rivers
3.2.15 The majority of the study area falls within the catchments of the River Alt, River Mersey and River Dee. There are numerous watercourses located within the study area. The principal watercourses are listed in Table 3-1, but there are also many other smaller watercourses which could be affected by proposed growth in the Growth Point Area.
Table 3-1: Watercourses River Birket The Fender Prenton Brook Storeton Brook Arrowe Brook Greasby Brook Mersey (Wirral) Perimeter Drain Newton Brook Carr Drain Dibbinsdale Brook Bromborough Pool Clatter Brook Allerton Brook Mab Lane Brunswick Street Drain Netherley Brook Childwall Brook Oglet Brook Cressington Park Drain Old Garston River Court Hey Brook Page Moss Culvert Croxteth Brook Rams Brook Deys Brook Speke Hall Drain Mersey (Liverpool) Fazakerley Brook Stamfordham Drive Forty Pitts Drain Sugar Brook Halewood Brook Thornhead Brook Hall Brook Upper Brook Jordan River Upper Jordan Knowsley Brook Upper Tue Brook Lee Park Drain Wavertree Culvert Lower Tue Brook
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Mersey Estuary 3.2.16 The River Mersey is approximately 112 km long and is formed by the confluence of the River Goyt and River Tame at Stockport12. It flows west to the south of Manchester and is joined by several rivers, including the River Irwell at Flixton and the River Weaver at Runcorn, finally entering the Irish Sea at Liverpool Bay. The River Mersey flows into the Manchester Ship Canal near Irlam and is artificially modified (as part of the Manchester Ship Canal) up to Rixton, where the River Mersey bifurcates from the Manchester Ship Canal and becomes tidal. The land in the lower part of the Mersey catchment is generally flat and low lying and is dominated by a mixture of urban development and agricultural land. The River Mersey is tidally influenced downstream from Woolston Weir in Warrington, and the terrain is sufficiently flat that some of its tributaries are tidally influenced in their lower reaches13.
3.2.17 The catchment to the south of the Mersey Estuary also includes a large proportion of the Wirral peninsula. Wirral is drained by the River Birket, River Fender and Dibbinsdale Brook. The River Birket drains the north of Wirral, and flows into the River Mersey at Birkenhead via flap valves and a pumping station. Its main tributaries are the River Fender and Arrowe Brook which pass through Woodchurch, Greasby, Upton, Moreton and Leasowe. The catchment is heavily urbanised in the lower reaches through Wallasey, although it is more agricultural further upstream. In Birkenhead, the river passes through a major culvert known as the ‘Great Culvert’. The Great Culvert Pumping Station and diversion chamber divert the River Birket to the West Float Dock and away from Birkenhead WwTW14. Further south, Dibbinsdale Brook drains the central area of Wirral Peninsula, and its main tributary is Clatter Brook. The Dibbinsdale Brook Catchment is mainly rural in the upper reaches, and heavily urbanised in the lower reaches, downstream from the confluence with Clatter Brook.
3.2.18 The Mersey Estuary catchment also includes Ditton Brook and Rams Brook, which flow into the Mersey Estuary near Widnes. Ditton Brook is a low lying catchment whose main tributaries are Alder Brook, Mill Brook, Netherley Brook and Dog Clog Brook. The catchment is urbanised in its upper reaches, then passes through farmland before joining the River Mersey near the town of Ditton. Rams Brook is a small low lying catchment covered mainly by woodland and farmland which discharges into the River Mersey near the village of Hale. Ditton Brook is tidally influenced in its lower reaches, with the tidal limit approximately 1.7km upstream of the confluence with the River Mersey.
3.2.19 The north catchment of the Mersey Estuary extends from Liverpool (John Lennon) Airport through to Crosby in the north. The watercourses in this catchment include Kirkdale, Beacon’s Gutter, Pool River, The Mill Stream, Dingle Drain, Dickinson’s Dingle, Lower Brook, Upper Brook, Jordan River, Cressington Park Drain, Old Garston River, Speke Hall Drain, and the Oglet15. All of these watercourses are small and due to the highly urbanised environment, are substantially or completely culverted.
3.2.20 According to the Liverpool PFRA, there is a substantial network of ordinary watercourses across the city which is comprised of 29.7km of culverted watercourse and 3.6 km of open watercourse sections.
12 ENVIRONMENT AGENCY, Mersey CFMP 13 Lower Mersey CFMP 14 Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council, Contaminated Land Inspection Strategy 15 Lower Mersey CFMP SCOPING STUDY: FINAL REPORT June 2013 18
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3.2.21 The ordinary watercourse network in Liverpool has been surveyed through the on-going Liverpool Land Drainage Investigations. This includes an open watercourse study in 2008/09, manhole surveys undertaken in 2009/10 and traverse surveys undertaken in 2009/10 and 2010/1116.
Dee Estuary 3.2.22 The River Dee is 110 km long and rises in Gwynedd on the eastern flanks of Snowdonia, it flows east through the Vale of Llangollen, before meandering north across the Cheshire Plain and flowing into Liverpool Bay17. A number of tributaries flow into the River Dee, including Afon Tryweryn, Afon Ceirw, Afon Alwen, Afon Ceiriog and River Clywedog, River Alyn, Worthenbury Brook and Aldford Brook18. Downstream of Chester Weir the River Dee is canalised and has flood defences to protect land from tidal inundation. The River Dee is generally tidal up to Chester Weir. This tidal boundary is surpassed during spring high tides and extreme tides when tidal influence can affect river levels as far upstream as Shocklach, 15 km upstream of Chester Weir.
3.2.23 The upland tributaries of the River Dee tend to be flashy in nature and the mountains in this area reach altitudes in excess of 850m, with annual rainfall up to 2,500mm. Moving east across the Dee catchment, there is a gradual change in the nature of the catchment and the hydrology is markedly different. Rainfall is markedly less in the downstream section of the catchment, with an annual average of around 700mm of rainfall.
3.2.24 The Llyn Tegid (Bala Lake) and the reservoirs of Celyn, Brenig and Alwen store water for direct public water supply and to regulate flows in the River Dee. The River Dee is highly regulated to help maintain a reliable water supply for a number of major public water supply abstractions and reduces the risk and severity of flooding in parts of the catchment. Because of its importance as a source of public water supply the Dee catchment is designated as a Water Protection Zone19, which provides additional protection of potable supplies from pollution.
