DOCSLIB.ORG

HS2 Phase One Environmental Statement Consultation

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
HS2 Phase One Environmental Statement Consultation 1 HS2 Phase One environmental statement consultation You can respond to this consultation by emailing your comments to: [email protected] 2 Information about you First name: Sara-Louise Surname: Board Address: Warwickshire County Council, PO Box 43 Shire Hall, Warwick. Postcode: CV34 4SX Email: [email protected] Are you responding on behalf of an organisation? If so, please state your organisation’s name and your position below: Organisation: Warwickshire County Council Position: HS2 Project Manager 3 Introduction and general observations on the documents that form the EIA In this section the council’s comments refer to the overall structure of the documents and a number of general observations on the papers as a whole. To aid the reader we have where possible followed the sequence and order of issues raised and the methodology used by HS2 Ltd, namely: Agriculture Air Quality Community – incorporating health related issues outside of the HIA. Culture and Heritage Ecology Land Landscape Socio Economic Noise Traffic, incorporating PROW, highway design and Traffic Safety Water Resources & Flood Risk Where a comment by the council refers to a specific issue or map, a corresponding reference is included in the left hand column. Where a reference is not give, the comment applies to the document or subject area as a whole. The council does not have the capacity or the technical experience to comment in every area of the environmental statement. There are a number of areas within the documents where the council has not offered a comment, this should not be taken as agreement or consent for the text. General concerns with the documents There are a number of simple errors in the papers, spelling mistakes, incorrect cross referencing between sub chapters and volumes, missing words which in places render the ES statements nonsensical. Furthermore the suggestion that the documents are simple to understand and that the average person only needs to read the chapter pertinent to their locality to be assured that the assessment is sound is completely false. It is the council’s view that to make reasonable sense of the papers one needs to have open at least four and in some instances seven chapters/ maps of the ES at the same time. This level of cross referencing makes it almost impossible for the average reader to do this online and therefore discourages comment from the wider population. The council is dismayed that a number of documents were omitted in the early stages and that two addendums had to be issued. We welcome the extra time granted to review the additional papers but remain concern that this level of omission is symptomatic of the lack of care shown by HS2 Ltd. 4 Warwickshire County Council finds it wholly unacceptable that despite repeated requests by itself and many other local authorities, HS2 Ltd remain resolute in their refusal to convene a line wide planning sub forum on ecology and environment issues. The council believes that; a) That the ES significantly undervalues non-statutory sites. b) That there has been a gross misrepresentation of known and potential biodiversity as illustrated on the ES maps in Volume 5. Consequently, there has been a serious misrepresentation of the potential impacts of the Proposed Scheme and contrary to the precautionary principle and EcIA. c) That by 2026 there will have been significant changes to the operational baseline that has not been taken into account as part of the ES. d) That the Proposed Scheme will cause unacceptable fragmentation of the ecological landscape. e) That the Proposed Scheme will result in a net loss to biodiversity. It is the council’s conclusion that the ES is misleading to the decision maker. Throughout the documents there are repeated instances of inconsistent application of criteria and a systematic ‘downplaying’ of the impact of HS2 on Warwickshire. It would appear that there is not meaningful consideration of the cumulative effects by HS2 Ltd on the impact it will create. There is an overly simplistic view that pays no attention to the economic effects on the towns of Southam, Kenilworth and Coleshill, which are deemed not to be affected by the route, this is incorrect and must be addressed by HS2 Ltd if it is to avoid further confrontation with communities. The council is concerned with the recent GIS data release for Warwickshire. It appears that there is only one site “significantly” affected by HS2 namely; Stoneleigh Park. Despite the status of “significantly affected,” HS2 have to date not incorporated any mitigation recommendations supplied by the communities or the landowners that negate the impact on the site. There appears to be no methodology as to why this location has been highlighted in preference to any other location or what the criteria for selection are. It is the council’s view that this error needs to be addressed The following section identifies concerns and errors in the order it appears in the HS2 papers but is not specific to any one volume or reference. 