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Gwent Farmers’ Community Solar Scheme September 2017
Environmental Statement
Gwent Farmers’ Community Solar Scheme
Land on the Caldicot Levels, South of Llanwern Steel Works, Nr Newport, Wales
www.savills.co.uk
Project: Gwent Levels Farmer’s Community Solar Scheme
Client: Gwent Farmers’ Community Solar Scheme Ltd
Job Number: 1045592
File Origin: Taunton
Document Checking:
Prepared by: Nick Beddoe Signed:
Checked by: Peter Grubb Signed:
Verified by: Peter Grubb Signed:
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Contents
1.0 Introduction ...... 1
1.1 The Project ...... 1
1.2 Background to screening and scoping for EIA ...... 1
1.3 The Environmental Statement ...... 2
1.4 Professional expertise...... 3
2.0 The Site and Designations ...... 5
2.1 The Site ...... 5
2.2 Ecological Designations ...... 6
2.3 Gwent Levels Historic Landscape ...... 8
2.4 Severn Estuary Designations ...... 9
2.5 Public Rights of Way ...... 12
2.6 Heritage and Archaeological Designations ...... 13
2.7 Flood Risk ...... 13
3.0 The Proposed Development ...... 15
3.1 The Development ...... 15
4.0 Planning Policy Framework ...... 19
4.1 Introduction ...... 19
4.2 National Policy ...... 19
4.3 Energy Wales: A Low Carbon Transition ...... 21
4.4 Planning Policy Wales (Edition 9, 2016) ...... 21
4.5 Technical Advice Notes ...... 25
4.6 Practice Guidance: Planning for Renewable and Low Carbon Energy - A Toolkit for Planners ... 26
4.7 Newport Local Development Plan 2011 – 2026 ...... 27
4.8 Newport Local Development Plan – Proposals and Constraints Maps ...... 32
4.9 Renewable and Low Carbon Energy Assessment: Torfaen County Borough Council and Newport
City Council ...... 34
4.10 Capacity ...... 35
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4.11 Targets ...... 35
4.12 Identified Opportunities ...... 36
5.0 Consultation ...... 38
5.1 Statutory Stakeholders...... 38
5.2 Public Consultation ...... 38
6.0 Site Selection and Alternatives ...... 39
6.1 Site Selection ...... 39
6.2 Site Credentials ...... 39
6.3 Deliverability of the Scheme ...... 41
6.4 Comparative Land Take Assessment ...... 42
6.5 Summary ...... 44
7.0 EIA Approach ...... 45
7.1 Background ...... 45
7.2 Screening ...... 45
7.3 Scoping ...... 46
7.4 Methodology ...... 48
8.0 Traffic and Transport ...... 51
8.1 Introduction ...... 51
8.2 Vehicular Access Arrangement ...... 51
8.3 Construction Traffic Management Measures ...... 55
9.0 Cultural Heritage ...... 59
9.1 Introduction ...... 59
9.2 Assessment Criteria and Methodology ...... 60
9.3 Scoping Opinion ...... 62
9.4 Legislative Context ...... 62
9.5 Planning Policy and Guidance ...... 63
9.6 Baseline Data Collection ...... 71
9.7 Assessment Methodology ...... 72
9.8 Technical Scope ...... 78
9.9 Temporal Scope ...... 80
9.10 Assumptions & Limitations ...... 80
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9.11 Consultation ...... 80
9.12 Baseline Environment ...... 80
9.13 Statutory and local heritage designations ...... 82
9.14 Archaeological and Historical Context ...... 86
9.15 Inherent Design Mitigation ...... 90
9.16 Potential Environmental Impacts and Effects ...... 92
9.17 Additional Mitigation, Compensation and Enhancement Measures ...... 99
9.18 Residual Environmental Impacts and Effects ...... 100
9.19 Cumulative Effects ...... 101
9.20 Assessment Summary ...... 104
10.0 Landscape and Visual Effects ...... 107
10.1 Introduction ...... 107
10.2 Assessment Criteria and Methodology ...... 107
10.3 Planning Policy and Guidance ...... 108
10.4 Local Planning Policy ...... 112
10.5 Guidance/ Best Practice ...... 115
10.6 Baseline Data Collection ...... 117
10.7 Consultation ...... 129
10.8 Baseline Environment ...... 130
10.9 Inherent Design Mitigation ...... 142
10.10 Potential Environmental Impacts and Effects ...... 142
10.11 Effects on Visual Amenity ...... 154
10.12 Additional Mitigation, Compensation and Enhancement Measures ...... 174
10.13 Cumulative Effects ...... 176
10.14 Assessment Summary ...... 178
11.0 Ecology and Nature Conservation ...... 182
11.1 Introduction ...... 182
11.2 Legislative Context ...... 185
11.3 Planning Policy and Guidance ...... 188
11.4 Assessment Criteria and Methodology ...... 197
11.5 Assessment Methodology ...... 203
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11.6 Consultation ...... 207