3.2.25 The Tidal Dee catchment covers the streams and rivers that flow directly into the Dee Estuary on both the English and Welsh sides, including the Afon Y Garth, Swinchiard, Wepre and Shotton brooks20. There is a lot of urban development in the catchment, with major industries including paper processing, aircraft, steel and chemicals manufacturing and power generation found alongside the Dee Estuary. Frequently, the tributaries are physically modified with culverts and flood embankments in their lower sections and so are designated as heavily modified waterbodies.
River Alt 3.2.26 The Alt catchment is approximately 28 km long, has a catchment area of 233 km2 and rises in Huyton, it then flows through Croxteth Country Park, Fazakerley, Aintree, under the M57, Maghull, Formby and enters the Irish Sea at Hightown. The upper catchment has mixed land- use, with agricultural land and urban areas21. The lower catchment covers the area from Maghull
16 Liverpool City Council, Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment, 2011. 17 ENVIRONMENT AGENCY. Dee CFMP 18 Environment Agency, Dee CAMS 19 The Water Protection Zone (River Dee Catchment) Designation Order 1999 20 ENVIRONMENT AGENCY, Dee RBMP 21 ENVIRONMENT AGENCY, Lower Mersey and Alt CAMS SCOPING STUDY: FINAL REPORT June 2013 19
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to the coastline. The upper part of the Alt catchment has a narrow floodplain; however, a substantial portion of the lower catchment is low-lying and prone to flooding22.
3.2.27 The River Alt is a highly engineered watercourse that has an extensive flood defence system in place to reduce the risk of flooding within the catchment. The lower part of the catchment is protected from fluvial and tidal flooding, through a combination of embankments and pumping stations. The tributaries in the lower catchment are drains rather than flowing rivers and water is transferred into the River Alt, through gravity feed and pumping and out into the estuary via Altmouth Pumping Station. This is located at the mouth of the River Alt and acts as a barrier preventing tidal flooding on the River Alt and allows pumped drainage of the whole catchment.
Ordinary Watercourses 3.2.28 According to the Regional Scoping WCS, a large proportion of ordinary watercourses in Liverpool are culverted and it is difficult to determine their precise locations. Similarly, the presence and uncertainty of the course of ordinary watercourses is acknowledged in the PFRA for Wirral.
Reservoirs
3.2.29 There are no open reservoirs within Wirral, Liverpool and Mersey Heartlands Growth Point area. However, there are a number of covered, service reservoirs (including those at Margaret Street, Kensington and Woolton Hill in Liverpool and Flaybrick, Cross Hill, Poll Hill, Gorsehill and Grangehill [amongst others] in Wirral) that are active and key components of the local water supply infrastructure.
3.2.30 Reservoirs in Wales, Cumbria and Lancashire also supply water to Wirral, Liverpool and Mersey Heartlands. These include the Vyrnwy Reservoir (Llyn Efyrney) in north Wales and Lake Thirlmere in the Lake District.
3.3 Water Quality
Rivers
3.3.1 The fluvial watercourses within the study area have a range of water quality which tends to deteriorate in the watercourses where urbanisation and industrialisation have historically led to degradation and pollution. These areas are likely to be affected by the cumulative impacts of WwTW effluent discharges and surface water runoff from urban landscapes. Rivers in the region have historically experienced some water quality problems, including adverse effects from industry, mine water discharges, diffuse pollution from agriculture and nutrient enrichment from WwTW effluents and combined sewer overflows (CSOs). Other specific pollutants include waste calcium sulphate from the glass industry, leachate from landfill sites, and other contaminants from the heavy industrialised areas of the catchment. There are also discharges from private septic tanks and small treatment works23.
22 ENVIRONMENT AGENCY, Alt CFMP 23 ENVIRONMENT AGENCY, Lower Mersey & Alt CAMS SCOPING STUDY: FINAL REPORT June 2013 20
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3.3.2 Of the watercourses draining into the Mersey Estuary, none are anticipated to achieve ‘good’ status by 201524. Under the proposed Water Framework Directive (WFD) standards, the majority of watercourses within the study area are currently achieving ‘moderate’, ‘poor’ or ‘bad’ overall status. The dominant reason for this is the failure of the watercourses to meet the required fish and/or macro-invertebrate standard, in addition to phosphates, ammonia and dissolved oxygen25. The status objective is to achieve ‘good’ status by 2027 (Table 3-2).
Table 3-2: Water Quality Status and Objectives of Tributaries to the River Mersey Current Overall Status Watercourse Status Objective Overall Status Objective
Birket and Tributaries Bad Good (2027) Good Ecological Potential (2027)
Dibbinsdale Brook and Bad Good (2027) Good Ecological Status (2027) Clatter Brook Dittton Brook (Halewood Good Ecological Potential (2027), Moderate Good (2027) to Mersey Estuary). Good Chemical Status by 2015
Fazakerley Brook Moderate Good (2027) Good Ecological Potential (2027)
Netherley Brook Moderate Good (2027) Good Ecological Potential (2027)
Mersey Estuary Moderate Good (2027) Good Ecological Potential (2027)
Rams Brook Moderate Good (2027) Good Ecological Status (2027)
River Alt Moderate Good (2027) Good Ecological Potential (2027)
Croxteth/Knowsley Brook Moderate Good (2027) Good Ecological Potential (2027)
3.3.3 The watercourses most likely to be impacted as a result of growth within the Growth Point Area are those watercourses immediately downstream of WwTWs (Mersey Estuary, River Alt and Halewood Brook) where a significant volume of growth is planned up to 2027.
Transitional and Coastal Water
3.3.4 The Mersey catchment has a rich industrial past and consequently it became severely polluted. Recently, significant improvements have been seen in water quality due to tighter regulation of industrial sites, improvements to WwTWs and environmental awareness, which has resulted in reappearance of salmon and sea trout in the River Mersey. The coarse fisheries are also improving as water quality improves26. The Mersey Estuary transitional water has been determined to currently have ‘moderate’ ecological potential and fails current chemical quality. The current overall potential is ‘moderate’. The overall status objective is to achieve ‘good’ by 2027.
