Midland Metro BCCE: Paradise Circus Variation
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Environmental Statement Volume 1: Main Statement Environmental Statement Volume 1: Main Statement Midland Metro BCCE: Paradise Circus Variation Environmental Statement Volume 1: Main Statement November 2013 Centro Midland Metro BCCE: Paradise Circus Variation 300207 MMD CS21 0000 0001 http://localhost:3579/UCdoc~EUNAPiMS/1546946367/Paradise_Circus_ Variation_ES_Final.docx 26 November 2013 Environmental Statement Midland Metro BCCE: Paradise Circus Variation Volume 1: Main Statement Environmental Statement Volume 1: Main Statement November 2013 Centro Centro Centro House 16 Summer Lane Birmingham B19 3SD Mott MacDonald, 35 Newhall Street, Birmingham, B3 3PU, United Kingdom T +44 (0)121 234 1500 F +44 (0)121 200 3295 W www.mottmac.com Midland Metro BCCE: Paradise Circus Variation Environmental Statement Volume 1: Main Statement Issue and revision record Revision Date Originator Checker Approver Standard Final 26/11/2013 PSM RP/EC EJL Final Issue This document is issued for the party which commissioned it and We accept no responsibility for the consequences of this for specific purposes connected with the above-captioned project document being relied upon by any other party, or being used only. It should not be relied upon by any other party or used for for any other purpose, or containing any error or omission any other purpose. which is due to an error or omission in data supplied to us by other parties. This document contains proprietary intellectual property. It should not be shown to other parties without consent from us and from the party which commissioned it.. 300207/MMD/CS21/0000/0001 26 November 2013 Midland Metro BCCE: Paradise Circus Variation Environmental Statement Volume 1: Main Statement Contents Chapter Title Page Abbreviations i 1 Introduction 1 2 Scheme Description 6 3 Need and Alternatives 14 4 EIA Methodology 18 5 Construction Strategy 29 6 Planning Policy Framework 39 7 Land Use and Land Take 44 8 Traffic and Transport 49 9 Noise and Vibration 66 10 Air Quality and Dust 83 11 Archaeology and Cultural Heritage 99 12 Townscape and Visual Amenity 112 13 Contaminated Land 130 14 Land Drainage and Water Resources 144 15 Electromagnetic Issues 154 16 Conclusion and Summary of Impacts and Mitigation 160 17 References 166 300207/MMD/CS21/0000/0001 26 November 2013 Midland Metro BCCE: Paradise Circus Variation Environmental Statement Volume 1: Main Statement Abbreviations AIR Air Quality Information Resource AQMA Air Quality Management Area AQS Air Quality Strategy AURN Automatic Urban and Rural Network BCC Birmingham City Council BCCE Birmingham City Centre Extension CEMP Construction Environmental Management Plan CoCP Code of Construction Practice CRN Calculation of Railway Noise CRTN Calculation of Road Traffic Noise CSQ Centenary Square Extension CZ Character Zone dB Decibels DEFRA Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs DfT Department for Transport DMRB Design Manual for Roads and Bridges DPD Development Plan Document EA Environment Agency EC European Community EFT Emission Factor Toolkit EIA Environmental Impact Assessment EMC Electromagnetic Compatibility EMF Electromagnetic Fields EMI Electromagnetic Interference EPA Environmental Protection Act ES Environmental Statement EU European Union GHz Gigahertz HER Historic Environment Record ICC International Convention Centre ICNIRP International Committee on Non Ionising Radiation Protection LDF Local Development Framework LEAP Local Environmental Agency Plan LoD Limits of Deviation LRT Light Rail Transit LTP Local Transport Plan NAEI National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory NGR National Grid Reference NPPF National Planning Policy Framework NTS Non-technical Summary OLE Overhead Line Equipment ODPM Office of the Deputy Prime Minister i 300207/MMD/CS21/0000/0001 26 November 2013 Midland Metro BCCE: Paradise Circus Variation Environmental Statement Volume 1: Main Statement PCR Paradise Circus Redevelopment PPG Planning Policy Guidance RTTE Radio and Telecommunications Terminal Equipment SoS Secretary of State SPD Supplementary Planning Document SPG Supplementary Planning Guidance SPOSH Significant Possibility of Significant Harm TA Transport Assessment TWA Transport and Works Act TWAO Transport and Works Act Order UDP Unitary Development Plan VDV Vibration Dose Values VE Visual Envelope ii 300207/MMD/CS21/0000/0001 26 November 2013 Midland Metro BCCE: Paradise Circus Variation Environmental Statement Volume 1: Main Statement 1 Introduction 1.1 The Application 1.1.1 This document, being part of a three-volume Environmental Statement (ES), forms part of an application by the West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive (‘Centro’) under the Transport and Works Act 1992 (the TWA) for the proposed Midland Metro (Birmingham City Centre Extension Land Acquisition and Variation) Order (‘The Variation Order’). The Variation Order application concerns a Light Rail Transit (LRT) system through Birmingham City Centre. 