11.7 Baseline Environment ...... 207
11.8 Inherent Design Mitigation ...... 224
11.9 Key Ecological Features ...... 225
11.10 Potential Environmental Impacts and Effects ...... 226
11.11 Additional Mitigation, Compensation and Enhancement Measures ...... 238
11.12 Residual Environmental Impacts and Effects ...... 246
11.13 Cumulative Effects ...... 246
11.14 Monitoring ...... 247
11.15 Assessment Summary ...... 248
12.0 Ornithology...... 251
12.1 Introduction ...... 251
12.2 Scoping ...... 252
12.3 Legislative Context ...... 252
12.4 Assessment Criteria and Methodology ...... 255
12.5 Consultation ...... 262
12.6 Ornithological Baseline ...... 263
12.7 Valuation of the Baseline ...... 279
12.8 Inherent Design Mitigation ...... 281
12.9 Ornithological Impact Assessment ...... 282
12.10 Additional Mitigation, Compensation & Enhancement Measures ...... 294
12.11 Residual Environmental Impacts & Effects ...... 297
12.12 Cumulative Effects ...... 297
12.13 Monitoring ...... 298
12.14 Assessment Summary ...... 298
13.0 Flood Risk and Water Resources ...... 300
13.1 Introduction ...... 300
13.2 Flood Risk and Hydrology ...... 300
13.3 Surface Water Drainage ...... 305
13.4 Construction ...... 306
13.5 Safe Access ...... 307
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13.6 Management and Maintenance ...... 308
13.7 Conclusions and Recommendations ...... 309
14.0 Additional Assessments ...... 311
14.1 Noise ...... 311
14.2 Agricultural Land Quality ...... 313
14.3 Tree Survey ...... 314
15.0 Summary of Mitigation Measures ...... 317
15.1 Introduction ...... 317
15.2 Operational ...... 318
15.3 Construction ...... 323
15.4 Decommissioning ...... 326
16.0 Population and Human Health ...... 328
16.1 Introduction ...... 328
16.2 Identifying Potential Impacts ...... 328
16.3 Assessment of impacts ...... 328
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Figures
Figure 1 Photograph of site looking northwards
Figure 2 View of site showing electrical pylons
Figure 3 Map showing boundary of Nash and Goldcliff SSSI
Figure 4 Map showing boundary of Whitson SSSI
Figure 5 Gwent Levels Historic Landscape Area
Figure 6 Map showing location of Severn Estuary Special Protection Area
Figure 7 Severn Estuary Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Figure 8 Public Rights of Way through the site
Figure 9 Natural Resources Wales flood map
Figure 10 Site location
Figure 11 Area covered by former Llanwern steelworks site
Figure 12 Stock proof fencing
Figure 13 Caldicot Levels Special Landscape Area with site location shown as inset
Figure 14 NCC Proposals Map showing site area
Figure 15 NCC Local Plan Constraints Map
Figure 16 Ground-mounted solar PV constraints and technical potential - Verco Renewable and Low Carbon Energy Assessment
Figure 17 View of site and cables to which the scheme would connect
Figure 18 Met Office Average Annual Sunshine Hours 1971 – 2001
Figure 19 Solar comparative land take (DECC)
Figure 20 Vehicular Access Arrangements
Figure 21 Site location, Application Area, extent of study area and wider heritage data
Figure 22 Scheme land parcels and relationship to the Gwent Levels HLCAs
Figure 23 Designated and undesignated heritage assets within the revised study area for the Scheme
Figure 24 Extract from TAN15 DAM showing the area at risk of tidal flooding protected by the NRW managed defences, with the solar farm in red
Figure 25 Plan showing registered defences and formal condition. The defences are robust and man-made
Figure 26 Typical character of defences at Goldcliff which is continuous along the coast
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Figure 27 Cable trenches underneath the reens
Figure 28 Transformer and inverter generator noise levels
Figure 29 Construction Operations
Figure 30 Operational Noise levels
Volume II – Appendices
1.1 – 2014 Screening Request
1.2 – 2015 Scoping response from NCC
2.1 – EIA Screening and scoping opinions – Based upon EIA (England and Wales) Regulations 1999
2.2 – EIA Screening and scoping opinions – Based upon EIA (Wales) Regulations 2017
6.1 – Site Selection Sequential Test
8.1 – Construction Traffic Management Plan
9.1 – Archaeology Desk-based Assessment
9.2 – Historic Landscape Assessment GGAT
9.3 – Geophysical Survey
9.4 – Gazetteer of Designated and Non-designated Heritage Assets
9.5 – ASIDOHL2 Report