24 Information obtained from the Environment Agency Review of Consents (ROC) for the River Mersey. The Environment Agency ROC for the River Dee has not provided and therefore an assessment to a similar level of detail as the Mersey has not been possible at this time. 25 Defra and Environment Agency, River Basin Management Plan North West River Basin District, Annex B: Water body status Objectives, January 2011 26 ENVIRONMENT AGENCY, North West RBMP, Main report. SCOPING STUDY: FINAL REPORT June 2013 21
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3.3.5 The coastal waters at the mouth of the Mersey have been classed as having a current overall potential of ‘moderate’, due to its current ‘moderate’ ecological potential and failure for chemical quality. The overall status objective is to achieve ‘good’ by 2027.
3.3.6 The transitional water of the Dee Estuary has a current ‘moderate’ ecological potential and ‘good’ chemical quality. The current overall potential is ‘moderate’ and has an overall status objective of ‘good’ by 202727.
3.3.7 The coast along the study area has a number of designated Bathing Waters and two designated Shellfish Waters. The Shellfish Water at North Wirral (east and west) achieved a pass against the imperative standards under the Shellfish Water Directive (SWD) but failed to achieve guideline standards in 200828. All four Bathing Waters within the study area achieved the Guideline Pass standard under the Bathing Water Directive (BWD) in 201029, with three of the bathing waters (Meols, Moreton and New Brighton) passing the more stringent guideline standard. The Environment Agency has projected classifications under Directive 2006/7/EC (the new standards) and four years of water quality monitoring data (from 2007 to 2010) to assess the compliance rate that might be expected in England and Wales under the revised BWD. This suggests that Meols, Moreton and New Brighton will achieve excellent status, with West Kirby achieving good status30.
Groundwater
3.3.8 River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs) consider the current and potential status of groundwater bodies. Wirral and West Cheshire Permo-Triassic Sandstone Aquifers have a current overall status of ‘poor’, due to poor chemical and quantitative status. The overall status objective is anticipated to remain as ‘poor’ by 2015. The status objectives are ‘poor’ quantitative status and ‘poor’ chemical status by 2015. The quantitative elements with low status include impact on surface waters, saline intrusion and water balance.
3.3.9 The Lower Mersey Basin and North Merseyside Permo-Triassic Sandstone aquifers also have a current overall status of ‘poor’. The overall status objective is expected to remain as ‘poor’ by 2015 (both quantitative and chemical status). The quantitative elements with low status are impact on surface waters and saline intrusion.
3.3.10 The Dee Permo-Triassic Sandstone also has a ‘poor’ current overall status, but is anticipated to achieve ‘good’ overall status by 2027. The groundwater body currently has ‘poor’ quantitative status and ‘good’ chemical status.
Water Resource Management
3.3.11 Water resources within a catchment are assessed and monitored by the Environment Agency. A catchment is split up into a number of individual units whose status are assessed within a
27 Defra, Welsh Assembly Government, River Basin Management Plan Dee River Basin District, Annex B: Water body status objectives 28 Defra and Environment Agency River Basin Management Plan, North West River Basin District, Annex D: Protected areas, December 2009 29 2010 compliance report for bathing waters in England, Defra, 15 November 2010. http://archive.defra.gov.uk/environment/quality/water/waterquality/bathing/documents/bathing-water-results2010.pdf 30 Environment Agency, Projected revised Bathing Water Directive water quality classifications using current data for bathing waters in England and Wales, October 2010 http://archive.defra.gov.uk/environment/quality/water/waterquality/bathing/documents/projected-rbwd-classifications.pdf SCOPING STUDY: FINAL REPORT June 2013 22
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Catchment Abstraction Management Strategy (CAMS). CAMS are strategies for the management of water resources at a local level and set out how water abstraction will be managed. They outline where water is available, and also, if relevant, where current rates of abstraction need to be reduced to allow the balance between the needs of abstractors, other water users and the aquatic environment to be protected.
3.3.12 Two CAMS cover the study area; the Dee CAMS (southwestern section of Wirral) and the Lower Mersey and Alt CAMS (rest of Wirral and Liverpool).
3.3.13 According to the Dee RBMP, the main abstractions are for public water supply, followed by electricity production, fish and aquaculture and then industry. There are 164 abstraction licences within the Dee River Basin District authorising abstraction of 577, 819 million litres of water a year. These abstractions cover water taken from rivers or the ground, both from freshwater and tidal reaches. The licensed groundwater abstraction is considered to exceed the volume of water available within the Sherwood sandstone of the Dee Estuary and Wirral areas to 202031. The CAMS states that for Water Resource Management Unit (WRMU) 3 Dee Estuary and Wirral, there is no further water available for abstraction.
3.3.14 According to the Lower Mersey and Alt CAMS, surface water abstraction within the Lower Mersey area is heavily dominated by industrial abstraction. The main public water supply is from groundwater sources. Water is abstracted in the River Alt catchment from both surface and groundwater sources. This is used for a variety of purposes including public and private water supply, irrigation, industry and golf courses. Public water supply forms the largest abstracted quantities from the underlying sandstone aquifer. The majority of WRMUs that cover Wirral and Liverpool show that either no water is available or sources are over abstracted in 2014 and 202032.
3.4 Ecology and Biodiversity
3.4.1 Wirral, Liverpool and the Mersey Heartland Growth Point area and the surrounding area have a number of designated European sites to protect Europe’s rare and endangered habitats and species and are shown in Figure 3-1.
3.4.2 These include the following Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs) designated under the European ‘Habitats’ (92/43/EEC) and ‘Birds’ (79/407/EEC) Directives.
Dee Estuary SAC, SPA and Ramsar site and proposed SPA extension, Bala Lake/Afon Dyfrydwy a Llyn Tegid SAC, Mersey Estuary SPA and Ramsar site, Mersey Narrows and North Wirral Foreshore pSPA / pRamsar site, Liverpool Bay SPA and pRamsar, Sefton Coast SAC, Ribble and Alt Estuaries SPA / Ramsar site.
31 ENVIRONMENT AGENCY, Dee CAMS 32 ENVIRONMENT AGENCY, Lower Mersey and Alt CAMS SCOPING STUDY: FINAL REPORT June 2013 23
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3.4.3 An ‘Appropriate Assessment’ (AA) is required under the European ‘Habitats’ Directive for proposals which may have a significant effect on one or more European sites.
3.4.4 In addition to the European Designated sites, there are a number of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) which lie within the study area, including:
Dee Estuary, Dee Cliffs, Heswall Dales, The Dungeon, Thurstaston Common, Red Rocks, Meols Meadow, North Wirral Foreshore, Mersey Narrows, New Ferry, Mersey Estuary, Dibbinsdale.
