PHASE ONE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT Community Forum Area Report 18 | Stoneleigh, Kenilworth and Burton Green HS2 London-West Midlands May 2013 ENGINE FOR GROWTH DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT Community Forum Area Report ENGINE FOR GROWTH 18 I Stoneleigh, Kenilworth and Burton Green High Speed Two (HS2) Limited, 2nd Floor, Eland House, Bressenden Place, London SW1E 5DU Telephone 020 7944 4908 General email enquiries: [email protected] Website: www.hs2.org.uk © Crown copyright, 2013, except where otherwise stated Copyright in the typographical arrangement rests with the Crown. You may re-use this information (not including logos or third-party material) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or e-mail: [email protected]. Where we have identified any third-party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned. To order further copies contact: DfT Publications Tel: 0300 123 1102 Web: www.dft.gov.uk/orderingpublications Product code: ES/18 Printed in Great Britain on paper containing at least 75% recycled fibre. CFA Report – Stoneleigh, Kenilworth and Burton Green/No 18 I Contents Contents Draft Volume 2: Community Forum Area Report – Stoneleigh, Kenilworth and Burton Green/No 18 5 Part A: Introduction 6 1 Introduction 7 1.1 Introduction to HS2 7 1.2 Purpose of this report 7 1.3 Structure of this report 9 Part B: Stoneleigh, Kenilworth and Burton Green – overview of the area and description of the Proposed Scheme 10 2 Stoneleigh, Kenilworth and Burton Green 11 2.1 Overview of the area 11 2.2 Description of the Proposed Scheme 15 2.3 Construction of the Proposed Scheme 20 2.4 Operation of the Proposed Scheme 30 2.5 Community forum engagement 31 2.6 Route section main alternatives 31 2.7 Proposals for further consideration 34 Part C: Environmental topic assessments 35 3 Agriculture, forestry and soils 36 3.1 Introduction 36 3.2 Policy framework 36 3.3 Assessment scope and key assumptions 36 3.4 Environmental baseline 36 3.5 Construction 40 3.6 Operation 42 1 CFA Report – Stoneleigh, Kenilworth and Burton Green/No 18 I Contents 4 Air quality 44 4.1 Introduction 44 4.2 Policy framework 44 4.3 Assessment scope and key assumptions 44 4.4 Environmental baseline 45 4.5 Construction 46 4.6 Operation 48 5 Community 49 5.1 Introduction 49 5.2 Policy framework 49 5.3 Assessment scope and key assumptions 50 5.4 Environmental baseline 50 5.5 Construction 53 5.6 Operation 57 6 Cultural heritage 59 6.1 Introduction 59 6.2 Policy framework 59 6.3 Assessment scope and key assumptions 60 6.4 Environmental baseline 60 6.5 Construction 62 6.6 Operation 64 7 Ecology 66 7.1 Introduction 66 7.2 Policy framework 66 7.3 Assessment scope and key assumptions 66 7.4 Environmental baseline 67 7.5 Construction 69 7.6 Operation 72 8 Land quality 74 8.1 Introduction 74 8.2 Policy framework 74 8.3 Assessment scope and key assumptions 75 8.4 Environmental baseline 75 8.5 Construction 77 8.6 Operation 79 2 CFA Report – Stoneleigh, Kenilworth and Burton Green/No 18 I Contents 9 Landscape and visual assessment 80 9.1 Introduction 80 9.2 Policy framework 80 9.3 Assessment scope and key assumptions 81 9.4 Environmental baseline 81 9.5 Construction 82 9.6 Operation 87 10 Socio-economics 92 10.1 Introduction 92 10.2 Policy framework 92 10.3 Assessment scope and key assumptions 92 10.4 Environmental baseline 92 10.5 Construction 93 10.6 Operation 94 11 Sound, noise and vibration 95 11.1 Introduction 95 11.2 Policy framework 95 11.3 Assessment scope and key assumptions 95 11.4 Environmental baseline 95 11.5 Construction 95 11.6 Operation 96 12 Traffic and transport 99 12.1 Introduction 99 12.2 Policy framework 99 12.3 Assessment scope and key assumptions 99 12.4 Environmental baseline 100 12.5 Construction 102 12.6 Operation 105 13 Water resources and flood risk assessment 107 13.1 Introduction 107 13.2 Policy framework 107 13.3 Assessment scope and key assumptions 108 13.4 Environmental baseline 108 13.5 Construction 109 13.6 Operation 111 14 References 114 2 3 CFA Report – Stoneleigh, Kenilworth and Burton Green/No 18 I Contents List of figures Figure 1: HS2 Phase One route and community forum areas 8 Figure 2: Area context map 12 Figure 3: Indicative construction programme for the area 30 Figure 4: Business Sector Composition in Warwick District and the West Midlands 93 List of tables Table 1: Location of construction site compounds 21 Table 2: Location of temporary worker accommodation sites 23 Table 3: Demolition works 24 Table 4: Watercourse diversions 24 Table 5: Highway and