10.1 – Landscape figures including viewpoints
11.1 – Phase One Target Notes
11.2 – Hedgerow Descriptions
11.4 – GCN Survey Ponds and Ditches HSI
11.5 – Bat Activity Transect Survey Details
11.6 – Bat Static Monitoring Survey Details
11.7 – Invertebrate Survey
11.8 – 2017 Water Vole and Otter Survey
11.9 – Consultation Responses
11.10 – Designated Sites
11.11 – Water Course Aquatic Survey Results
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11.12 – Bat Tree Survey Results
11.13 – Supporting Ecology Figures
12.1 – Habitats Regulations Assessment
12.2 – RPS Data
12.3 – Winter Bird Reports
12.4 – Breeding Bird Reports
12.5 – BoCC 4 and BoCC 3
13.1 – Flood Consequences Assessment
14.1 – Agricultural Appraisal
14.2 – Arboricultural Impact Assessment
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Environmental Statement
Gwent Farmers’ Community Solar Scheme
1.0 Introduction
1.1 The Project
1.1.1 This Environmental Statement (ES) has been prepared by Savills UK Ltd on behalf of the Gwent
Farmers’ Community Solar Scheme Ltd. It was been prepared in support of a planning application,
for the construction of a 49.9MW net installed generating capacity solar farm, on the Gwent Levels,
Nr Newport. The proposal is classed as a Development of National Significance (DNS) and will be
submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for determination.
1.1.2 The temporary development (30 years) requires a site of approximately 345 acres. A detailed
description of the development is provided in chapter 3.
1.1.3 The ES addresses the following principal considerations:
. Planning Policy Context;
. Traffic and Transport;
. Cultural Heritage;
. Landscape and Visual Effects;
. Ecology and Nature Conservation;
. Ornithology; and
. Flood Risk and Water Resources.
1.1.4 The cumulative assessment of the impact of the proposals with other existing and/or approved
projects in the vicinity of the site is considered in each relevant chapter.
1.2 Background to screening and scoping for EIA
1.2.1 A formal request for a screening opinion was first submitted to Newport City Council (NCC) on 10th
April 2014. A response from NCC was provided on 17th June 2014, which confirmed that the
proposed development would require Environmental Impact Assessment. The initial screening
request and the response from NCC is provided in Appendix 1.1.
1.2.2 Following this decision, a subsequent request for a scoping opinion was then submitted to NCC on
19th March 2015. At this point, 13 individual screening requests were submitted as the original intent
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was to submit 13 separate planning applications covering the different land parcels which make up
the 345 acres. This was made under Regulations 5(1) and 10(1) of the Town and Country Planning
(Environmental Impact Assessment) (England and Wales) Regulations 1999. The Council
subsequently provided the requested scoping opinion on 26th April 2015 and this is provided in
Appendix 1.2.
1.2.3 Although this scoping opinion was appropriate to the full extent of the scheme (and has dictated the
principles for consideration listed in the section above), its title referred only to “Site 3” of the 13 sites,
which now constitute the single overall site being proposed. Furthermore, since the initial screening
and scoping opinions were issued by NCC, there have been substantial legislative changes and the
Environmental Impact Assessment process in Wales is now governed by the Town and Country
Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Wales) Regulations 2017, which came into effect on
16th May 2017 (hereafter referred to as ‘the EIA Regulations’).
1.2.4 As a result, it was considered necessary to formally clarify the relationship between the Council’s
scoping opinion and the work completed as part of this EIA. Therefore, a further request for a
screening and scoping opinion was submitted to NCC on 6th June 2017. The LPA again confirmed
that the proposals constitute EIA development and provided a scoping opinion on 12th July 2017. The
screening/scoping request and NCC’s responses have been provided in Appendix 2.1
1.2.5 Due to the change in consenting procedure to the Developments of National Significance process,
the responsibility for EIA screening and scoping now lies with the Welsh Ministers and not NCC.
