The Planning Act 2008 Richborough Connection Project Examining Authority’s Report of Findings and Conclusions and Recommendation to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy _______________________________________ Examining Authority Frances Fernandes BSc(Hons), MSc, MRTPI Lead Member of the Panel Annie Coombs BA(Hons), MA, MSc, FLI Panel Member Richard Rees BSc(Hons), MSc, CEng, FICE, FCIHT Panel Member Stephen Roscoe BEng, MSc, CEng, MICE Panel Member 8 March 2017 This page intentionally left blank ERRATA SHEET – Richborough Connection Project - Ref. EN020017 Examining Authority’s Report of Findings and Conclusions and Recommendation to the Secretary of State for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, dated 8 March 2017 Corrections agreed by the Examining Authority prior to a decision being made Page No. Paragraph Error Correction 58 4.4.120 “..cumulative impacts “..cumulative effects assessment assessment (CEA)..” (CEA)..” 111 5.2.220 “..would be greater of “..would be of greater..” greater..” 255 6.2.125 “..would be between “..would be between £8.4 million £8.4m for a 36m and for a 36 metre and £10.5 million 10.5m for a 32.5m AOD for a 32.5 metre AOD reservoir.” reservoir.” 291 9.2.4 “..which is to been “..which is to be acquired..” acquired..” 299 9.5.21 (final “..respective “..respective principals..” bullet) principles..” 301 9.5.34 “..Convention rights of “..Convention rights of those those whose are who are affected.” affected.” ExA’s findings and conclusions and recommendation in respect of an application by National Grid Electricity Transmission plc File Ref EN020017 The application, dated 11 January 2016, was made under section 37 of the Planning Act 2008 and was received in full by the Planning Inspectorate on 14 January 2016. The applicant is National Grid Electricity Transmission plc. The application was accepted for examination on 11 February 2016. The examination of the application began on 8 June 2016 and was completed on 8 December 2016. The development proposed is to construct, operate and maintain a 400, 000 volt (400kV) overhead line electricity connection between Richborough and Canterbury in Kent. Summary of Recommendation: The Examining Authority recommends that the Secretary of State should make the Order in the form at Appendix E. Report to the Secretary of State 2 Richborough Connection Report Contents 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................ 6 1.1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................... 6 1.2 THE EXAMINATION AND PROCEDURAL DECISIONS ............................. 6 1.3 SITE INSPECTIONS ................................................................. 8 1.4 OTHER CONSENTS REQUIRED..................................................... 8 1.5 UNDERTAKINGS/ OBLIGATIONS GIVEN TO SUPPORT THE APPLICATION ....................................................................... 9 1.6 STRUCTURE OF THE REPORT ...................................................... 9 2 MAIN FEATURES OF THE PROPOSAL AND SITE ....................... 11 2.1 THE APPLICATION AS MADE ..................................................... 11 2.2 LOCATION ......................................................................... 12 2.3 THE APPLICATION AT THE CLOSE OF EXAMINATION ......................... 13 2.4 RELEVANT PLANNING HISTORY ................................................. 14 2.5 UNDERTAKINGS .................................................................. 15 3 LEGAL AND POLICY CONTEXT ................................................. 16 3.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................... 16 3.2 PLANNING ACT 2008 (AS AMENDED) ......................................... 16 3.3 NATIONAL POLICY STATEMENTS ................................................ 17 3.4 TEN-E REGULATION EU 347/2013 ........................................... 17 3.5 MARINE AND COASTAL ACCESS ACT 2009 ................................... 17 3.6 EUROPEAN REQUIREMENTS AND RELATED UK REGULATIONS ............... 19 3.7 OTHER LEGAL AND POLICY PROVISIONS ...................................... 21 3.8 MADE DEVELOPMENT CONSENT ORDERS ...................................... 24 3.9 TRANSBOUNDARY EFFECTS ..................................................... 24 3.10 LISTED BUILDINGS, CONSERVATION AREAS AND SCHEDULED MONUMENTS ...................................................................... 25 3.11 NATIONAL PLANNING POLICY FRAMEWORK ................................... 25 3.12 LOCAL IMPACT REPORTS ........................................................ 26 3.13 THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN ........................................................ 26 3.14 POWER OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO MAKE A DECISION ............... 27 4 NEED FOR AND EVOLUTION OF THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT ........................................................................ 