3.4.5 There are also 70 locally designated, non-statutory Sites of Biological Importance (SBI) in Wirral, in addition to a number of Local Nature Reserves (LNRs) and sites of nature conservation value in Liverpool.
3.4.6 Figure 3-1 shows the location of designated sites in close proximity to WwTW likely to receive additional flows as a result of proposed development in Wirral, Liverpool and Mersey Heartlands area.
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SAC SPA
SSSI
Figure 3-1: Designated Sites near Wirral and Liverpool with WwTW Locations
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3.5 Wastewater Treatment and Collection
3.5.1 Wastewater treatment and collection infrastructure within the Liverpool City Council area is owned and operated by United Utilities; for Wirral Council area it is a combination of United Utilities and Dwr Cymru Welsh Water. The Environment Agency sets standards for effluent discharged into rivers, estuaries and the sea from water companies and industry. These ‘discharge consent’ standards are set individually for each WwTW taking into account what is required to protect water quality and ecology. United Utilities’ and Dwr Cymru Welsh Water’s compliance with discharge consents is high; with 98% and 96% of samples respectively passing in 200933.
3.5.2 There are several WwTWs in Wirral, Liverpool and Mersey Heartland area, which discharge to either fluvial watercourses or tidal waters. The Environment Agency have advised that any increase of flow to/from Waste Water Treatment Works will need to be considered using their existing modelling procedures. The current policy is governed by ‘no deterioration’ principles. This approach is currently under review by Defra. However, until the review is complete, the Environment Agency will continue to use their existing consenting procedures which are based on modelling of discharge in relation to the water quality objectives of the receiving water – whether tidal or fluvial.
3.5.3 Using the key development areas identified in Section 1, the WwTWs that are likely to be affected by the proposed growth in Wirral. Liverpool and Mersey Heartland area, and consequently the downstream watercourses, have been identified in Table 3-3 and Table 3-4.
Table 3-3: WwTWs likely to be impacted by Proposed Growth in Wirral Settlement Area WwTW Receiving Watercourse
1 Wallasey Birkenhead Mersey (tidal)
2 Commercial Core Birkenhead, Bromborough Mersey (tidal) 3 Birkenhead Birkenhead, Bromborough Mersey (tidal) 4 Bromborough and Eastham Bromborough Mersey (tidal) 5 Mid-Wirral Birkenhead, North Wirral (Meols) Mersey (tidal), Liverpool Bay (tidal) 6 Hoylake and West Kirby North Wirral (Meols) Liverpool Bay (tidal) Birkenhead, North Wirral (Meols), Mersey (tidal), Liverpool Bay (tidal), 7 Heswall Heswall Dee (tidal) Birkenhead, Heswall, Bromborough, 8 Rural Area Mersey (tidal), Liverpool Bay (tidal) North Wirral (Meols)
33 OFWAT, June return 2010 quality regulators' data
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Table 3-4: WwTWs likely to be impacted by Proposed Growth in Liverpool WwTW Receiving Watercourse Settlement Area (to be confirmed) (to be confirmed)
1 City Centre Liverpool North (Sandon Dock) Mersey (tidal)
2 Inner Area Liverpool North (Sandon Dock) Mersey (tidal)
Liverpool North (Sandon Dock), Mersey (tidal), River Alt, 3 Outer Area Fazakerley, South Liverpool Woolton Halewood Brook
3.5.4 The catchment areas of the WwTW within Wirral are located predominantly within the boundary of the LPA, except for a very small pocket of the Bromborough WwTW covering Booston Wood, located within Cheshire West and Chester (approximately 0.23 km2). This is a wooded area with no development and there are no sewers draining this area. Therefore, there are limited cross- boundary issues in relation to the wastewater network.
3.5.5 In contrast, there are significant cross-boundary issues in relation to the wastewater infrastructure in Liverpool. All three of the WwTW serving Liverpool also receive wastewater from neighbouring LPA areas. South Liverpool (Woolton) WwTW receives wastewater from the Halton Borough Council (HBC) and Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council (KMBC) areas. The catchment for Liverpool North (Sandon Docks) WwTW extends into the HBC, KMBC and Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council (SMBC). The catchment for Fazakerley WwTW crosses into parts of KMBC, SMBC and possibly a small area of West Lancashire District Council (WLDC).
3.6 Flood Risk
3.6.1 In accordance with the former PPS 2534 requirements and its accompanying Practice Guide (now replaced by NPPF which retains many of the same requirements), both Liverpool and Wirral have prepared Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) to inform their respective Core Strategies. The SFRAs and the WCS are closely linked as they are both designed to inform the planning process. The SFRAs consider the sources of flood risk and map out areas within the study areas that are susceptible to flooding both now and in the future according to the requirements of the former PPS25.
3.6.2 A Level 2 SFRA, PFRA and Surface Water Management Plan (SWMP) have been commissioned by Liverpool City Council and are currently being undertaken, with PFRA being completed. For Wirral, a partial Level 2 SFRA and a Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment (PFRA) have also been completed. Once available, information from these studies should be incorporated into the Outline WCS.
3.6.3 The findings of the Level 1 SFRAs (and PFRA for Wirral) suggest that the overall risk of flooding from fluvial and tidal sources in both Wirral and Liverpool is generally low. The main flood risk locations in Wirral are Moreton / Leasowe (fluvial and potential tidal flood risk), Greasby (fluvial and surface water / sewer) and Birkenhead Docks. The Environment Agency has recently commissioned a study to revise the fluvial flood risk to Birkenhead Docks as it is generally
34 Communities and Local Government, Planning Policy Statement 25: Development and Flood Risk. March 2010 SCOPING STUDY: FINAL REPORT June 2013 27
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considered to be lower than shown on existing Environment Agency Flood Zone maps. Incidents of surface water flooding have been recorded at several locations across Wirral.
3.6.4 In Liverpool only 4% of the city is considered to be at risk of fluvial and tidal flooding. Information from an Environment Agency study conducted in 1989 shows risk of flooding from the Lower Tue Brook, River Alt, Fazakerley Brook, Croxteth Brook and Childwall Brook35. Frequent flooding incidents were also recorded in that study along Upper Tue Brook, Thornhead Brook and Deys Brook (north).