road diversions 25 Table 6: Footpath, cycleway and bridleway diversions 26 Table 7: Viaducts, underbridges and overbridges 27 Table 8: Holdings affected by the Proposed Scheme 39 Table 9: Preliminary evaluation of likely value of protected and/or notable species occurring within this section of the route 69 Table 10: Significant residual construction effects on ecological receptors within this section of the route 72 Table 11: Significant residual operational effects on ecological receptors within this section of the route 73 Table 12: Significant landscape effects during construction 83 Table 13: Significant visual effects during construction 87 Table 14: Significant landscape effects during operation year 1 (2026) 88 Table 15: Significant visual effects during operation year 1 (2026) 89 Table 16: Options for further mitigation 98 Table 17: Construction site compounds and workforce numbers, average duration of use and peak hour trips 103 4 CFA Report – Stoneleigh, Kenilworth and Burton Green/No 18 I Contents Draft Volume 2: Community Forum Area Report Stoneleigh, Kenilworth and Burton Green/No 18 Structure of the HS2 draft Environmental Statement The draft ES documentation for the purpose of this consultation comprises: • A non-technical summary (NTS) – providing a summary of the Proposed Scheme, the likely significant effects of the Proposed Scheme, both beneficial and adverse, and the means to avoid or reduce the adverse effects; and • A main report – consisting of two volumes: ȃ Volume 1: Introduction to the Environmental Statement and Proposed Scheme which provides an introduction to HS2, an overview of the hybrid bill process and the environmental impact assessment (EIA) methodology, an introduction to consultation and engagement, the main strategic and route-wide alternatives considered; and ȃ Volume 2: Includes 26 Community Forum Area (CFA) reports, each with a separate corresponding map book, which together provide the assessment of local environmental effects. An assessment of the effects of the Proposed Scheme on a route-wide basis is presented in Report 27. HS2 Ltd set up 26 community forums along the line of route of the Proposed Scheme, as a regular way of engaging with local communities1. Volume 2 of this draft ES supports this engagement strategy by providing a draft ES report for each CFA. This is a report for the Stoneleigh, Kenilworth and Burton Green area, CFA18. The draft ES has been written in a clear and accessible manner; however, on occasion it has been necessary to use technical terms. Given this, a glossary of terms and list of abbreviations for all draft ES documentation is provided. 1 Details of these community forums are provided on the HS2 Ltd website at http://www.hs2.org.uk/have-your-say/forums/community-forums. 5 CFA Report – Stoneleigh, Kenilworth and Burton Green/No 18 I Contents Part A: Introduction 6 CFA Report – Stoneleigh, Kenilworth and Burton Green/No 18 I Introduction 1 Introduction 1.1 Introduction to HS2 1.1.1 HS2 is planned to be a Y-shaped rail network with stations in London, Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, South Yorkshire and the East Midlands, linked by high speed trains running at speeds of up to 360 kilometres per hour (kph) (225 miles per hour (mph)). 1.1.2 HS2 is proposed to be built in two phases. Phase One (the Proposed Scheme), the subject of this draft ES, would involve the construction of a new railway line of approximately 230km (143 miles) between London and Birmingham that would become operational by 2026; with a connection to the West Coast Main Line (WCML) near Lichfield and to the existing HS1 line in London. The Phase One route and the 26 CFAs are shown in Figure 1. 1.1.3 On opening, Phase One would run up to 14 trains per hour (tph). HS2 trains would be up to 400 metres (m) long with 1,100 seats during peak hours. Beyond the dedicated high speed track, these high speed trains would connect with and run on the existing WCML to serve passengers beyond the HS2 network. A connection to HS1 would also allow some services to run to mainland Europe via the Channel Tunnel. 1.1.4 Phase Two would involve the construction of lines from Birmingham to Leeds and Manchester; with construction commencing around 2027, and planned to be operational by 2033. After Phase Two opens, it is expected that the frequency of train services on some parts of the Phase One route could increase up to 18tph. 1.1.5 The Government believes that the HS2 network should link to Heathrow and its preferred option is for this to be built as part of Phase Two.