Proposed Extension to Linhay Hill Quarry Environmental Statement (Part 2) E&JW Glendinning Ltd June 2016 Proposed Extension to Linhay Hill Quarry Environmental Statement (Part 2) Notice This report was produced by Atkins Ltd. for E&JW Glendinning Ltd. for the specific purpose of providing an Environmental Statement for the proposed extension of Linhay Hill Quarry, Ashburton. Atkins Ltd. assumes no responsibility to any other party in respect of or arising out of or in connection with this document and/or its contents. Document history Job number: 5137007 Document ref: ES Rev 2.1: Part 2 Revision Purpose description Originated Checked Reviewed Authorised Date Rev 1.0 First Draft AH KR TM AH 26/1/16 Rev 1.1 Second draft, inc need AH KR TM AH 16/3/16 and Alts Rev 1.2 Revised to include AH KR TM AH 11/4/16 restoration, etc Rev 2 Final Issue AH KR ATF AH 4/6/16 (Part 2) Rev 2.1 Submission AH KR ATF AH 10/6/16 Client signoff Client E&JW Glendinning Ltd Project Proposed Extension to Linhay Hill Quarry Document title Environmental Statement Job no. 5137007 Copy no. 001 Document ES Rev 2.1: Part 2 reference Atkins Environmental Statement | Version 2.1: Part 2 | June 2016 | 5137007 Proposed Extension to Linhay Hill Quarry Environmental Statement (Part 2) Table of Contents Chapter Pages 7. Approach to Consideration of Impacts and Effects 7-1 Temporal Scope 7-1 Spatial Scope 7-2 Established Baseline Conditions 7-2 Impacts and Effects 7-2 Identification and Sensitivity of Receptors 7-3 Significance Criteria for Effects 7-3 Mitigation 7-3 Identification of Residual Impacts 7-4 Cumulative Effects and Interactions with other projects 7-4 8. Landscape and Visual Effects 8-1 Introduction 8-1 Methodology 8-4 Planning Policy Context 8-12 Baseline Conditions 8-17 Potential Landscape Effects 8-42 Potential Visual Effects 8-50 Mitigation 8-59 Residual Landscape & Visual Effects 8-61 Cumulative Effects 8-131 Areas of Uncertainty and Assumptions 8-132 Summary and Recommendations 8-132 9. Economic and Social Effects 9-1 Introduction 9-1 Policy Context 9-1 Approach and Methodology 9-5 Existing and Future Situation 9-6 Predicted Potential Impacts 9-12 Mitigation 9-15 Residual Effects 9-15 Summary of Effects and Conclusions 9-16 10. Ecology 10-1 Introduction 10-1 Legislation, Policy and Guidance 10-2 Assessment Methodology 10-9 Baseline Conditions and Valuation of Features 10-20 Assessment of Impacts and Mitigation 10-40 Detailed Assessment of Impacts on Important Ecological Features 10-43 Final Restoration (Stage 6) 10-68 Summary of Effects and Conclusions 10-71 Figures 10-83 Figure 10.1 - Important Ecological Features within /immediately surrounding the Site 10-83 Figure 10.2 - Greater horseshoe bat activity (from static detector monitoring) 10-83 Figure 10.3 - Impacts on Important Ecological Features (Habitats) within each Stage 10-83 Figure 10.4 – Ecological Mitigation and Enhancement Strategy 10-83 Atkins Environmental Statement | Version 2.1: Part 2 | June 2016 | 5137007 Proposed Extension to Linhay Hill Quarry Environmental Statement (Part 2) 7. Approach to Consideration of Impacts and Effects Temporal Scope 7.1. The EIA has addressed impacts likely to arise from both the construction and operation of the Proposals as follows: 7.2. The construction of Waye Lane and the accesses to Alston Farm and Lower Waye in Stage 0 and the staged overburden stripping and construction of the screening bunds are regarded as the construction phase, the subsequent extraction from within the extension area is regarded as the operational phase. However because of the staged nature of the proposals and the position that overburden stripping and bund building will occur at the beginning of and at intervals within each stage, the quarry extension will have a number of construction phases as the quarry extension progresses. 7.3. An easy way to visualise this is by reference to the time line shown in the table below, with the construction phases represented by the stars in stage 0, and by the green and orange coloured squares representing bund construction and backfilling episodes in years 2, 10 (Stage 1), 13, 16 (Stage 2), 31 (Stage 3), 40, 43 and 46 (Stage 4). Table 7-1 Linhay Hill Quarry Extension proposals time line Year// 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Stage 0 1a 1b 2a 2b 3 4 5 Year// 17 18 19 20 to 31 32 to 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 to 60+ Stage 0 1a 1b 2a 2b 3 4 5 Note: Years are counted from the start of operations and are based on current rate of extraction at Linhay Hill Quarry. Hence all timing is approximate. Construct replacement route for Alston Lane, diversion of public footpath and services, Key and other preliminary works. Bund Construction Backfilling in Linhay Hill Quarry Limestone Quarrying Atkins Environmental Statement | Version 2.1: Part 2 | June 2016 | 5137007 7-1 Proposed Extension to Linhay Hill Quarry Environmental Statement (Part 2) 7.4. The significance of the effects that may arise in construction and operation is based on any changes compared to the baseline conditions (i.e. those conditions which would exist if the Proposals did not go ahead). The ongoing existence of the existing quarry has been taken into account in the assessments. 