Non Technical Summary
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Glyn Rhonwy Pumped Storage Development Consent Order Environmental Statement Volume 1: Non Technical Summary PINS Reference EN010072 Document No. 6.01 Regulation 5(2)(a) and Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2009 Author AECOM Revision Date Description 0 October 2015 Submission Version Glyn Rhonwy Pumped Storage 6.01 Non-Technical Summary Development Consent Order Volume 1 Revision Date of Comments Author(s) Checker Approver No. Issue October 0 Final Issued Various CA DR 2015 August / September Working Draft Various CA DR 2015 October 2015 Glyn Rhonwy Pumped Storage 6.01 Non-Technical Summary Development Consent Order Volume 1 Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 2 APPROACH TO EIA & CONSULTATION CHAPTER 3 DESIGN EVOLUTION AND ALTERNATIVES CHAPTER 4 PROJECT DESCRIPTION CHAPTER 5 SUMMARY OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT Figures FIGURE 1.1 SITE LOCATION PLAN FIGURE 1.2 ORDER LIMITS FIGURE 3.1 ECOLOGICAL DESIGNATIONS FIGURE 3.2 LANDSCAPE DESIGNATIONS FIGURE 3.3 SNOWDONIA NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY FIGURE 3.4 SITE DESCRIPTION FIGURE 3.5 DESIGN REVIEW 1 FIGURE 3.6 DESIGN REVIEW 2 FIGURE 3.7 DESIGN REVIEW 3 FIGURE 3.8 DESIGN REVIEW 4 FIGURE 3.9 DESIGN REVIEW 6 FIGURE 3.10 DESIGN REVIEW 7 FIGURE 3.11 DESIGN REVIEW 8 FIGURE 4.1 DEVELOPMENT OVERVIEW FIGURE 4.2 INDICATIVE ROUTE OF ELECTRICAL CONNECTION FIGURE 5.1 ZONE OF THEORETICAL VISIBILITY FIGURE 5.2 CUMULATIVE DEVELOPMENTS October 2015 Glyn Rhonwy Pumped Storage 6.01 Non-Technical Summary Development Consent Order Volume 1 Abbreviations & Glossary 2012 ES The previously submitted ES AGL Above Ground Level AOD Above Ordnance Datum AQMP Air Quality Management Plan BOCC Birds of Conservation Concern BPM Best Practicable Means BS4142 British Standard – Method for Rating Industrial Noise Affecting Mixed Residential and Industrial Areas BS7445 British Standard- Description and Measurement of Environmental Noise CADW The Welsh Government's Historic Environment Service CCW Countryside Council for Wales (now NRW) CEMP Construction Environmental Management Plan CoCP Code of Construction Practice CTMP Construction Traffic Management Plan DCO Development Consent Order DECC Department of Energy & Climate Change Development The proposed 99.9MW Glyn Rhonwy Pumped Storage Facility DMP Dust Management Plan DNO District Network Operator EIA Environmental Impact Assessment EN-1 Overarching National Policy Statement for Energy EN-3 National Policy Statement for Renewable Energy Infrastructure EN-5 National Policy Statement for Electricity Networks Infrastructure EP Environmental Permit EP Environmental Permit October 2015 Glyn Rhonwy Pumped Storage 6.01 Non-Technical Summary Development Consent Order Volume 1 ERFMP Emergency Response and Flood Risk Management Plan ES Environmental Statement ES The Environmental Statement for the Glyn Rhonwy Pumped Storage DCO FCA Flood Consequences Assessment GAPS Gwynedd Archaeological Planning Service GC Gwynedd Council GI Ground Investigation Ha / ha Hectare HASP Halth and Safety Plan HDPE High Density Poly-ethylene Headpond Upper reservoir HGV Heavy Goods Vehicle HMP Habitat Management Plan HRA Habitat Regulation Assessment Hz Hertz ICP Independent Connection Provider kv Kilovolt – measure of electrical current LCA Landscape Character Area LHA Local Highway Authority LSE Likely Significant Effect LVIA Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment LWS Local Wildlife Site m Metres m3 Cubic metres MTAN Minerals Technical Advice Note October 2015 Glyn Rhonwy Pumped Storage 6.01 Non-Technical Summary Development Consent Order Volume 1 MW Mega Watts – measure of energy, one million watts MWh Mega Watt Hours – measure of energy generated in hours NMP Noise Management Plan NPS National Policy Statement NRW Natural Resources Wales (formally EAW and CCW) NSIP Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project NSR Noise Sensitive Receptor NTS Non-Technical Summary NVC National vegetation Classification PC Principal Contractor PEIR Preliminary Environmental Information Report Penstock The pipe connecting the headpond to the power house PINS Planning Inspectorate Power House Containing the combined pump/turbines PPP Pollution Prevention Plan PPW Planning Policy Wales PRoW Public Rights of Way Q1 Quarry 1- Chwarel Fawr Q2 Quarry 2- Chwarel Cefn Du Q3 Quarry 3- Cook Q4 Quarry 4- Ddol Q5 Quarry 5- unnamed but known locally as Gideon Quarry (previously known as Glynrhonwy) Q6 Quarry 6- Glyn Rhonwy (also locally known as Mancer Quarry) Q7 Quarry 7- Unnamed and is a smaller quarry excavated between and to the south of Glyn Rhonwy (Q6) and the former munitions store (Q8). It October 2015 Glyn Rhonwy Pumped Storage 6.01 Non-Technical Summary Development Consent Order Volume 1 has been used to