Issue Date: June 2010 UNCLASSIFIED Issue No: FINAL 2 DIRECTORATE MAJOR PROJECT 8. Water Resources Hydrus Defence Exempt Environmental Appraisal Volume I Reference: MER-110-009282 8. WATER RESOURCES 1) The permanent features, which include: The Water Framework Directive (WFD) (Ref. 8-9) is a vital piece of European legislation designed to integrate how the water bodies are managed. The WFD is - Operations Building with a Lightning Protection System (LPS) implemented in England by the Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) 8.1 Introduction comprising eight lightning conductor masts in the centre of the (England and Wales) Regulations 2003 (Ref. 8-10). Other relevant legislation Hydrus Development Site; includes: This chapter of the Defence Exempt Environmental Appraisal (DEEA) addresses - Support Building in the north-east corner of the Hydrus the impact of the Proposed Development with respect to water resources. The Development Site; and • Water Act 2003 (Ref. 8-11); Proposed Development comprises a replacement hydrodynamics research facility, known as the Hydrus Facility. This will include permanent structures such - Electrical Substation in the west of the Hydrus Development Site. • Water Resources (Abstraction and Impounding) Regulations 2006 (Ref. as the Operations Building and Support Building together with an Electrical 8-12); 2) The temporary construction area established in the western part of the Substation and external works including landscaping, a Sustainable Drainage Hydrus Development Site, which includes construction accommodation System (SuDS), and access / circulation routes. • The Water Resources (Environmental Impact Assessment) (England and welfare facilities, including canteen, WCs, changing facilities and and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2006 (Ref. 8-13); site offices in temporary buildings. On completion of construction, the This chapter considers the following: area will be reinstated to form part of the landscape scheme; • Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2000 (Ref. 8-14); • The key features / characteristics of the water resources within the 3) The use of two existing construction enclaves; the Central Area • Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2001 (Ref. 8-15); Hydrus Development Site, construction enclaves and associated Construction Enclave (CACE) and the West End Construction Enclave • Water Supply (Water Quality) (Amendment) Regulations 2001 (Ref. 8- facilities and landscaping and SuDS proposals; (WECE). These will encompass material lay-down areas, prefabrication 16); • The sensitivity of identified receptors; areas and a refuelling area, and construction office accommodation for construction management and welfare buildings. Further details of the • Control of Pollution (Applications, Appeals and Registers) Regulations • The direct and indirect environmental impacts arising from the construction enclaves, can be found in Chapter 6: Construction Phase of 1996 (Ref. 8-17); and development; this DEEA; and • Control of Pollution (Oil Storage) (England) Regulations 2001 (Ref. 8- • The mitigation to which AWE is committed in order to reduce the 4) The permanent external works which includes SuDS, landscape 18). potential scale of any negative impacts and promote positive impacts; strategy proposals, access / circulation routes and lighting. Further and details can be found within Chapter 13: Landscape and Visual of this 8.2.2 National Planning Guidance DEEA. • The residual environmental impacts that result following the 8.2.2.1 PPS 23: Planning and Pollution Control implementation of the proposed mitigation. 8.2 Planning and Policy Context Appendix A of Planning Policy Statement 23 (PPS23): Planning and Pollution Environmental impacts predicted during the construction of the Hydrus Facility Control (Ref. 8-19), with respect to water resources advises that in setting out Chapter 3: Planning Policy Context provides an outline of the legislation and (short-term impacts) and those predicted to result from the presence of the new local development frameworks and in taking decisions on individual planning planning policy context for the Proposed Development. The key National and buildings (long-term impacts) have been assessed. The potential environmental applications, local planning authorities must take account of: Local water environment and water resource related legislation and policy issues impacts of the operational phase of the Proposed Development are also of relevance to this development are described in the following paragraphs. assessed. Further details of the Proposed Development and construction • The possible impact of potentially polluting development (both direct and enclaves can be found in Chapter 5: The Proposed Development and Chapter 6: 8.2.1 