A57 Link Roads project Preliminary Environmental Information Report Volume 1 November 2020 A57 Link Roads Preliminary Environmental Information Report Notice This document and its contents have been prepared and are intended solely for Highways England’s information and use in relation to A57 Link Roads. Balfour Beatty Atkins 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 control The Project Manager is responsible for production of this document, based on the contributions made by his/her team existing at each Stage Document Title Preliminary Environmental Information Report Author AR Revision History Version Date Description Originator Checker Reviewer Authoriser P03 29/10/20 For issue AR EB LY MSR P02 23/10/20 For issue AR EB LY MSR The original format of this document is copyright to Highways England Planning Inspectorate scheme reference: TR010034 Page 2 of 246 A57 Link Roads Preliminary Environmental Information Report Table of contents Chapter Pages 1 Introduction 8 1.1 Overview of the project 8 1.2 The consenting process 8 1.3 Purpose of the Preliminary Environmental Information Report (PEIR) 9 1.4 Pre-application consultation programme 11 1.5 Addressing COVID-19 restrictions during consultation 12 2 The Scheme 15 2.1 Background to the Scheme 15 2.2 Scheme objectives 16 2.3 Scheme overview 16 2.4 Scheme alignment 17 2.5 Earthworks design 17 2.6 Highways structures 19 2.7 Highways drainage 20 2.8 Highways lighting 20 2.9 Improvements to local roads 20 2.10 Non-Motorised User (NMU) provision 21 2.11 Flood Risk Assessment 21 2.12 Construction 21 2.13 Demolition 22 2.14 Services and utility diversions 23 2.15 Waste management 23 2.16 Key environmental constraints 23 2.17 Preliminary outline environmental design 24 2.18 The Rochdale Envelope 25 3 Assessment of alternatives 27 3.1 Introduction 27 3.2 The Trans-Pennine Feasibility Study 28 3.3 Justification for Chosen Option 31 4 Environmental Assessment Methodology 36 4.1 Purpose of EIA process 36 4.2 EIA stages 36 4.3 Baseline 37 4.4 Study area 37 4.5 Design and mitigation process 37 4.6 Assessment years and scenarios 38 4.7 Identification of potential impacts 38 4.8 Assessment of significance 39 Planning Inspectorate scheme reference: TR010034 Page 3 of 246 A57 Link Roads Preliminary Environmental Information Report 4.9 Cumulative effects 41 4.10 Major accidents and disasters 42 4.11 Transboundary impact screening 42 4.12 Habitat Regulations Assessment 43 4.13 Health Impact Assessment 43 4.14 Environmental Management Plan 43 4.15 EIA work completed to date 44 4.16 Competent Experts 49 5 Air Quality 50 5.1 Introduction 50 5.2 Study Area 50 5.3 Proposed Assessment Methodology 51 5.4 Existing Environmental Conditions 51 5.5 Other Baseline Information to be Obtained / Surveys to be Undertaken 61 5.6 Potential Effects and Mitigation Measures 62 5.7 Summary 66 6 Cultural Heritage 69 6.1 Introduction 69 6.2 Study Area 69 6.3 Methodology 69 6.4 Existing Environmental Conditions 71 6.5 Other baseline information to be obtained/surveys to be undertaken 74 6.6 Potential Effects and Mitigation Measures 76 6.7 Summary 78 7 Landscape and visual effects 79 7.1 Introduction 79 7.2 Study Area 79 7.3 Methodology 79 7.4 Other information to be obtained/ surveys to be undertaken. 81 7.5 Baseline Conditions 81 7.6 Other baseline information to be obtained/ surveys to be undertaken. 85 7.7 Potential Effects and Mitigation Measures 85 7.8 Summary 103 8 Biodiversity 104 8.1 Introduction 104 8.2 Study Area 104 8.3 Methodology 106 8.4 Existing Environmental Conditions 108 8.5 Other Baseline Information to be Obtained/Surveys to be Undertaken 119 8.6 Potential Effects and Mitigation Measures 120 8.7 Summary 130 9 Geology and Soils 132 Planning Inspectorate scheme reference: TR010034 Page 4 of 246 A57 Link Roads Preliminary Environmental Information Report 9.1 Introduction 132 9.2 Study Area 132 9.3 Methodology 132 9.4 Existing Environmental Conditions 134 9.5 Other baseline information to be obtained/surveys to be undertaken 140 9.6 Potential Effects and Mitigation Measures 141 9.7 Summary 143 10 Materials assets and waste 145 10.1 Introduction 145 10.2 Study Area 145 10.3 Methodology 145 10.4 Existing Environmental Conditions 146 10.5 Other baseline information to be obtained/surveys to be undertaken 147 10.6 Potential Effects and Mitigation Measures 148 10.7 Summary 150 11 Noise and Vibration 151 11.1 Introduction 151 11.2 Study Areas 151 11.3 Methodology 153 11.4 Existing Environmental Conditions 159 11.5 Other Baseline Information to be Obtained/Surveys to be Undertaken 162 11.6 Potential Effects and Mitigation Measures 163 11.7 Summary 168 12 Population and human health 170 12.1 Introduction 170 12.2 Study area 170 12.3 Methodology 