dispose of slate waste and has more established vegetation colonising its base than other quarries at the site. Q8 Quarry 8 former WWII munitions store (known locally as the bombstore) QBC Quarry Battery Company Ltd SAC Special Area of Conservation SNP Snowdonia National Park SNPA Snowdonia National Park Authority SoCC Statement of Community Consultation SoS Secretary of State SP Scottish Power SPH Snowdonia Pumped Hydro Ltd or “the Applicant” Spillway Infrastructure A discharge point from the headpond and a joint discharge/abstraction point from the tailpond SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest SUDS Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems T&CPA application The planning application submitted under the Town & Country Planning Act for the 49.9MW scheme as approved by GC T&CPA Town and Country Planning Act 1990 TA Traffic Assessment Tailpond Lower reservoir Tailrace The pipe connecting the power house to the tailpond TAN Technical Advice Note TBM Tunnel Boring Machine The Act The Planning Act 2008 The Applicant Snowdonia Pumped Hydro (SPH) Ltd The Approved Scheme The approved 49.9MW scheme Glyn Rhonwy Pumped Storage facility October 2015 Glyn Rhonwy Pumped Storage 6.01 Non-Technical Summary Development Consent Order Volume 1 TPO Tree Protection Order TWL Top Water Level UDP Unitary Development Plan UXO Unexploded Ordnance V Volt WFD Water Framework Directive WG Welsh Government WMP Waste Management Plan WTMP Water Management Plan ZTV Zone of Theoretical Visibility October 2015 Glyn Rhonwy Pumped Storage 6.01 Non-Technical Summary Development Consent Order Volume 1 October 2015 Glyn Rhonwy Pumped Storage 6.01 Non-Technical Summary Development Consent Order Volume 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Introduction This Non-Technical Summary (NTS) accompanies a Development Consent Order (DCO) application which has been submitted by Snowdonia Pumped Hydro (SPH – hereafter referred to as “the Applicant”) for the construction and operation of a pumped storage scheme with an output capacity of 99.9 megawatts (MW) at the Glyn Rhonwy and Chwarel Fawr quarries, near Llanberis (hereafter referred to as ‘the Development”). The Development exceeds 50MW installed output capacity, and is therefore designated as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) under the Planning Act 2008 (“the Act”). The application for the DCO is submitted to the Planning Inspectorate and will be determined by the Secretary of State for Energy & Climate Change (SoS). Environmental Impact Assessment EIA is the process of identifying, evaluating and, where possible, mitigating the likely significant environmental effects of a proposed development. It promotes the early identification and evaluation of the potentially significant environmental effects of a proposed development and enables appropriate mitigation (that is measures to avoid, reduce or offset significant adverse effects) to be identified and incorporated into the design of a development, or commitments to be made to environmentally sensitive construction methods and practices. The Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2009 (as amended) (the EIA Regulations) apply in the case of applications under the Planning Act 2008. The EIA Regulations require an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to be carried out to determine the likely significant effects of a proposed development on the environment. October 2015 Glyn Rhonwy Pumped Storage 6.01 Non-Technical Summary Development Consent Order Volume 1 The results of the EIA also ensure that decision makers such as the SoS and statutory consultees such as planning authorities, in this case Gwynedd Council, as well as other interested parties, including local communities, are aware of a development’s environmental effects so that these may be considered before a decision is taken on whether or not the development should be approved. An Environmental Statement (ES) reports the findings of the EIA. The ES which accompanies the application for the DCO has been prepared by AECOM on behalf of the Applicant. The methodology section within individual technical chapters of the ES sets out the criteria used in judging the significance of effects and the process that has been undertaken to gather baseline information and predict the likely effects and their magnitude. Mitigation measures are actions that are implemented to reduce the significance of an environmental effect. Should a likely significant effect remain after the implementation of mitigation measures, this is known as a significant residual effect. Pre-Application Consultation Under the Planning Act 2008, the Applicant is required to undertake formal consultation with the local community and stakeholders to allow them to find out more about the Development, and give the Applicant their views on the proposals in line