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Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm Limited TRITON KNOLL ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Environmental Statement Volume 3 Chapter 9: Traffic and Access April 2015, Revision A Document Reference: 6.2.3.9 Pursuant to: APFP Reg. 5(2)(a) Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm Ltd Triton Knoll Electrical System Environmental Statement - Volume 3 Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm Limited Copyright © 2015 Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm Limited Triton Knoll Electrical System All pre-existing rights reserved. Environmental Statement Liability In preparation of this document Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Volume 3: Chapter 9 – Traffic and Access Farm Limited (TKOWFL), a joint venture between RWE Innogy UK (RWE) and Statkraft UK, and subconsultants working on behalf of TKOWFL have made reasonable efforts April 2015 to ensure that the content is accurate, up to date and complete for the purpose for which it was prepared. Neither TKOWFL nor their subcontractors make any warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of material supplied. Other than Drafted By: Ian Wickett, RSK any liability on TKOWFL or their subcontractors detailed in the contracts between the parties for this work neither TKOWFL Approved By: Kim Gauld-Clark or their subcontractors shall have any liability for any loss, damage, injury, claim, expense, cost or other consequence Date of Approval April 2015 arising as a result of use or reliance upon any information contained in or omitted from this document. Revision A Any persons intending to use this document should satisfy themselves as to its applicability for their intended purpose. Where appropriate, the user of this document has the Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm Ltd obligation to employ safe working practices for any activities referred to and to adopt specific practices appropriate to local Auckland House conditions. Great Western Way Swindon Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm Limited have been awarded Wiltshire, SN5 8ZT EU TEN-E funding to support the development of the Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm Electrical System located in both UK Territorial waters and the UK’s Exclusive Economic Zone. T +44 (0)845 720 090 The funding which is to be matched will support a number of F +44 (0)845 720 050 surveys, engineering reports, and environmental impact assessment studies for the Triton Knoll Electrical System. The I www.rweinnogy.com studies will form part of the formal documentation that will accompany the Development Consent Order which will be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate. The sum of www.rweinnogy.com/tritonknoll €1,159,559 has been granted and the process to reclaim this [email protected] funding is ongoing. ii Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm Ltd Triton Knoll Electrical System Environmental Statement - Volume 3 Table of Contents 9 Traffic and Access ............................................................................................................ 9-1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 9-1 Statutory and policy context ................................................................................................. 9-1 Consultation and scoping ..................................................................................................... 9-3 Key parameters for assessment ........................................................................................ 9-16 Environmental assessment: construction phase ................................................................ 9-41 Environmental assessment: operational phase .................................................................. 9-45 Environmental assessment: decommissioning phase ........................................................ 9-45 Environmental assessment: cumulative effects ................................................................. 9-46 Mitigation............................................................................................................................ 9-53 Summary of effects ............................................................................................................ 9-53 References ......................................................................................................................... 9-54 iii Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm Ltd Triton Knoll Electrical System Environmental Statement - Volume 3 9 Traffic and Access • A description of the methodology for the assessment, including details of the study area and the approach to the assessment of effects; Introduction • A summary of consultation with stakeholders; 9.1 This chapter of the Environmental Statement (ES) provides an understanding of the • A review of baseline (existing) conditions; baseline transport environment local to the onshore Triton Knoll Electrical System • Details of the measures proposed as part of the project to avoid or reduce (including traffic, access and routing, and delivery of AILs) and considers the possible environmental effects, including mitigation and design measures that form part of direct or indirect effects that construction, operation and decommissioning phases the project; could have on this environment. The chapter also details methods by which these • An assessment of the likely effects for the construction, operation and potential impacts could be mitigated, supported by an Outline Traffic Management decommissioning phases of the project, taking into account the measures Plan (TMP) (Application Document 8.9) that would be agreed in detail with the relevant proposed; Highway Authorities before commencing construction. • Identification of any further mitigation measures or monitoring required in relation 9.2 For the purposes of assessment for Traffic and Access, the key components comprise to likely significant effects; and, Landfall, Onshore Cable Route, Intermediate Electrical Compound Substation and Unlicensed Works at Bicker Fen, as described in Volume 3 Chapter 1. The • Assessment of any cumulative effects with other consented, proposed and assessment considers these components in relation to the total area of land required potential future developments. for the works at the landfall, Intermediate Electrical compound (IEC), Substation compound, temporary construction compounds, permanent and temporary access Statutory and policy context tracks, onshore underground cabling and drainage and landscape mitigation. 9.7 Planning policy for offshore renewable energy Nationally Significant Infrastructure 9.3 In accordance with the Scoping Opinion received from the Planning Inspectorate Projects (NSIPs) and onshore transmission systems is contained in the National Policy (PINS) (May 2014) the following aspects of the traffic and access assessment have Statements (NPS), including Overarching Energy (EN-1; DECC, 2011), Renewable been scoped out of further assessment: Energy Infrastructure (EN-3; DECC 2011) and Electricity Networks Infrastructure (EN- • All potential impacts during operation: the Secretary of State, via the Scoping 5; DECC 2011). Opinion, agreed that potential impacts would involve less than one visit per month 9.8 The NPS provide the principal policy framework within which decisions on NSIPs are to the onshore cables and up to two visits per week to the Intermediate Electrical made. Compound and Substation. 9.9 The NPS of specific relevance to the traffic and transport aspects of the project is NPS 9.4 The baseline environment pertinent to this assessment is set out in a separate report, EN-1, which is described in further detail in Table 9-1. NPS EN-3 and NPS EN-5 do Annex 9.1, which is contained in Volume 5 of the ES. not provide specific guidance on traffic and access. 9.5 This chapter draws upon the information and conclusions presented in a number of 9.10 The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) (March 2012) does not contain other ES chapters and therefore should be read in conjunction with these, namely: specific policies for NSIPs, which are determined ‘in accordance with the decision- • Volume 3 Chapter 2 ‘Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment’ making framework set out in the Planning Act 2008 and relevant national policy statements for major infrastructure’. However, matters that the decision maker • Volume 3 Chapter 3 ‘Socio-economics, Tourism and Recreation’ considers important and relevant when making decisions on NSIP applications are • Volume 3 Chapter 10 ‘Air Quality’; and, also applicable, and may include the NPPF. Table 9-1 therefore includes relevant policy from the NPPF with regard to traffic and access. • Volume 3 Chapter 11 ‘Noise and Vibration’. 9.11 The New Roads and Street Works Act (NRSWA) (1991) sets out the statutory 9.6 The following sections of this chapter include: requirements for the placing of apparatus within the public highway, while the • A summary of relevant planning policy; 9-1 Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm Ltd Triton Knoll Electrical System Environmental Statement - Volume 3 Highways Act (1980) sets out the requirements for general works within the public Policy Key provisions Section where comment addressed highway. Relevant sections of these Acts are described in Table 9-1. 9.12 Table 9-1 also presents key details of relevant ‘saved’ local planning policy with regard Highways The Highways Authority is given Consideration has been given to the Act 1980 powers under this Act to recover methods of construction and to traffic and access (however the NPS remain the principal policy against which the expenses for repair of highways management of road crossing