5 Landscape & Visual Assessment Whole Both the landscape and visual effects are down played in significance document from year 1 of operation onwards. Sensitivity and magnitude are down played consistently. There are instances where the text states “substantial change” and yet only “medium magnitude” is given. General There is inadequate information of when and where advance planting is to take place. If the scheme commences in 2026 planting may not be mature enough to have any screening effect by the time it comes into operation. WCC require evidence of how HS2 have determined the growth rate predicted by 2026. General The council feel that the effect of lighting of the construction compounds and satellites has been significantly down played. General Inadequate consideration has been given to the impact of new planting on views. Planting can have an impact in its own right by blocking off existing views e.g. as illustrated in photomontage LV-01-249 (CFA 19). General The assessment makes only passing reference to the irreversibility of certain landscape effects, e.g. loss of ancient woodland, historic hedgerows and ridge & furrow; realignment of rural / historic roads; significant earthworks and major alterations to local landmarks such as Windmill Hill. These will result in significant changes to local landscape character and cannot be mitigated against. Despite this they are given minimal consideration in the ES which is unacceptable. Sound, Noise & Vibration Planning Forum Warwickshire County Council is a member of the HS2 Planning Forum Acoustics Sub- Acoustics Sub Group. One of the aims of the group is resolve and group Candidate narrow down technical noise and vibration issues. Below is a summary Issues Register of the group’s current unresolved issues as recorded in the sub group’s Candidate Issues Register. The council seek assurances from HS2 that these will be reviewed to ensure that all outstanding issues are addressed before any further detailed design and assessment work is carried out. 1. There is a disagreement with the criteria not to identify individual or small numbers of properties as a having a significant effect when criteria is met. Other regulatory regimes recognise the impact on the nearest single or small number of properties (Statutory Nuisance, Local Authority Planning etc.). We believe HS2 should amend its noise assessment policy to include the effects on single and small numbers of properties. 2. The significant impact criteria for LAFMax noise levels are not agreed. The maximum noise criteria are insufficient for rural areas. 3. The council seek assurances from HS2 that these will be reviewed to ensure that all outstanding issues are addressed before any further detailed design and assessment work is carried out. 6 4. The group are in disagreement with HS2 on the day and night time average noise levels LAeq 50 dB day / 40 dB night as 'lowest observed adverse effect level'. The night time level is deemed insufficient for rural areas with low background noise levels. 5. The noise contour maps within the ES should show the LAFMax level of noise. Contour levels have remained at 50 dB LAeq day and 40 dB LAeq night and we believe that the impact on rural locations has not been adequately conveyed. We are still concerned that the cumulative effect of LAFMax levels from the passing trains has not been fully taken into account due to use of LAFMax levels of 80 and 85 dB. The information on noise mitigation is still indicative and we maintain our view that it is difficult for communities to visualise the type of mitigation and provide ideas for alternatives. WCC expect HS2 to fully explore the opportunities in technological improvements to ensure that the impact is reduced at source and that the need for any localised mitigation, particularly noise insulation is minimised. We continue to believe all communities large and small are entitled to the same level of noise protection and that where an adverse noise impact occurs it is specifically identified whether it is an individual dwelling or forms part of a community. We are pleased that HS2 have recognised the potential problem of Rayleigh waves but seek assurances that where concern over soft ground conditions in certain locations exists, these areas are identified and full remediation measures made known. Traffic; Traffic Assessment Volume, page and Full ES comment paragraph reference General The level of communication from HS2 with WCC concerning the scope of the Transport Assessment (TA) has been wholly inadequate and WCC has no confidence that the information provided within the TA realistically reflects the likely impact on Warwickshire’s roads. The Transport Assessment takes a cosmetic view of the likely impact of construction activities and WCC’s comments reflect this.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Wildlife News in Warwickshire, Coventry & Solihull Contents