1.1.2 If made, The Variation Order would authorise a variation of approximately 100 metres of alignment of the tramway authorised by the Midland Metro (Birmingham City Centre Extension, etc.) Order 2005 (hereafter referred to as the ‘2005 Order’) at Paradise Street in the centre of Birmingham. It would also revive powers of compulsory acquisition under the 2005 Order, which expired in 2010, and would authorise the acquisition of the small additional amount of land required to facilitate the realignment to the route (hereafter referred to as ‘The Variation’). 1.1.3 The application for the 2005 Order was accompanied by a number of documents; amongst them an ES 1 that was published in February 2003. During the consideration of the 2005 Order application, the original ES that had formed part of the application was scrutinised; in particular, it was the subject of a Public Local Inquiry held between 2 December 2003 and 13 January 2004. The Secretary of State (SoS) for Transport had considered the Inspector’s Public Inquiry report and was satisfied with his conclusions and recommendations. The SoS for Transport also agreed with the Inspector that deemed planning permission under the 2005 Order should be granted subject to planning conditions as set out in the SoS for Transport’s letter of 1 July 2005 (a copy of which is contained within ES Volume 2C – The Variation Scoping Report and Opinion 2). In view of the statutory consenting process that the original ES (hereafter referred to as the ‘2005 ES’) had already completed, the 2005 ES is appended to The Variation ES (ES Volume 2A – 2005 ES) for ease of reference, rather than for further comment. 1.1.4 This document is The Variation ES Volume 1 – Main Statement. It assesses any different or new environmental impacts that may result from the proposed realignment and associated changes, considers impacts significance, and where required proposes appropriate mitigation measures to address any potentially significant impacts. The ES also focuses on identifying the difference between the previously consented scheme under the 2005 Order and The Variation. 1 The Midland Metro Birmingham City Centre Extension Scheme: Environmental Statement (February 2003) was compiled by Environmental Resources Management. 2 Environmental Scoping Report for The Variation, published on behalf of Centro by Mott MacDonald in March 2013 for the purpose of the request of a formal Scoping Opinion. 1 300207/MMD/CS21/0000/0001 26 November 2013 Midland Metro BCCE: Paradise Circus Variation Environmental Statement Volume 1: Main Statement 1.2 Background 1.2.1 Centro is responsible for the Birmingham Midland Metro LRT system. In 2003, Centro applied to the SoS for Transport for an Order under the TWA to construct and operate an extension to Line 1 of the Metro system (‘the Birmingham City Centre Extension’, or the ‘2005 Scheme’). 1.2.2 The 2005 Scheme is being delivered in phases. Discharge of the relevant pre-commencement planning conditions under the 2005 Order began in 2010. Phase 1, between Snow Hill and Stephenson Street is under construction and is due to open in 2015. Phase 2, from Stephenson Street to Centenary Square (also known as the Centenary Square Extension - CSQ) is planned to be operational in 2017. 1.2.3 Since the authorisation of the 2005 Scheme, further city centre regeneration projects have emerged. One of these is the Paradise Circus Redevelopment (PCR) which received outline planning consent in early 2013 for a mix of commercial, retail and leisure uses on a 7 hectare site at Paradise Circus to be phased over a period of 13 years to be fully operational by 2026 (planning reference 2012/05116/PA). PCR is a joint venture between the developer (Argent) and Birmingham City Council (BCC). PCR will remove the current gyratory system at Paradise Circus, introduce major changes to traffic movements, and create new roads and access/egress into the PCR site. The delivery of CSQ and its associated works will be partly met through a Section 106 agreement 3 that was completed by BCC, Argent (Paradise) Limited, Argent Group PLC, and Altitude Real Estate LLP on 7 February 2013. 1.2.4 Centro has been working with the developer and BCC firstly to ensure that the PCR will accommodate the authorised alignment of the 2005 Scheme, and secondly to investigate the need for an improved route integrated with the PCR. An improved alignment at Paradise Circus is possible as a result of the additional land that will be available following PCR (see also ES Volume 1 Chapter 2 – Scheme Description, particularly Section 2.2). The outcome of these discussions is the delivery of an alignment at Paradise Circus that can be integrated within the PCR, at a lower cost and with fewer environmental impacts than the 2005 Scheme (see Chapter 3 Need and Alternatives for further explanation). 1.2.5 The Variation will only proceed when the PCR planning consent is implemented. If the PCR consent is not implemented due to funding or other reasons, then The Variation will not proceed; Centro will revert back to the 2005 Scheme. 1.2.6 The Variation will require an element of the permanent works within the PCR site. As this land is located outside the limits of deviation (LoD) of the 2005 Scheme (i.e.