3.6.5 Other sources of flooding include groundwater and surface water flooding (from direct runoff and sewers) and flooding from ordinary watercourses. Groundwater rebound has been observed in both Liverpool and Wirral and is considered to be a potential source of flooding. Groundwater is known to affect the operation of the three Mersey tunnels (two roads and one rail) such that continuous pumping is now necessary. A number of sewer flooding incidents have been recorded in the DG5 registers for United Utilities and Dwr Cymru Welsh Water in both Wirral and Liverpool. A large number of watercourses in Liverpool are substantially culverted36. According to the Liverpool PFRA, there are 29.7km of culverted watercourse in the City. Many of the culverted sections are over 150 years old and in poor condition. Potential collapses to these culverts pose a considerable risk of future flooding. Surface water flood risk is considered to be significant in Liverpool.
3.6.6 There are flood defences along the Fender and Birket in Wirral37 and along the North Wirral coast. According to the North West England and North Wales Shoreline Management Plan SMP2, the long term plan for managing the North Wirral Frontage is to continue to provide protection, minimising flood or erosion risk to the majority of property and infrastructure along the north Wirral coast to achieve the social benefits, but altering historical approaches in doing so38. Wirral Council has commissioned work on a Coastal Strategy, which has recently been completed.
3.6.7 There are very limited flood defences within Liverpool. Existing flood defence include raised defences along the River Alt (raised defence bank – man-made) and Netherley Brook and River wall and cliffs along the River Mersey. According to the North West England and North Wales Shoreline Management Plan SMP2, the long term plan in the Narrows and the southern shore Mersey Estuary is to continue with the status quo to manage flood and erosion risk to property and infrastructure. In the upper estuary the long term plan is to improve the natural functioning of the estuary and potentially reduce flood risks upstream and create additional habitat by managed realignment at strategic locations.
35 Watercourse Flood Alleviation Study – Summary Report – Liverpool City Council (1989) 36 Liverpool City Council Strategic Flood Risk Assessment 37 North West England and North Wales Shoreline Management Plan SMP2, Halcrow 2010
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4 Preliminary Findings, Constraints and Outline Study Scope
4.1 Water Resources and Supply
4.1.1 United Utilities is the sole supplier of clean water in both Wirral and Liverpool. The Final Water Resources Management Plan (WRMP) was published in September 2009 and this will need to be reviewed in relation to proposed growth within Wirral, Liverpool and Mersey Heartland area as part of the Outline WCS.
4.1.2 The WRMP takes into account the designated growth points within the North West (in Greater Manchester, Carlisle, Central Lancashire/Blackpool, West Cheshire, Halton/St Helens/Warrington and Mersey Heartlands) for an additional 29,448 dwellings, above RSS levels, by 2016/17.
4.1.3 The Environment Agency has proposed to change the abstraction licence conditions for some of United Utilities’ water sources that are located within the European Union Habitats Directive sites and other nature conservation sites. The changes are understood to be proposed to protect salmon and other aquatic species from the potential adverse effects of low flows in watercourses during prolonged dry weather. According to United Utilities, for the majority of cases their abstractions do not adversely impact on the environment. The Environment Agency identified the need to modify United Utilities licences at Haweswater Reservoir and Thirlmere reservoir and the River Brennand and River Whitendale (Integrated Zone), River Gelt (Carlisle Zone) and Ennerdale Water and Dash Beck (West Cumbria Zone). The Environment Agency completed a review of these abstraction licences and determined that the quantity of water that United Utilities can abstract from Ennerdale Water during dry weather conditions is lower than what was assumed in the original Draft WRMP. United Utilities anticipate a total impact on water source yields of -46.1 Ml/d at 2014/15 for the region, with 32.9 Ml/d of the reduction within the Integrated Water Resource Zone (Figure 4-1).
Baseline Supply-Demand Balance 4.1.4 For the purposes of water resource planning, reliable supply demand balances are determined at Water Resource Zone (WRZ) level to determine current and future planned water resource availability within a given zone.
4.1.5 The Integrated WRZ (Figure 4-1) covers both Wirral and Liverpool. Water to the integrated WRZ is supplied from a combination of sources including the Vyrnwy Reservoir (Llyn Efyrnwy) in north Wales, the River Dee, groundwater sources in Cheshire and sources from Cumbria.
4.1.6 The baseline supply-demand balance in this zone is anticipated to remain in surplus of supply to the forecast demands until 2019/20, with a deficit of 74.6 Ml/d by 2034/35. There will be an increase in 2012/13 of 16.6 Ml/d due to the introduction of a bi-directional pipeline, known as the “West-to-East Link”, between Merseyside and North Manchester. Water availability will then reduce markedly by 2014/15, mainly due to the anticipated 32.9 Ml/d sustainability reductions arising from the proposed abstraction licence changes for the Haweswater Reservoir and Thirlmere Reservoir and the River Brennand and River Whitendale. A deficit is anticipated to
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occur by 2022/23 which is expected to increase to the end of the planning period of 2034/35 (deficit of 74.6 Ml/d)39.
Figure 4-1: Map of United Utilities Water Supply Area
4.1.7 However, a water resources and demand strategy including leakage reduction, water efficiency and water source enhancements is anticipated to ensure that the demand is met by supply to
39 UU WRMP SCOPING STUDY: FINAL REPORT June 2013 30
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2034/35. The source enhancements included at 2034/35 are Widnes groundwater (22.7 Ml/d), Southport groundwater (22.5 Ml/d) and Oldham groundwater (2.5 Ml/d).
Water Efficiency 4.1.8 As a result of this area being one of ‘low water stress’, as defined by the Environment Agency40, water efficiency is given a lower profile than in other parts of the country, such as in southern England. The main issues detailed on water efficiency in the WRMP are as follows:
Metering - levels of metering were around 21% in 2006/07 for households and the target level for 2035 is 60%. United Utilities anticipate to meter all new properties, including the 822,000 new homes expected to be built across the region by 2035, and a further 708,000 households are anticipated to voluntarily ‘opt in’ to be metered by 2034/35, Tariffs - Wirral and Liverpool is not within an areas of serious water stress, therefore compulsory metering is not permitted under present legislation, Water Efficiency - United Utilities aim to promote reductions in water use and wastage at a level appropriate to the resource position. The average consumption in 2006/07 was 139 litres per head per day (l/h/d) for domestic properties, United Utilities forecast that domestic consumption will reduce to 129 l/h/d by 2030, which is just below the government’s aspirational target of 130 l/h/d, Leakage - United Utilities have reduced leakage in the region from 960 Ml/d in 1992/93 to 468 Ml/d at 2006/07and plan to further reduce leakage across the region by 28 Ml/d (from 468 Ml/d to 440 Ml/d) by 2034/35. According to the UU Water Resources Management Plan (2009), water source yield across the region for 2009/10 was approximately 2,009 Ml/d. Therefore, the loss to leakage represented approximately 23% of total available water for supply.