    Warwickshire County Council Wildlife News in Warwickshire, Coventry & Solihull January 200 9 Wildlife News attempts to be a comprehensive directory for all natural history groups, sources of Contents • wildlife expertise and planned activities in the News items – page 2 Warwickshire, Solihull and Coventry sub-region. To • Calendar of Events – page 7 publicise your group or activities, or tell us about • someone who’d like to receive a copy, please contact Courses – page 22 Warwickshire Museum. Press dates are 10 April, 10 • Working Parties – page 23 August and 10 December. • Ongoing Surveys and Projects – page 25 Address correspondence to: Senior Keeper of • Museum-based Natural History Education Natural History, Warwickshire Museum, Market Place, Warwick CV34 4SA. Alternatively ring Steven Resources – page 26 Falk on 01926 412481, or E-mail: • Contact details and meeting arrangements [email protected] . for groups and organisations – page 27 This newsletter can also be accessed in full colour • Useful local web sites – page 33 directly via the web at: • www.warwickshire.gov.uk/rings . Where to send your site and species data and seek expertise – page 34 • Bibliography of key Warwickshire books and journals – page 37 1 Wildlife News in Warwickshire Coventry & Solihull, January 2009 ___________________________________________________________________ NEWS ITEMS aims to improve a number of existing limestone grassland and limestone quarry sites to benefit scarce butterflies, notably the Small Blue, which now survives Farewell Ruth Moffat (and many thanks) at only 2 or 3 sites in Warwickshire (depending on how you define a colony). Small Blue, Bishops Itchington. © Steven Falk Quarrying, and the construction of railway cuttings and spoilheaps in times gone by, has produced many wonderful wildlife sites for limestone-loving plants and insects, but most of these species are now on the wane as sites have gradually converted to scrub and Ruth Moffat, Co-ordinator of the Warwickshire, woodland, or have been developed.
    [Show full text]
  • Ladbroke and Southam HS2 London-West Midlands May 2013
    PHASE ONE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT Community Forum Area Report 16 | Ladbroke and Southam HS2 London-West Midlands May 2013 ENGINE FOR GROWTH DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT Community Forum Area Report ENGINE FOR GROWTH 16 I Ladbroke and Southam High Speed Two (HS2) Limited, 2nd Floor, Eland House, Bressenden Place, London SW1E 5DU Telephone 020 7944 4908 General email enquiries: [email protected] Website: www.hs2.org.uk © Crown copyright, 2013, except where otherwise stated Copyright in the typographical arrangement rests with the Crown. You may re-use this information (not including logos or third-party material) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or e-mail: [email protected]. Where we have identified any third-party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned. To order further copies contact: DfT Publications Tel: 0300 123 1102 Web: www.dft.gov.uk/orderingpublications Product code: ES/20 Printed in Great Britain on paper containing at least 75% recycled fibre. CFA Report – Ladbroke and Southam/No 16 I Contents Contents Draft Volume 2: Community Forum Area Report – Ladbroke and Southam/No 16 5 Part A: Introduction 6 1 Introduction 7 1.1 Introduction to HS2 7 1.2 Purpose of this report 7 1.3 Structure of this report 9 Part B: Ladbroke and Southam
    [Show full text]
  • Warwickshire Rings 35Th Newsletter & Calendar January 2007
    Warwickshire RINGs 35th Newsletter & Calendar January 2007 www.warwickshire.gov.uk/rings________________________________________________ Warwickshire RINGs (Research, Recording and Recreation in Nature Groups) is a network of groups, organisations and individuals with an enthusiasm for any aspect of wildlife in the Warwickshire, Solihull and Coventry sub-region. The RINGs Newsletter attempts to be a comprehensive directory for all local natural history groups, sources of expertise and activities that we are aware of. If you wish to publicise your group or activity, or know of someone who would like to receive a copy, please drop RINGs a line. Press dates are 10 April, 10 August and 10 December. Address correspondence to: RINGs, Warwickshire Museum, Market Place, Warwick CV34 4SA. Alternatively you can ring Steven Falk on 01926 412481, or E-mail: [email protected]. This newsletter can also be accessed directly via the web at: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/rings. Spread the word! CONTENTS disseminating the vast amount of biological information • News items – page 1 that local naturalists produce. It is easy to forget just • Calendar of Meetings – page 7 how ahead of her time she was. • Courses – page 20 • Working Parties – page 21 Pam was essentially a botanist and acted as the • Ongoing Surveys and Projects – page 22 Warwickshire BSBI representative for many years, • Museum-based Natural History Education helping to drive forward national surveys such as Resources – page 23 FLORA 2000 at a county level. In characteristic style, • Contact details and meeting arrangements for she did not pursue this in an isolated way but groups and organisations – page 25 encouraged dozens of botanists, experts and novices • Useful local web sites – page 30 alike, to pitch in.