28 4.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................... 28 4.2 THE NEED FOR THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT ............................... 29 4.3 PRE-APPLICATION ENGAGEMENT AND CONSULTATION ...................... 30 4.4 CONFORMITY WITH NATIONAL POLICY STATEMENTS ........................ 35 5 FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS ON POLICY AND FACTUAL ISSUES ................................................................................... 66 5.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................... 66 5.2 LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL EFFECTS ............................................. 67 5.3 GOOD DESIGN .................................................................. 114 5.4 SOCIO-ECONOMIC ............................................................. 121 5.5 BIODIVERSITY AND GEOLOGICAL CONSERVATION ......................... 140 Report to the Secretary of State 3 Richborough Connection 5.6 NOISE, VIBRATION AND ELECTRIC AND MAGNETIC FIELDS ............... 166 5.7 TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORTATION ............................................. 175 5.8 WATER QUALITY AND RESOURCES, AND FLOOD RISK ..................... 189 5.9 HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT ..................................................... 196 5.10 AIR QUALITY AND LIGHTING .................................................. 206 5.11 OTHER MATTERS ............................................................... 209 6 FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS IN RELATION TO THE EFFECT OF THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT ON THE BROAD OAK RESERVOIR PROPOSAL ......................................................... 217 6.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................. 217 6.2 PHYSICAL INTERACTION ....................................................... 229 6.3 PROTECTIVE PROVISIONS ..................................................... 258 6.4 OVERALL CONCLUSION ........................................................ 265 7 FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS IN RELATION TO HABITATS REGULATIONS ...................................................................... 267 7.1 INTRODUCTION, POLICY AND LEGISLATIVE CONTEXT ..................... 267 7.2 THE APPLICANT'S ASSESSMENT .............................................. 267 7.3 THE REPORT ON THE IMPLICATIONS FOR EUROPEAN SITES .............. 268 7.4 RELEVANT EUROPEAN SITES AND THEIR QUALIFYING FEATURES/ INTERESTS ...................................................................... 269 7.5 ASSESSMENT OF LIKELY SIGNIFICANT EFFECTS RESULTING FROM THE PROJECT ALONE AND IN-COMBINATION ............................... 270 7.6 MATTERS CONSIDERED DURING THE EXAMINATION ....................... 271 7.7 OVERALL HABITATS REGULATIONS ASSESSMENT CONCLUSIONS ........ 274 8 THE PANEL'S CONCLUSIONS ON THE CASE FOR DEVELOPMENT ...................................................................... 275 8.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................. 275 8.2 NEED FOR THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT................................... 275 8.3 CONSIDERATION OF ALTERNATIVES ......................................... 276 8.4 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT PROCESS AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT ................................................ 278 8.5 ASSESSING THE IMPACTS OF THE PROPOSED SCHEME .................... 279 8.6 HABITATS REGULATIONS ASSESSMENT ..................................... 284 8.7 OVERALL CONCLUSION ON THE CASE FOR DEVELOPMENT ................ 285 9 COMPULSORY ACQUISITION AND RELATED MATTERS .......... 288 9.1 THE REQUEST FOR COMPULSORY ACQUISITION AND RELATED POWERS ......................................................................... 288 9.2 THE PURPOSES FOR WHICH THE LAND IS REQUIRED ...................... 290 9.3 THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE PLANNING ACT 2008 (AS AMENDED) ..... 293 9.4 HOW THE EXAMINING AUTHORITY EXAMINED THE CASE FOR COMPULSORY ACQUISITION .................................................. 294 9.5 THE APPLICANT'S GENERAL CASE FOR THE GRANT OF COMPULSORY ACQUISITION POWERS AND RELATED MATTERS ............................ 295 9.6 THE APPLICANT'S CASE IN RELATION TO SPECIAL CATEGORY LAND - OPEN SPACE - SECTION 132 PLANNING ACT 2008 (AS AMENDED) .... 301 9.7 THE APPLICANT'S CASE IN RELATION TO CROWN LAND - SECTION 135 PLANNING ACT 2008 (AS AMENDED) ................................. 302 Report to the Secretary of State 4 Richborough Connection 9.8 THE OBJECTIONS RECEIVED TO THE COMPULSORY ACQUISITION AND RELATED MATTERS, PROPOSALS AND THE APPLICANT'S RESPONSE....................................................................... 303 9.9 EXAMINING AUTHORITY CONSIDERATIONS ................................