4.1.9 The Outline WCS should assess the findings of this Scoping WCS in more detail and specifically:
Review the existing baseline with respect to available water resources, Define the volume of the raw water required to supply the new development across the study area and determine where this will be sourced from, Consider options for water efficiency measures, Consider the changes in rainfall patterns and demand for water associated with climate change and what effect this may have on water availability and water supply in the study area, Consider the strategic requirement for transmission infrastructure for treated water in order to service and supply the new development areas.
4.1.10 Water network capacity issues which need investment during AMP5 (the 5th cycle of OFWAT Asset Management Plans running for the 5 year planning period from 2010-2015) have been identified by United Utilities. Birkenhead Docks could potentially be affected by growth as the existing supply network is considered to be insufficient and according to the Regional Scoping WCS, significant reinforcement and upgrades would be required to meet the demand from planned growth.
40 Areas of Water Stress: Final Classification, Environment Agency, October 2007.http://publications.environment- agency.gov.uk/pdf/GEHO1207BNOC-e-e.pdf SCOPING STUDY: FINAL REPORT June 2013 31
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Key Data Issues 4.1.11 The assessment of the water supply network constraints can only be done on a broad brush basis due to lack of data on the supply network and uncertainty of site allocations. Therefore, at this stage the assessment of water supply network constraints can only be done based on United Utilities’ Traffic Light Study, which shows resource availability (low, medium and high) within broadly defined areas. The Traffic Light Study has been undertaken for Wirral but not completed for Liverpool prior to the commencement of the Water Cycle Study. In respect of Liverpool, the assessment of water supply will be addressed as part of the Outline Report stage of the Water Cycle Study, which will require the input of United Utilities to appraise supply constraints.
4.2 Wastewater Treatment and Collection
4.2.1 The inland and coastal waters in the study area are of mixed water quality. Any proposed increases in discharge to these watercourses or tidal waters should not be allowed to cause adverse impacts.
4.2.2 The Regional Scoping WCS identified that growth in Wirral could lead to a substantial increase in the volume of foul water being treated at Birkenhead WwTW. It also identified that planned growth would require significant investment in the wastewater network, pumping stations and WwTW, in particular Fazakerley WwTW (during AMP5).
4.2.3 There are several restrictions on the volume and quality of effluent that can be treated at an individual WwTW and then discharged into a receiving waterbody; these will need to be confirmed for the individual works as part of the Outline WCS. As well as assessing the capacity of WwTW and receiving waterbodies, it is essential to determine the capacity in the sewer network and transmissions of wastewater to the works from individual developments.
4.2.4 The future expansion potential of a WwTW, with respect to receiving water quality, is normally determined by assessing the discharge consent. The consent, which is set by the Environment Agency, specifies the maximum flow and minimum effluent quality that the WwTW needs to achieve in order to comply with downstream water quality targets. Additionally, the increased volume of discharge from a WwTW may exacerbate flood risk or capacity issues in the receiving watercourse and these also need to be assessed. The volumetric and network capacity constraints of the relevant WwTWs will need to be determined as part of the Outline WCS in conjunction with United Utilities and Dwr Cymru Welsh Water to determine whether upgrades to WwTWs are likely to be required.
4.2.5 In particular, the Outline WCS should corroborate the findings of this study and assess in more detail the wastewater baseline and capacity of the existing wastewater treatment and network infrastructure to confirm:
The baseline with respect to treatment of wastewater and how much ‘spare’ capacity is available in existing wastewater treatment facilities, The baseline with respect to wastewater or sewer network and whether there is scope to use the existing network system before upgrades are required, The phasing requirements for development to ensure that any planned growth is commensurate with planned upgrades to the existing network/facilities,
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Any major constraints within the network (sewers or WwTW), which are likely to require more detailed assessment.
Key Data Issues There is a need to consider the impact of development in adjoining LPAs that contribute sewage flows to Liverpool’s WwTW. The data required to do so is currently not complete and the methodology for transforming development data into WwTW flows for neighbouring Authorities need to be confirmed with Liverpool City Council. Planning data for Liverpool needs to be supplied in a format that will make it possible to determine flow contributions to WwTW across the City Centre, Inner Area and Outer Area in Liverpool, as there is uncertainty with regard to development allocation. This needs to be clarified with Liverpool City Council so that the impact of growth on the WwTW capacity can be quantified.
4.3 Flood Risk and Surface Water Management
Flood Risk
4.3.1 New developments should not increase the risk of flooding elsewhere and should only be permitted in flood risk areas after applying the Sequential Approach recommended in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and associated Technical Guidance (Sequential Test and Exception Test where the latter is required). The overall risk of flooding from fluvial sources in Liverpool and Wirral is considered to be low. The current and future risk of flooding from ordinary watercourses, groundwater and culverted watercourses are less understood. The risk from these sources of flooding is the subject of ongoing studies or future studies.
Surface Water Management 4.3.2 Surface Water Management is a key consideration when assessing flood risk for new developments within large areas. The NPPF and its Technical Guidance require that a new development does not increase the risk of flooding elsewhere as a result of additional surface water runoff generated from it. In many cases, the management of surface water is achieved by restricting runoff from developed sites to pre-development land use run-off rates by using a range of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SUDS). Both Wirral and Liverpool have identified the need for new developments to control surface water flood risk by limiting the rate of run-off into receiving watercourses, or to the existing sewer network. Where possible the use of SUDS is recommended.
4.3.3 The management of surface water has the potential to act as a constraint to development, not just because of space requirements, but also because the timing of the desired storage has to be right. Discharge of surface water to tidal waters, as is the case for most of the watercourses in Wirral and Liverpool, can be restricted during ‘tide-locked’ conditions due to high water levels at high tide. Pumping or additional storage is often required and with the forecasted increases in tidal water levels as a result of climate change, there is likely to be an increase in the no- discharge/storage period or pumping time. This should be further investigated as part of the Outline WCS (and potentially Detailed WCS if required) to ensure that surface water
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management policies are pegged at an appropriate strategic level, in consultation with Wirral Council, Liverpool City Council, United Utilities and Dwr Cymru Welsh Water.