    [Show full text]
  • Waste Core Strategy Sustainability Appraisal Report
    Warwickshire County Council Sustainability Appraisal of Warwickshire's Waste Development Framework - Waste Core Strategy Sustainability Appraisal Final Report March 2012 Warwickshire County Council Sustainability Appraisal of Warwickshire’s Waste Development Framework - Waste Core Strategy Sustainability Appraisal Report Contents Page Page Non Technical Summary 1-18 1 Introduction 1.1 Preamble 19-20 1.2 Strategic Environment Assessment & SA 20-21 1.3 Spatial & Temporal Scope of the SA 21 1.4 Stages of the SA Process 21-22 1.5 Formal requirements for this document 22 1.6 Structure of the Document 22 2 Appraisal Methodology 23 2.1 Compliance with the SEA Directive 23-24 2.2 Sustainable Appraisal Process 25 2.3 Techniques employed during the SA 25-28 2.4 Consultation 28-29 2.5 Key Stages of the SA Process 29 2.6 Stage A: Setting the Context, Baseline and SA Obj 29-36 2.7 Stage C: Preparing the SA report 36-37 2.8 Difficulties in compiling information 37 3 Baseline, Context and Sustainability Objectives 38 3.1 Introduction 38 3.2 Links to other Policies, Plans and Programmes 38 3.3 Description of the Social, Environmental, Economic baseline 38-64 3.4 Sustainability Issues and Identified problems 64-73 3.5 Future Trends and the WDF 74 3.6 SA Framework, Objectives, Targets and Indicators 74 4 Waste Core Strategy Options Appraisal 4.1 Introduction 85 4.2 Testing Plan Objectives and SA Objectives 86 4.3 Developing Waste Core Strategy Options 102-109 4.4 Assessing the Preferred Option 110-113 4.5 Assessing the Waste Core Strategy Policies 113-122
    [Show full text]
  • Public Session
    PUBLIC SESSION MINUTES OF ORAL EVIDENCE taken before HIGH SPEED RAIL COMMITTEE On the HIGH SPEED RAIL (LONDON – WEST MIDLANDS) BILL Monday, 26 January 2015 (Afternoon) In Committee Room 5 PRESENT: Mr Robert Syms (Chair) Mr Henry Bellingham Sir Peter Bottomley Ian Mearns Yasmin Qureshi Mr Michael Thornton _____________ IN ATTENDANCE: Mr Timothy Mould, QC, Lead Counsel, Department for Transport Miss Lisa Busch, Junior Counsel, Department for Transport Witnesses: Mr Ian Briggs, Chairman, Long Itchington Parish Council, Mr Christopher Purser, Long Itchington Parish Council Mr Colin Baldwin, Ufton Parish Council Mr John Tayler, Ufton Parish Council Mr Ian Crowther, Ufton Parish Council Dr Dan Mitchell, Deputy Chair, Southam Action Group Mr Andrew Jamieson, Chair, Southam Action Group Dr Bransby Thomas, Southam Town Council Mrs Linda Tasker, Southam Town Council Mr Tim Smart, International Director for High Speed Rail, CH2M Hill Mr Rupert Thornely-Taylor, Managing Director, Rupert Taylor Ltd, acoustics and vibration expert Mr Peter Miller, Head of Environment and Planning, HS2 Ltd _____________ IN PUBLIC SESSION INDEX Subject Page Long Itchington Parish Council Submissions from Mr Briggs 3 Submissions from Mr Purser 6 Submissions from Mr Mould 10 Submissions from Mr Purser 13 Mr Smart, examined by Mr Mould 14 Ufton Parish Council Introduction by Mr Baldwin 21 Submissions from Mr Tayler 22 Submissions from Mr Crowther 25 Submissions from Mr Baldwin 28 Submissions from Mr Mould 30 Southam Town Council. Southam Area Action Committee EG Hancock
    [Show full text]
  • The Modern Bee and Wasp Assemblages (Hymenoptera: Aculeata) of Warwickshire's Calcareous Quarries and Spoilheaps, and the Cons
    BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 19: 2006 7 THE MODERN BEE AND WASP ASSEMBLAGES (HYMENOPTERA: ACULEATA) OF WARWICKSHIRE’S CALCAREOUS QUARRIES AND SPOILHEAPS, AND THE CONSERVATION ISSUES FACING THEM STEVEN J. FALK Warwickshire Museum, Market Place, Warwick CV34 4SA [email protected] ABSTRACT A comparative review of the modern bee and wasp assemblages (Hymenoptera: Aculeata) of fourteen calcareous (mudstone, limestone and ironstone) quarries and spoilheaps in Warwickshire is given. The sites were assessed in terms of species diversity, presence of rare species and the quality of various habitat-related assemblages such as calcicoles. 186 species were recorded in total during the main study period from 1990–2002, and the best site (the Bishops Bowl–Bishops Hill Complex) produced a list of 128 species. Notes on some of the scarcer species are provided and discussion of the main conservation issues that affect bees and wasps at these sites. The danger of placing too much emphasis on Species Quality Indices is highlighted. INTRODUCTION Geologically speaking, Watsonian Warwickshire is a county of two halves. The north and west is largely underlain by pre-Jurassic mudstone, sandstone and igneous rocks overlain by much younger glacial drift that mostly give rise to base-poor soils. These soils once supported scattered heathland within a setting that remained heavily wooded until relatively late, representing the legendary ‘Forest of Arden’ which is now classified as ‘Ancient Arden’ by the Warwickshire Landscape Guidelines (Warwickshire County Council, 1993 parts 1–3) and forming part of the Midlands Plateau Natural Area. Today this part of Warwickshire has lost most of its heathland and bog, but still supports a variety of acidophilous or calcifugous plants and insects which occur predominantly or exclusively within this part of the county.
    [Show full text]
  • 96: Dunsmore and Feldon Area Profile: Supporting Documents
    National Character 96: Dunsmore and Feldon Area profile: Supporting documents www.naturalengland.org.uk 1 National Character 96: Dunsmore and Feldon Area profile: Supporting documents Introduction National Character Areas map As part of Natural England’s responsibilities as set out in the Natural Environment White Paper1, Biodiversity 20202 and the European Landscape Convention3, we are revising profiles for England’s 159 National Character Areas (NCAs). These are areas that share similar landscape characteristics, and which follow natural lines in the landscape rather than administrative boundaries, making them a good decision-making framework for the natural environment. NCA profiles are guidance documents which can help communities to inform their decision-making about the places that they live in and care for. The information they contain will support the planning of conservation initiatives at a landscape scale, inform the delivery of Nature Improvement Areas and encourage broader partnership working through Local Nature Partnerships. The profiles will also help to inform choices about how land is managed and can change. Each profile includes a description of the natural and cultural features that shape our landscapes, how the landscape has changed over time, the current key drivers for ongoing change, and a broad analysis of each area’s characteristics and ecosystem services. Statements of Environmental Opportunity (SEOs) are suggested, which draw on this integrated information. The SEOs offer guidance on the critical issues, which could help to achieve sustainable growth and a more secure environmental future. 1 The Natural Choice: Securing the Value of Nature, Defra NCA profiles are working documents which draw on current evidence and (2011; URL: www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/cm80/8082/8082.pdf) 2 knowledge.
    [Show full text]