Therefore a request for a screening and scoping direction from the Planning Inspectorate on behalf of
the Welsh Ministers was submitted on 25th August 2017. The Planning Inspectorate confirmed on
31st August 2017 that the proposals constitute EIA development. A formal scoping direction was
received in September 2017. The screening/scoping request and the Planning Inspectorate's
responses have been provided in Appendix 2.1.
1.2.6 Therefore, to summarise, the work contained within this EIA accords with the EIA Regulations the
scoping opinions provided by NCC and the scoping direction provided by the Planning Inspectorate.
1.3 The Environmental Statement
1.3.1 The ES is presented in three separate volumes, which are:
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Gwent Farmers’ Community Solar Scheme
. Vol 1: ES Main Report (including Parameter Plans and Chapter Figures)
. Vol 2: Technical Appendices
. Vol 3: Non-Technical Summary
1.3.2 The ES Main Report comprises of the following chapters:
Introductory Chapters
. Chapter 1: Introduction
. Chapter 2: The Site and Designations
. Chapter 3: The Proposed Development
. Chapter 4: Planning Policy Framework
. Chapter 5: Consultation
. Chapter 6: Site Selection and Alternatives
. Chapter 7: EIA Approach
Technical Chapters
. Chapter 8: Traffic and Transport
. Chapter 9: Cultural Heritage
. Chapter 10: Landscape and Visual Effects
. Chapter 11: Ecology and Nature Conservation
. Chapter 12: Ornithology
. Chapter 13: Flood Risk and Water Resources
. Chapter 14: Additional Assessments
(Agricultural Land Classification and Tree Survey)
. Chapter 15: Summary of Mitigation Measures
. Chapter 16: Population and Human Health
1.3.3 Cumulative impact is considered in each of the relevant technical chapters listed above.
1.4 Professional expertise
1.4.1 In accordance with the requirements of Article 17(4)(b) of the EIA (Wales) Regulations 2017, this
chapter of the Environmental Statement addresses sets out the relevant expertise of the person(s)
who have undertaken the Environmental Impact Assessment. In this respect the key professional
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Gwent Farmers’ Community Solar Scheme
input has been provided by the following team of consultants:
Report / Plans Company Professional Qualifications Co-ordination of EIA and the following chapters Savills - Planning MRTPI of the ES: 1-7 and 14-16. Ecology Chapter Green Ecology MCIEEM Ornithology Chapter Green Ecology MCIEEM Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment White Young Green CMLI Transport Statement and Access Designs WSP TMICE Flood Consequences Assessment Clive Onions Ltd CEng, FICE, FCIWEM Desk Based Heritage Assessment Savills - Heritage MCIFA Arboricultural Impact Assessment Savills M Arbor. A
1.4.2 In addition to their professional qualifications, each consultant has accrued previous experience
working within the renewables sector and understand the key technical matters which must be
addressed.
1.4.3 Therefore, it demonstrated that all person(s) responsible for the production of this Environmental
Statement have sufficient expertise to ensure the completeness and quality of the statement.
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Gwent Farmers’ Community Solar Scheme
2.0 The Site and Designations
2.1 The Site
2.1.1 The site is located on agricultural land on the Gwent levels in south Wales and lies within the local
plan area for Newport City Council. At a local level, the site lies within the Llanwern ward and the
Goldcliff Community Council Boundary.
2.1.2 The site occupies a distinctively flat area of land to the south of the former Llanwern steelworks site
and is shown below in Figure 1. It is split into six distinct parcels of land, lying either side of the
settlement of Whitson and there are no buildings within the site boundary.
2.1.3 There are a number of large pylons on the land that carry cables across the site towards the Magor
sub-station. These would facilitate a connection to the electricity grid and are shown below in Figure
2.
Figure 1 Photograph of site looking northwards
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Gwent Farmers’ Community Solar Scheme
Figure 2 View of site showing electrical pylons
2.2 Ecological Designations
2.2.1 The site is subject to two Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) designations. The western area of
the site lies within the Nash and Goldcliff SSSI whilst the eastern area is located within the Whitson
SSSI. The boundaries for each of these areas are shown below in Figure 3 and Figure 4.
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Gwent Farmers’ Community Solar Scheme
Figure 3 Map showing boundary of Nash and Goldcliff SSSI
Figure 4 Map showing boundary of Whitson SSSI
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Gwent Farmers’ Community Solar Scheme