4.3.4 The Outline WCS should assess the findings of this Scoping WCS in more detail and the relevant SFRAs, PFRA and SWMP and specifically:
Confirm constraints to development due to flood risk from all sources. Investigate whether the existing Flood Risk Management infrastructure and flood resilience measures are sufficient to support growth or whether additions or improvements may be required. Investigate limitations to the use of SUDS and whether the effects of tide locking on flood storage is a significant issue.
Key Data Issues 4.3.5 The risk of surface water flooding information and flood risk from ordinary watercourses is not clearly understood. However, clarity on this can be obtained from ongoing or future detailed flood risk studies and used to update the WCS when the information becomes available.
4.4 Water Quality
4.4.1 Any proposed developments will need to ensure that they demonstrate no deterioration of existing surface water and groundwater quality through effective design of wastewater and surface drainage infrastructure, and will in combination with other measures, assist in the achievement of good ecological and chemical status of water bodies by 2015 (in accordance with the EC WFD – 2000/60/EC).
4.4.2 There are two main ways in which new development can affect the hydro-ecology and water quality of receiving watercourses:
Alterations in the volume and quality of surface water runoff, Increases in treated foul sewage effluent and frequency of storm discharges from the foul sewage network.
4.4.3 The first can be managed by the use of SuDS techniques or, if not applicable, through other pollution prevention measures such as trapped gullies or oil interceptors, which should be investigated as part of the Outline WCS, whilst the second can be assessed through water quality modelling techniques.
4.4.4 There are several initiatives already underway or planned to address existing and known water quality issues within and around the study area. The Environment Agency, in close liaison with water companies has produced a list of schemes that should be undertaken as part of the National Environment Programme (NEP), to improve water quality throughout England and Wales. The NEP is the name given to the water companies' five-yearly environmental improvement programme. Actions identified will be implemented to manage the pressures on the water environment and achieve the objectives of the RBMP.
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4.4.5 A large number of the proposed schemes focus on discharges from WwTW and improving these to meet proposed WFD water quality standards by 201541.
4.4.6 For United Utilities and Dwr Cymru Welsh Water, the following key schemes have been identified in the study area:
Intermittent discharges of organic pollutants will be improved, either by providing storage, increasing the Pass Forward Flow (so that more flow is treated at the works), or through transfers under Change Protocol C. This relates to Ditton Brook, Netherley Brook and the Mersey Estuary. Screening and event monitoring will also be provided where required, AMP5 improvement scheme to re-locate the discharge from North Liverpool (Sandon Dock) WwTW (extension of outfall), Investigation of priority hazardous substances, priority substances and specific pollutants at Fazakerley WwTW. Investigations include Tributyltin (TBT), and if additional treatment for TBT is found to be required, this will be completed in AMP5.
4.4.7 In terms of the WCS, it will not be feasible to assess all watercourses within Liverpool and Wirral, and in many cases some will be unaffected by proposed development. The water quality assessment will focus on those waterbodies immediately downstream of WwTW which are likely to be impacted by growth in the towns and subsequent increases in the effluent discharged into the watercourse. As part of the Outline WCS, an assessment of the current and potential future water quality of the receiving watercourses will need to be undertaken. This will include an assessment against proposed WFD water quality standards and in conjunction with the WwTW assessment, the calculation of indicative consents required for WwTW under future growth scenarios to ensure that current water quality within receiving watercourses does not deteriorate as a result of growth. In particular, Bathing Waters and Shellfish Waters along the coastline have the potential to be impacted by effluent discharges directly, or through the cumulative effect of several upstream discharges.
4.4.8 The Outline WCS should corroborate the findings of the NEP study, in particular where the discharge from proposed growth will be transferred and whether other options for wastewater disposal are required for different potential allocations. It should also assess the environmental capacity of the receiving watercourses to ensure that discharge of additional treated wastewater from new development or surface water does not have a detrimental impact on:
The water quality of receiving waters, The hydrological/hydraulic regime of receiving waters and associated habitats, Flood risk downstream of the discharge.
Key Data Issues 4.4.9 Fazakerley, South Liverpool Woolton WwTW discharge directly into River Alt, Halewood Brook, respectively. Flow data for these watercourses is limited. The potential effects and acceptance level of flow increase on flooding need to be discussed and agreed with the Environment Agency.
41 Environment Agency River Basin Management Plan, North West River Basin District, Annex C: Actions to deliver objectives SCOPING STUDY: FINAL REPORT June 2013 35
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4.5 Ecology and Biodiversity
4.5.1 The study area and its surroundings have a number of designated European sites which are designated as such to protect Europe’s rare and endangered habitats and species and have the potential to be affected by development. A HRA (to be reviewed for the publication of the Draft Core Strategy) has been undertaken on the potential effects of Wirral Council’s and Liverpool City Council’s Core Strategy Preferred Options, on the Natura 2000 network and Ramsar sites42, 43.
4.5.2 The studies identified a number of key issues which influence the sites, and the extents to which they can currently be managed, to meet their objectives. In relation to water and future development, these included:
Sea level rise and coastal squeeze which can reduce certain intertidal habitats, Water supply and quality, Disturbance through navigation, dredging, schemes, recreational activities etc.
4.5.3 These issues were reviewed to determine whether the Core Strategy (either alone or in combination with other plans or projects) might influence key ecological processes and functions or exacerbate any existing adverse trends.
4.5.4 Table 4-1 lists the Natura 2000 sites which were identified by the HRA as potentially being affected by the proposed growth (whether alone or in combination) and are designated for habitats or species that are water dependent.
4.5.5 Growth can affect designated sites through unsustainable abstraction or reduction of water quality through an increase of nutrients in receiving watercourses that are hydrologically linked to the sites (directly or indirectly).