7.5. In the assessments generally construction effects are temporary, and operation effects are permanent. However it is relevant to point out that the Planning Proactive Guidance lists a number of special characteristics of minerals development that are not present in other types of development, including that minerals ‘working is working is a temporary use of land, although it often takes place over a long period of time’. Many of the operational effects of the proposals will therefore cease when the extended quarry is worked out; and are therefore themselves temporary in the long run. Nevertheless, it is recognised that not all operational effects are temporary, for instance, landscape change in chapter 8 and the ecological enhancements in chapter 10. Spatial Scope 7.6. The spatial extent of the ES is described by the geographical area potentially affected by the Proposals. The definition of the spatial scope takes into account: The physical extent of the proposals, defined by the limits of land to be used both during construction and operation: the area of the red line in the planning application site plan; The nature of the baseline environment and the way in which the impacts and effects are likely to be experienced; 7.7. The ‘Proposals’ refers to all elements of the scheme or project. The term ‘site’, or ‘planning application area’ refers to the site area that contains all the elements of the ‘proposals’. This is the area enclosed by the red line on the Location Plan and Site Plan. In addition references have been made to the ‘extension area’. This refers to the part of the planning application area containing the additional area to be quarried, together with the area for the overburden bunds. The extension area comprises approximately 21 hectares of quarry extension, and approximately 11 hectares of bunds. 7.8. The environmental effects for each discipline are expressed at different spatial extents. Sometimes, to assist with the description of the context within which a significant effect may arise, a wider area has been examined. The spatial scope for each discipline is described within each of the topic chapters. The term ‘Study Area’ relates to the area that is being described and assessed as part of each respective assessment. Established Baseline Conditions 7.9. Baseline collection of data has been undertaken to enable a robust assessment, appropriate to the nature and scale of the Proposals. The extent of the baseline has been determined through professional judgement and industry best practice. The collection of baseline has been achieved through desk study, consultation and field surveys at appropriate times of year where appropriate. Baseline information collected is presented in each specific environmental topic section and in the Figures and Appendices which accompany these sections. Impacts and Effects 7.10. Schedule 4 of the EIA Regulations requires an ES to describe, among other things, the: aspects of the environment likely to be significantly affected by the development, including, in particular, population, fauna, flora, soil, water, air, climatic factors, material assets, including the architectural and archaeological heritage, landscape and the inter-relationship between the above factors likely significant effects of the development on the environment, which should cover the direct effects and any indirect, secondary, cumulative, short, medium and long-term, permanent and temporary, positive and negative effects of the Proposals , resulting from: (a) the existence of the development ; (b) the use of natural resources; (c) the emission of pollutants, the creation of nuisances and the elimination of waste, 7.11. This chapter summarises the approach adopted to comply with these requirements in Schedule 4 of the EIA Regulations. A distinction has been made in the assessment between impacts and effects, where: Impacts are defined as the predicted change to the baseline environment as a result of the proposals (e.g. areas of land take, levels of noise, degree of visual intrusion, etc) and Atkins Environmental Statement | Version 2.1: Part 2 | June 2016 | 5137007 7-2 Proposed Extension to Linhay Hill Quarry Environmental Statement (Part 2) Effects are the consequence of impacts on environmental resources or receptors of particular value or sensitivity (e.g. loss of ecological area due to land take, disturbance due to noise, loss of amenity due to visual intrusion, etc).