15. Landscape and Visual Summary
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15. Landscape and Visual Summary 15.1 This chapter of the Environmental Statement (ES) reports the findings of a landscape and visual impact assessment (LVIA) undertaken for the Proposed Development i.e. the Main Strategic Rail Freight Interchange (SRFI) Site (Main SRFI Site), and the associated highway improvement works at Junction 15a (J15a) and the Minor Highway Works. 15.2 Landscape and visual effects have been considered for the construction phase; operational phase at Year 1 Winter; operational phase at Years 7 and 15 during Summer (to take account of the effects once embedded mitigation has developed and reached a level of maturity); night time visual effects of the Main SRFI site; and intra and inter project cumulative effects. 15.3 The landscape receptors for the effects of the Proposed Development included: Landscape elements (e.g. existing tree cover, hedgerows, etc); Landscape character areas (local or national) (including the National Landscape Character Area, Regional Character Areas and Tove Valley Special Landscape Area); and Designated landscape resources (e.g. Registered Parks and Gardens such as Courteenhall, 1km from the Main SRFI Site, and Conservation Areas such as the Grand Union Canal, Blisworth, Milton Malsor and seven others within 5 km). 15.4 The visual receptors for the effects of the Proposed Development included: Residents, in individual residential properties and settlements; Users of Public Rights of Way (PROWs); Road users; and People located in other key recreational or visitor locations. 15.5 The Proposed Development has been designed to ensure environmental effects are avoided, reduced or offset where possible by the proposed embedded mitigation measures, specifically through design of building layout and height, development of planted bunds and 17.1 structural landscaping using native tree and shrub planting, and construction management (through principles outlined in the Code of Construction Practice (COCP) and Outline Construction and Operational Environmental Management Plan (Outline CEMP)). In particular, a 15 Year Soft Landscape, Ecological Enhancement and Overall Management Plan (15 Year Landscape Management and Maintenance Plan) sets out the measures used to protect vegetation to be retained and will be secured within the Outline CEMP as a requirement of the DCO. The Proposed Development therefore has prevented many ‘significant’ adverse environmental impacts arising through site design and procedures to be followed. 15.6 While the proposed development will inevitably result in the loss of a large area of farmland and associated field edge vegetation the proposals look to offset this through the development of a series of bio-diverse ecologically rich landscape zones that will look to provide a net gain in area of woodland habitat, species rich grassland habitat, wetland habitat and overall length of hedgerow. The loss of farmland will be partially offset by the creation of a 26-hectare ecological mitigation area to the south of Junction 15a. 15.7 Considering the landscape and visual context and considering the nature size and scale of the Proposed Development, the assessment has shown that the landscape and visual effects, and cumulative landscape and visual effects would be limited and localised, with significant effects during the construction and operational phases being experienced by a limited number of receptors in close proximity to the Main SRFI and J15a sites or in locations where views may be gained from elevated locations overlooking the Main SRFI Site. 15.8 Where significant effects were predicted, adaptive mitigation has been proposed that will be agreed with South Northamptonshire Council at the detailed design stage. These include measures such as the detailed design of the Proposed Development and implementation of the 15 Year Landscape Management and Maintenance Plan. For example, planting of groups of evergreen tree and shrub species within planting areas for year-round screening from sensitive views, and appropriate management of vegetation to screen views are not embedded in the Proposed Development but will be established once the final layout of the Main SRFI Site is understood. 15.9 The assessment concludes that due to the introduction and the effectiveness of the proposed embedded mitigation together with adaptive mitigation measures at the detailed design stage, mean that there are relatively few significant residual landscape and visual effects and that the proposed development can be integrated into the landscape in the medium to long term. Purpose of the Assessment 15.10 This chapter of the ES reports the findings of a landscape and visual impact assessment (LVIA) undertaken for the Proposed Development i.e. the Main SRFI Site, J15a and Minor Highway Works. 17.2 15.11 Full details of the Proposed Development are defined within Chapter 5 ‘The Proposed Development’. 