The Sizewell C Project 6.10 Volume 9 Rail Chapter 6 Landscape and Visual Revision: 1.0 Applicable Regulation: Regulation 5(2)(a) PINS Reference Number: EN010012 May 2020 Planning Act 2008 Infrastructure Planning (Applications: Prescribed Forms and Procedure) Regulations 2009 SIZEWELL C PROJECT – ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED Contents 6. Landscape and Visual .............................................................................................. 1 6.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 1 6.2 Legislation, policy and guidance ............................................................................... 2 6.3 Methodology ............................................................................................................. 5 6.4 Proposed rail extension route baseline environment .............................................. 20 6.5 Proposed rail extension route environmental design and mitigation ....................... 32 6.6 Proposed rail extension route assessment ............................................................. 34 6.7 Mitigation and monitoring ........................................................................................ 52 6.8 Proposed rail improvement works .......................................................................... 52 6.9 Residual effects ...................................................................................................... 52 References .......................................................................................................................... 61 Tables Table 6.1: Requirements of the National Policy Statement for Energy (EN-1) ....................... 3 Table 6.2: Summary of consultation responses that have informed the scope and methodology of the landscape and visual impact assessment .............................................. 6 Table 6.3: Summary of environmental screening exercise .................................................... 8 Table 6.4: Susceptibility of landscape and visual receptors ................................................. 11 Table 6.5: Landscape Value ................................................................................................ 12 Table 6.6: Assessment of sensitivity of receptors for landscape and visual impact assessments ........................................................................................................................ 13 Table 6.7: Scale of effect ..................................................................................................... 13 Table 6.8: Duration of effect ................................................................................................ 14 Table 6.9: Extent of effect .................................................................................................... 15 Table 6.10: Representative viewpoints ................................................................................ 28 Table 6.11: Summary of scale of effects on representative viewpoints ............................... 41 Table 6.12: Summary of effects for the construction phase ................................................. 53 Table 6.13: Summary of effects for the operational phase .................................................. 55 Table 6.14: Summary of effects for the removal and reinstatement phase .......................... 58 NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED Volume 9 Chapter 6 Landscape and Visual | i SIZEWELL C PROJECT – ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED Plates Plate 6.1: Magnitude of Effect .............................................................................................. 16 Plate 6.2: Significance ......................................................................................................... 18 Figures Figure 6.1: Landscape Designations and Context Figure 6.2: Topography Figure 6.3: Landscape Character Figure 6.4: Zone of Theoretical Visibility (ZTV) and Viewpoints Figure 6.5: Representative Viewpoint 1: Photograph Panel Figure 6.6: Representative Viewpoint 2: Photograph Panel Figure 6.7: Representative Viewpoint 3: Photograph Panel Figure 6.8: Representative Viewpoint 4: Photograph Panel Figure 6.9: Representative Viewpoint 5: Photograph Panel Figure 6.10: Representative Viewpoint 6: Photograph Panel Figure 6.11: Representative Viewpoint 7: Photograph Panel Figure 6.12: Representative Viewpoint 1: Existing view Figure 6.13: Representative Viewpoint 1: Photowire Figure 6.14: Representative Viewpoint 2: Existing view Figure 6.15: Representative Viewpoint 2: Photowire Figure 6.16: Representative Viewpoint 7: Existing view Figure 6.17: Representative Viewpoint 7: Photowire APPENDICES Appendix 6A: Illustrative Viewpoints Appendix 6B: Night-time Appraisal NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED Volume 9 Chapter 6 Landscape and Visual | ii SIZEWELL C PROJECT – ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED 6. Landscape and Visual 6.1 Introduction 6.1.1 This chapter of Volume 9 of the Environmental Statement (ES) presents an assessment of the potential landscape and visual effects arising from the construction and operation of proposals relating to rail. 6.1.2 The proposals considered in this volume are as follows: • the part of the green rail route comprising a temporary rail extension of approximately 1.8 kilometres (km) from the existing Saxmundham to Leiston branch line to the proposed B1122 (Abbey Road) level crossing inclusive (the 'proposed rail extension route') as shown on Chapter 2 of this volume, Figure 2.1; and • Saxmundham to Leiston branch line upgrades (including track replacement and level crossing upgrades) (the 'proposed rail improvement works') as shown on Chapter 2 of this volume, Figure 2.11. 6.1.3 Together these are referred to throughout this volume as the ‘proposed development’. 6.1.4 The proposed green rail route in its entirety comprises of a temporary rail extension of approximately 4.5km from the existing Saxmundham to Leiston branch line to a terminal within the main development site. The 2.7km part of the green rail route between the proposed B1122 (Abbey Road) level crossing and the terminal within the main development site is detailed in Volume 2, Chapters 1 to 4 of this volume and assessed in Volume 2 of the ES. 6.1.5 Once the proposed rail extension route is no longer required for the construction of the Sizewell C Project, it would be removed and the land reinstated, however the other rail improvement works would be permanent. 6.1.6 Detailed descriptions of the green rail route and other rail improvement sites (referred to throughout as the ‘site’), the proposed development and the different phases of development are provided in Chapters 1 to 2 of this volume of the ES. A glossary of terms and list of abbreviations used in this chapter is provided in Volume 1, Appendix 1A of the ES. NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED Volume 9 Chapter 6 Landscape and Visual | 1 SIZEWELL C PROJECT – ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED 6.1.7 The assessment has been informed by data from other assessments including ecological receptors and heritage assets identified in Chapter 7 Terrestrial Ecology and Ornithology and Chapter 9 Terrestrial Historic Environment, in how they contribute to the landscape character and value, whilst impacts on views are taken into account in the consideration of amenity and recreation in Chapter 8 of this volume of the ES. 6.1.8 This assessment has been informed by data presented in the following technical appendices: • Appendix 6A: Illustrative Viewpoints; and • Appendix 6B: Night-time Appraisal. 6.2 Legislation, policy and guidance 6.2.1 Volume 1, Appendix 6I identifies and describes legislation, policy and guidance of relevance to the assessment of the potential landscape and visual impacts associated with the Sizewell C Project across all ES volumes. 6.2.2 This section provides an overview of the specific legislation, policy and guidance of relevance to the assessment of the proposed development. 6.2.3 There are no additional policy considerations which relate to this assessment which are not already described in Volume 1, Appendix 6I of the ES. Policies relating to Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and local landscape designations are highlighted below as they have specific relevance given the that parts of the AONB and Special Landscape Area (SLA) are within the study area. The response to policy requirements relating to ‘good design’ is also described in section 6.5 of this chapter. a) International 6.2.4 International legislation and policy relating to the landscape and visual assessment include the European Landscape Convention 2000 (Ref. 6.1). 6.2.5 The requirements of this, as relevant to the landscape and visual assessment, are set out in Volume 1, Appendix 6I of the ES. b) National 6.2.6 National legislation and policies relating to landscape and visual assessment include: NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED Volume 9 Chapter 6 Landscape and Visual | 2 SIZEWELL C PROJECT – ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED • The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (Ref. 6.2). • National Policy Statements (NPSs) (Ref. 6.3 - 6.4). • National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) (Ref. 6.5). • The Planning Practice Guidance for the Natural Environment (Ref. 6.6), Design: process and tools (Ref. 6.7) and Light Pollution (Ref. 6.8). • Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan 2018 (Ref. 6.9). 6.2.7 The requirements of these, as relevant to the landscape and visual assessment, are set out in Volume