170 12.4 Existing Environmental Conditions 171 12.5 Other baseline information to be obtained/surveys to be undertaken 180 12.6 Potential Effects and Mitigation Measures 180 12.7 Summary 189 13 Road drainage and the water environment 190 13.1 Introduction 190 13.2 Study area 190 13.3 Methodology 190 13.4 Existing Environmental Conditions 191 13.5 Other baseline information to be obtained/surveys to be undertaken 193 13.6 Potential Effects and Mitigation Measures 194 13.7 Summary 197 14 Climate 198 14.1 Introduction 198 14.2 Study area 198 Planning Inspectorate scheme reference: TR010034 Page 5 of 246 A57 Link Roads Preliminary Environmental Information Report 14.3 Methodology 199 14.4 Existing Environmental Conditions 203 14.5 Other baseline information to be obtained/surveys to be undertaken 204 14.6 Potential effects and mitigation measures 205 14.7 Summary 211 15 Cumulative effects 212 15.1 Introduction 212 15.2 Assessment Methodology 212 15.3 Potential impacts 218 15.4 Summary 224 16 References 225 16.1 Chapter 1-4 Introductory Chapters 225 16.2 Chapter 5 Air quality 225 16.3 Chapter 6 - Cultural heritage 226 16.4 Chapter 7 – Landscape and visual effects 227 16.5 Chapter 8 – Biodiversity 227 16.6 Chapter 9 - Geology and soils 228 16.7 Chapter 10 - Materials assets and waste 230 16.8 Chapter 11 – Noise and vibration 230 16.9 Chapter 12 - Population and human health 230 16.10 Chapter 13 - Road drainage and the water environment 230 16.11 Chapter 14 – Climate 232 16.12 Chapter 15 – Cumulative Effects 232 17 Acronyms, Abbreviation and Descriptions 234 Tables Table 1-1 - Overview of previous consultation 11 Table 2-1 - Eastbound cutting and embankment Slopes 18 Table 2-2 - Westbound cutting and embankment Slopes 19 Table 2-3 - List of structures 19 Table 3-1 - Background of Scheme 27 Table 3-2 - Scheme updates since the Preferred Route Announcement 32 Table 3-3 - Alternative Assessment - Options not taken forward 34 Table 4-1 - Significance of effects 40 Table 4-2 - Significance categories and typical descriptions 40 Table 4-3 - Delivery schedule and updates of the EMP 43 Table 4-4 - Consultation Undertaken to Date during the Environmental Assessment Process to date 45 Table 5-1 - Relevant Human Health Air Quality Criteria 53 Table 5-2 - Description of AQMAs 55 Table 5-3 - Highways England Diffusion Tube Monitoring Results (NO2) 56 Table 5-4 - Highways England TPU Diffusion Tube Monitoring Results (NO2) 59 Table 5-5 - Annual Mean NO2 Concentrations at Tameside Monitoring Sites 60 Table 5-6 - Annual Mean PM10 Concentrations at Tameside CMS 60 Table 5-7 - High Peak Borough Council Diffusion Tube Monitoring Results (NO2) 61 Table 5-8 - Significance for Human Health 63 Table 5-9 - Overall Evaluation of Air Quality Significance 67 Table 6-1 - Value (sensitivity) of receptors 70 Table 7-1 - Local Landscape Character Areas 82 Table 7-2 - Scheme Level Character Areas 83 Table 7-3 Potential effects and mitigation on Landscape and Townscape receptors 86 Table 7-4 - Potential effects and mitigation on Visual receptors 90 Planning Inspectorate scheme reference: TR010034 Page 6 of 246 A57 Link Roads Preliminary Environmental Information Report Table 8-1 - Statutory designated sites for nature conservation within 2 km of the Scheme. 109 Table 8-2 - Non-statutory designated sites for nature conservation within 2 km of the DCO boundary. 110 Table 9-1 - Summary of Encountered Geology 135 Table 9-2 - Summary of landfill sites within study area 138 Table 9-3 - Summary of Potential Effects and Mitigation Measures 141 Table 10-1 - Availability of material assets in North West England 146 Table 10-2 - Recycled aggregate targets 146 Table 10-3 - Estimated remaining landfill capacity 147 Table 10-4 - Estimated waste management infrastructure capacity 147 Table 11-1 - Construction noise LOAEL and SOAEL values 153 Table 11-2 - The ABC method, BS5228-1 154 Table 11-3 - Magnitude of impact and construction noise descriptions 155 Table 11-4 - Construction vibration LOAELs and SOAELs for all receptors 155 Table 11-5 - Magnitude of impact of vibration levels 156 Table 11-6 - Operational LOAEL and SOAEL values 156 Table 11-7 - Operational road noise short-term magnitude of change 157 Table 11-8 - Operational road noise long-term magnitude of change 157 Table 11-9 - Additional criteria for determining operational significance of effect 157 Table 11-10 - Other noise sensitive receptors identified within the study area 159 Table 11-11 - Summary of survey data pertinent to operational noise 161 Table 11-12 - Summary of survey data pertinent to construction noise 162 Table 11-13 - Predicted perceptible increases and decreases in road noise by area (short-term) 166 Table 12-1 - Community Receptors identified