National Legislation indirect) on land use, including effects on health, the natural Construction Phase of this DEEA. environment or general amenity; The water environment within the UK is protected by the Water Resources Act A Flood Risk Assessment (FRA) (Ref. 8-1) has been undertaken by RPS and a 1991 (Ref. 8-3). The Environment Agency has responsibility and powers, as • The potential sensitivity of the area to adverse effects from pollution, in SuDS detail design submission (Ref. 8-2) has been compiled by Atkins for the determined by the Environment Act 1995 (Ref. 8-4) to control abstractions, particular reflected in ground and surface waters, water supply (Source Proposed Development and is included in Technical Appendix B of Volume II of impoundment and discharges, as well as controlling water quality and Protection Zones (SPZs)) and the need to protect natural resources; this DEEA. Groundwater contamination is addressed in Chapter 7: Ground biodiversity. The Water Resources Act 1991 is also supplemented by the Conditions of this DEEA. This chapter has been prepared by RPS Group and • The possible adverse impacts on water quality and the impact of any Environmental Protection Act (EPA) 1990 (Ref. 8-5), which controls measures for URS Corporation. possible discharge of effluent or leachates which may pose a threat to integrated pollution prevention. A number of regulations have since been surface or underground water resources directly or indirectly through established to enact these laws, including: 8.1.1 Proposed Development surrounding soils; • The need to make suitable provision for the drainage of surface water; The Application Site and the Proposed Development is described in detail within • Water Resources (Environmental Impact Assessment) (England and and Chapter 5: The Proposed Development. The Proposed Development consists of Wales) Regulations, 2003 (Ref. 8-6); the following main elements: • The Groundwater Regulations, 1998 (Ref. 8-7); and • The provision of sewerage and sewage treatment and the availability of existing sewage infrastructure. • The Anti-Pollution Regulations, 1999 (Ref. 8-8). In addition to this Annex 1 of PPS23 (Ref. 8-20) advises that ‘developers should be encouraged where appropriate to incorporate into their proposals Sustainable Uncontrolled Copy when Printed 8-1 UNCLASSIFIED Issue Date: June 2010 UNCLASSIFIED Issue No: FINAL 2 DIRECTORATE MAJOR PROJECT 8. Water Resources Hydrus Defence Exempt Environmental Appraisal Volume I Reference: MER-110-009282 Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS). This will help to reduce the impact of diffuse environment. Sustainable Flood Risk Management (Policy NRM4) states that the • Changes in behaviour by organisations and individuals. pollution from run-off and flooding, as well as providing a contribution to local sequential approach to development in flood risk areas set out in PPS25 will be amenity and biodiversity’. followed. Policy NRM4 goes on to state that local authorities, with advice from Sustainable Design and Construction (Policy CC4) indicates that the design and the Environment Agency, should undertake a Strategic Flood Risk Assessment construction of all new development, and redevelopment and refurbishment of Groundwater quality is covered in more detail in Chapter 7: Ground Conditions of (SFRA) to provide a comprehensive understanding of the flood risk and put in existing building stock will be expected to adopt and incorporate sustainable this DEEA. place a framework for applying the PPS25 sequential approach. This will construction standards and techniques. It is expected that with respect to water facilitate allocating sites in areas with decreasing probability of flood risk. The resources this will include consideration of how all aspects of development can 8.2.2.2 PPS25: Development and Flood Risk SFRA would assess future climate change and identify appropriate types of contribute to securing high standards of sustainable development including development in accordance with the PPS25 sequential test and flood vulnerability aspects such as energy, water efficiency and biodiversity gain. PPS 25: Development and Flood Risk (Ref. 8-21) sets out the Government’s of different land uses. Existing flood defences will be protected from National policy on development and flood risk, which is intended for use by 8.2.3.2 West Berkshire District Local Plan Saved Policies development. Where development is permitted in appropriately defended Regional Planning Bodies and Local Planning Authorities (LPAs). PPS25 sets floodplains, it must be designed to be resilient to flooding (to minimise potential out decision making principles that should be applied, so that for site specific In accordance with the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (Ref. 8-23)