15.12 The landscape assessment has considered the effects of the Proposed Development on the landscape as an environmental resource in its own right. The visual assessment has considered the effect of visual change on people’s views and visual amenity. 15.13 Landscape and visual effects have been considered for the construction phase; operational phase at Year 1 Winter; operational phase at Years 7 and 15 during Summer (to take account of the effects once embedded mitigation has developed and reached a level of maturity); night time visual effects of the Main SRFI site; and intra and inter project cumulative effects. 15.14 The landscape and visual assessments have been undertaken in parallel and have been informed by a combination of desk and site-based appraisal techniques and professional judgement. 15.15 This chapter is accompanied by the following annexes: 6.1.15.1 Appendix 15.1 Landscape and Visual Baseline Figures o RC-ALG-FIG-6.1.15.1.1 Gantry Crane Zone of Theoretical Visibility (ZTV) o RC-ALG-FIG-6.1.15.1.2 Grade separated junction ZTV o RC-ALG-FIG-6.1.15.1.3 Warehousing Buildings ZTV o RC-ALG-FIG-6.1.15.1.4 Container Storage ZTV o RC-ALG-FIG-6.1.15.1.5 Main SRFI Site Representative Viewpoint Locations o RC-ALG-FIG-6.1.15.1.6 Junction 15a Representative Viewpoint Locations o RC-ALG-FIG-6.1.15.1.7 Main SRFI Site Landscape Context o RC-ALG-FIG-6.1.15.1.8 Junction 15a Landscape context o RC-ALG-FIG-6.1.15.1.9.1 Landscape Policy and Designations Sheet 1 o RC-ALG-FIG-6.1.15.1.9.2 Landscape Policy and Designations Sheet 2 o RC-ALG-FIG-6.1.15.1.10 National Landscape Character o RC-ALG-FIG-6.1.15.1.11 County Landscape Character o RC-ALG-FIG-6.1.15.1.12 Topography o RC-ALG-FIG-6.1.15.1.13 Main SRFI Site Residential Receptors 6.1.15.2 Appendix 15.2 Published Landscape Character Assessments 17.3 6.1.15.3 Appendix 15.3 Main SRFI Site Viewpoint Figures o Viewpoint location / data plans, baseline panoramas and parameter and Illustrative wirelines and photomontage RC-ALG-FIG-6.1.15.3.1 to RC- ALG-FIG-6.1.15.3.136.3 6.1.15.4 Appendix 15.4 Junction 15a Viewpoint Figures o Viewpoint location / data plans, baseline panoramas RC-ALG-FIG- 6.1.15.4.1 to RC-ALG-FIG-6.1.15.4.10 6.1.15.6 Appendix 15.5 Main SRFI Site Night-time Viewpoint Figures o Baseline panoramas and night-time photomontage RC-ALG-FIG- 6.1.15.5.1 to RC-ALG-FIG-6.1.15.5.28.3 6.1.15.6 Appendix 15.6 Representative Viewpoint Assessment 6.1.15.6 Appendix 15.7 Visual Effects to Residential Receptors 6.1.15.6 Appendix 15.8 Visual Effects to Users of Public Rights of Way 6.1.15.6 Appendix 15.9 Visual Effects to Road Users 6.1.15.6 Appendix 15.10 Photography / verifiable photomontage methodology 15.16 The following sections of this chapter include: A summary of consultation with stakeholders; A summary of the study area; A review of baseline (existing) conditions; A description of the methodology for the assessment, including details of the study area and the approach to the assessment of effects; Details of the measures proposed as part of the Proposed Development to avoid or reduce environmental effects, including mitigation and design measures that form part of the Proposed Development (embedded mitigation); An assessment of the likely effects for the construction, operational phases of the Proposed Development, considering the embedded mitigation measures proposed; Assessment of any cumulative effects with Northampton Gateway Rail Freight interchange and other Cumulative Projects; 17.4 Identification of any further mitigation (adaptive mitigation) measures or monitoring required in relation to likely Significant effects; and A summary of limitations and assumptions. Scoping and Consultation 15.17 This section provides a summary of consultation with South Northamptonshire Council (SNC) and Northampton Borough Council (NBC), and relevant issues raised within the adopted Scoping Opinion dated January 2016. 15.18 As part of the formal scoping process, responses were received from various statutory and non-statutory consultees in relation to the LVIA. Following the receipt of scoping responses on the LVIA, further consultation has been carried out in relation to representative viewpoint locations for the Main SRFI Site with South Northamptonshire Council (SNC). Tables 15.1 and 15.2 following set out the key issues which have been discussed to date in relation to the LVIA. Consultation responses from the March 2018 Section 42 consultation (Stage Two Consultation, as described in Chapter 4: Overview of Consultation and Scoping) are included in Table 15.3 Table 15.1: Summary of Scoping Opinion Scoping Opinion Summary of issues raised Where in the ES is this addressed? section/paragraph 3.90 The Proposed The Proposed Development is described in Development description Chapter 5, and that description is adopted on should be consistent a consistent basis throughout the chapter.