4.5.6 The HRA for Wirral and Liverpool highlight the Dee catchment as being particularly sensitive. The River Dee is a SAC and flows into the Dee Estuary which is also designated as a SAC as well as a SPA (and pSPA extension) and Ramsar site. Four water companies abstract from sources that affect the River Dee, including United Utilities, Dee Valley Water (DVW), Dwr Cymru Welsh Water and Severn Trent Water (ST). Excessive abstraction from the River Dee could therefore result in sufficient drawdown of water to damage the interest features of the River Dee and Bala Lake SAC (through desiccation, fish entrapment or a deterioration in water quality due to the lower proportion of freshwater to sediment) and in turn reduce freshwater flows into the Dee Estuary to such a degree as to damage the interest features of that site through an increase in salinity.
4.5.7 In 2001, the Dee Estuary from Chester Weir to its mouth was proposed by the Environment Agency Wales as a Sensitive Area to Eutrophication under the Wastewater Treatment Directive, as the estuary exceeded chemical and biological criteria indicative of eutrophic conditions.
42 URS (2010) Wirral Council Core Strategy Preferred Options Habitats Regulations Assessment, August 2010 43 Liverpool City Council Core Strategy – Habitat Regulations Assessment SCOPING STUDY: FINAL REPORT June 2013 36
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Evidence for eutrophication includes chemical data, reduced dissolved oxygen concentration in summer and elevated nitrogen concentrations in winter, Chlorophyll-a measurements, and evidence of algal scum. Two algal blooms were reported within the estuary between 1999 and 200144
4.5.8 In addition to the European Designated sites, there are a number of SSSIs which may be directly impacted as a result of growth.
Table 4-1: Water Dependent European Conservation Sites with Potential to be Impacted by the Proposed Growth Site Environmental Pressures Potential Impacts Dee Estuary SAC, Housing and employment development Direct disturbance to qualifying bird species; SPA, Ramsar Site (Wirral Settlement Area Agency 1 -8, Wastewater discharges; and proposed SPA Liverpool City Centre, Inner and Outer Water abstraction; extension Area) Dock, port and channel construction, maintenance shipping and dredging; Coastal squeeze and loss of supporting habitat, Recreational activities.; Air pollution; Renewable energy. Mersey Estuary Housing and employment development Direct disturbance to qualifying bird species; SPA and Ramsar (Wirral Settlement Area 1 -8, Liverpool Wastewater discharges; City Centre, Inner and Outer Area) Water abstraction; Dock, port and channel construction, maintenance shipping and dredging; Coastal squeeze and loss of supporting habitat, Recreational activities; Air pollution; and Renewable energy. River Dee and Bala Housing and employment development Water abstraction. Lake SAC (Wirral Settlement Area 1 -8, Liverpool City Centre, Inner and Outer Area) River Eden SAC Housing and employment development Water abstraction. (Wirral Settlement Area 1 -8, Liverpool City Centre, Inner and Outer Area) Mersey Narrows Housing and employment development Direct disturbance to qualifying bird species; and North Wirral (Wirral Settlement Area 1 -8, Liverpool Wastewater discharges; Foreshaw pSPA City Centre, Inner and Outer Area) Recreational activities; and pRamsar Air pollution; Dock, port and channel construction, maintenance shipping and dredging; Renewable energy. Ribble and Alt Housing and employment development Wastewater discharges; Estuaries SPA and (Liverpool Outer Area) Shipping and port activities; Ramsar Recreational activities. Air pollution.. Liverpool Bay pSPA Housing and employment development Dock, port and channel construction, and Ramsar (Wirral Settlement Area 1 -8, Liverpool maintenance shipping and dredging; City Centre, Inner and Outer Area) Wastewater discharges; Recreational activities; Air pollution; Renewable energy. Sefton Coast SAC Housing and employment development Wastewater discharges; (Wirral Settlement Area 1 -8, Liverpool Recreational activities. Outer Area)
44 Wirral Council Core Strategy Preferred Options – Habitat Regulations Assessment SCOPING STUDY: FINAL REPORT June 2013 37
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4.5.9 The Outline WCS should assess the findings of this Scoping WCS in more detail and specifically:
Assess the impact of planned development on the designated sites. The assessment should be in line with the Environment Agency’s policy based on the ‘no deterioration’ principles. The Outline WCS will validate the conclusions of the HRA with respect to wastewater and abstraction issues.
Key Data Issues 4.5.10 Fazakerley, South Liverpool Woolton WwTW discharge directly into River Alt, Halewood Brook, respectively. Flow data for these watercourses is limited. This may limit the “no deterioration” assessment and a way forward needs to be discussed and agreed with the Environment Agency.
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5 Progression of WCS
5.1 Outline WCS
5.1.1 The Outline WCS will build on the findings of this Scoping WCS and consider all of the ways in which new development will impact on the water environment, or water infrastructure specific to where growth is most likely to be targeted. It will be undertaken prior to consideration of allocation sites such that it can inform the decision process in terms of where development will be targeted. The key aim of the Outline WCS is to provide Liverpool City Council and Wirral Council with the evidence base which ensures that water issues have been taken into account when deciding the location and density of development within each LPA’s planning area and within the Mersey Heartland Growth Point Area, as part of the development of their Local Plans and Core Strategies.
5.1.2 It also gives United Utilities and Dwr Cymru Welsh Water specific additional information for their business plans to inform decisions on required investment in upgrades and provision of new infrastructure to service proposed development.
5.1.3 If significant new infrastructure is required, or an impact on the water environment cannot be ruled out as significant, a Detailed WCS may need to be undertaken for site-specific allocations, or for the study area as a whole.
5.2 Project Group/Stakeholder
Project Group
5.2.1 Once the Outline WCS (and potentially Detailed WCS) has determined the requirement for new infrastructure it will be necessary for the following key Stakeholders to take ownership of the WCS findings:
Wirral Council and Liverpool City Council as the planning authorities and delivery vehicles for growth in the Growth Point Area; The Environment Agency – as the Statutory planning and flood risk consultee as well as regulator for water quality; and United Utilities and Dwr Cymru Welsh Water – as providers of wastewater and water supply infrastructure.
5.2.2 Having due regard to the planning timeframes there will need to be stakeholder agreement on what infrastructure will be required (as recommended by the WCS) as well as when it will be required and how it will be funded. The best way to achieve this is to ensure that the key stakeholders are involved at an early stage of the WCS. In this regard a Project Steering Group comprising Wirral Council, Liverpool City Council, the Environment Agency, United Utilities and Dwr Cymru Welsh Water has been set-up during the early stages of the Outline WCS to advise and agree on the findings of both the Outline WCS and the requirements for any future Detailed WCS.
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