Portishead Branch Line (MetroWest Phase 1) TR040011 Applicant: North Somerset District Council 6.14, Environmental Statement, Volume 2, Chapter 11 Landscape and Visual Impacts Assessment The Infrastructure Planning (Applications: Prescribed Forms and Procedure) Regulations 2009, regulation 5(2)(a) Planning Act 2008 Author: CH2M Date: November 2019 Notice © Copyright 2019 CH2M HILL United Kingdom. The concepts and information contained in this document are the property of CH2M HILL United Kingdom, a wholly owned subsidiary of Jacobs. Use or copying of this document in whole or in part without the written permission of Jacobs constitutes an infringement of copyright. Limitation: This document has been prepared on behalf of, and for the exclusive use of Jacobs’ client, and is subject to, and issued in accordance with, the provisions of the contract between Jacobs and the client. 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Document history Project Portishead Branch Line (MetroWest Phase 1) Development Consent Order Scheme Planning Inspectorate Scheme TR040011 Reference Part and Application Document 6, 6.14 Reference Document title Environmental Statement, Volume 2, Chapter 11 Landscape and Visual Impacts Assessment Regulation Number Regulation 5(2)(a) Applicant North Somerset District Council Lead Author AL at CH2M Version Date Status of Version Rev: 01 08/11/19 Application Issue Table of Contents Chapter Page 11 Landscape and Visual Impacts Assessment ......................................... 11-1 11.1 Introduction ...................................................................................... 11-1 11.2 Legislation and Policy Framework ................................................... 11-2 11.3 Methodology .................................................................................... 11-6 11.4 Baseline, Future Conditions and Value of Resource ..................... 11-25 11.5 Measures Adopted as Part of the DCO Scheme ........................... 11-53 11.6 Assessment of Landscape Effects ................................................. 11-54 11.7 Assessment of Visual Effects ......................................................... 11-84 11.8 Mitigation and Residual Effects ...................................................... 11-90 11.9 Cumulative Effects ......................................................................... 11-91 11.10 Limitations Encountered in Compiling the ES ................................ 11-94 11.11 Summary ....................................................................................... 11-94 11.12 References .................................................................................. 11-106 11.13 Abbreviations ............................................................................... 11-107 Tables Table 11.1: Summary of relevant NPSNN advice on landscape and visual impact assessment Table 11.2: Summary of local policy on landscape and views Table 11.3: Summary of consultation responses Table 11.4: Landscape character value Table 11.5: Sensitivity of visual receptors and typical descriptors Table 11.6: Magnitude of impact for landscape character effects Table 11.7: Magnitude of visual impact and typical descriptors Table 11.8: Significance of landscape effects Table 11.9: Significance of visual effects Table 11.10: Designations relevant to the DCO Scheme Table 11.11: Listed buildings relevant to the DCO Scheme Table 11.12: Registered parks and gardens relevant to the DCO Scheme Table 11.13: Scheduled monuments relevant to the DCO Scheme Table 11.14: Impact of proposed fencing within the Avon Gorge Table 11.15: Impact of proposed geotechnical works on Network Rail land within the Avon Gorge Woodlands SAC Table 11.16: Impact of proposed geotechnical works on third party land within the Avon Gorge Woodlands SAC Table 11.17: Areas of vegetation clearance within semi-natural ancient woodland, secondary woodland and SAC grassland (m2) compared to areas where positive management is proposed i Table 11.18: Effects on the setting of listed buildings Table 11.19: Effects on the setting of registered parks and gardens Table 11.20: Effects on the setting of scheduled monuments Table 11.21: Summary of the assessment of the DCO Scheme on landscape and views Figures See ES Volume 3, Book of Figures, DCO Document Reference 6.24 Figure 11.1: Landscape baseline plan Figure 11.2: Indicative site specific landscape character areas Figure 11.3 Visual envelope and receptors Appendices See ES Volume 4, Technical Appendices, DCO Document Reference 6.25 Appendix 11.1 General Views Appendix 11.2 General Summer and Winter Views Appendix 11.3 Visual Effects Appendix 11.4 Photomontages Technical Report ii CHAPTER 11 PORTISHEAD BRANCH LINE DCO SCHEME LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACTS ASSESSMENT ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT, VOLUME 2 CHAPTER 11 11 Landscape and Visual Impacts Assessment 11.1 Introduction The Portishead Branch Line (MetroWest Phase 1) Development Consent Order Scheme (“the DCO Scheme”) has the potential to give rise to significant landscape and visual effects. This Chapter: • describes the relevant legal and policy framework which has informed the undertaking of the assessment; • describes the methodology used for the identification and assessment of likely significant landscape and visual impacts effects in this Environmental Statement ("ES"); • describes the landscape and visual baseline having regard to existing information; • describes the measures that have been adopted as part of the DCO Scheme; • identifies and assesses the likely significant effects that could result from the DCO Scheme during construction and operation phases; • considers mitigation of likely significant effects and assesses residual effects; • considers the cumulative effects of other developments in combination with the DCO Scheme on landscape and visual receptors; • identifies the limitations encountered in compiling this ES; and • provides a summary of the residual effects for the mitigated DCO Scheme. Landscape character and visual impact assessments are separate, but related topics. The landscape character assessment relates to changes to the elements, features and patterns which together make up the landscape character, regardless of where it is viewed from. The visual impact assessment relates to the change in the view from particular locations which are referred to as the visual receptors. The process of landscape and visual impact assessment (“LVIA”) involves developing an understanding of both the existing landscape character and the visual resources in relation to the DCO Scheme, and then assessing the impact of the DCO Scheme on these resources. Mitigation measures are proposed and included as part of the design where required. The landscape character has been assessed through consideration of nationally and locally designated landscapes and their features, as well as site specific qualities. 11-1 PORTISHEAD BRANCH LINE DCO SCHEME CHAPTER 11 ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT, VOLUME 2 LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACTS ASSESSMENT An understanding of the visual impact has been developed by preparing an approximate visual envelope of the DCO Scheme and assessing the magnitude of the change in views from selected viewpoints within that visual envelope where those viewpoints are considered potentially to undergo a significant change in view. The cumulative effects consider the impact of other development in the vicinity of the DCO Scheme, as well as the construction and operation of the proposed works required for MetroWest Phase 1 comprising the modifications to Parson Street Junction (including Liberty Lane Sidings) where the DCO Scheme will join the south west main line between Bristol and Exeter, Parson Street Station and the Bedminster Down Relief Line in the Bristol area, the Avonmouth / Severn Beach Signalling, and the Bathampton Turnback, which is located near the outskirts of Bath. This chapter should be read in conjunction with Chapter 4 Description of the Proposed Works (DCO Document Reference 6.7) and Chapter 8 Cultural Heritage (DCO Document Reference 6.11) with regard to the impact of the DCO Scheme on the setting of heritage features. 11.2 Legislation and Policy Framework National Policy National Policy Statement for National Networks The National Policy Statement for National Networks ("NPSNN") advises on the assessment of landscape and visual impacts for nationally significant infrastructure projects (“NSIP”) for national networks including railways at paragraphs 5.143 to 5.161. Applicants should undertake an assessment of any likely significant landscape and visual impacts and describe these in the ES. Table 11.1 summarises the requirements of the NPSNN for developers. Table 11.1: Summary of relevant NPSNN advice on landscape and visual impact assessment Summary of