Leigh FSA Expansion Scheme Environmental Statement August 2020 We are the Environment Agency. We protect and improve the environment and make it a better place for people and wildlife. We operate at the place where environmental change has its greatest impact on people’s lives. We reduce the risks to people and properties from flooding; make sure there is enough water for people and wildlife; protect and improve air, land and water quality and apply the environmental standards within which industry can operate. Acting to reduce climate change and helping people and wildlife adapt to its consequences are at the heart of all that we do. We cannot do this alone. We work closely with a wide range of partners including government, business, local authorities, other agencies, civil society groups and the communities we serve. Published by: Environment Agency Horizon house, Deanery Road Bristol BS1 5AH Email: enquiries@environment- agency.gov.uk www.environment-agency.gov.uk © Environment Agency 2020 All rights reserved. This document may be reproduced with prior permission of the Environment Agency. Environment Agency Leigh FSA Expansion Scheme Quality Assurance Project Name Leigh FSA Expansion Scheme Project 1B1S reference IMSE100377 Date 16 August 2020 Version Number Final for Planning Application Submission BIM ENVIMSE100377-JBA-00-00-AS-EN-0100-Environmental_Statement Approvals Name Signature Title Date Version Tim Carter Technical Director 24.08.2020 1.6 Formatted: Not Highlight Formatted: Not Highlight Formatted: Not Highlight Formatted: Not Highlight Formatted: Not Highlight EIA Quality Mark This Environmental Statement, and the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) carried out to identify the significant environmental effects of the proposed development, was undertaken in line with the EIA Quality Mark Commitments. The EIA Quality Mark is a voluntary scheme, operated by the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA), through which EIA activity is independently reviewed, on an annual basis, to ensure it delivers excellence in the following areas: EIA Management EIA Team Capabilities EIA Regulatory Compliance EIA Context & Influence EIA Content EIA Presentation Improving EIA practice To find out more about the EIA Quality Mark please visit: www.iema.net/qmark Environment Agency Leigh FSA Expansion Scheme This page is intentionally blank. Environment Agency Leigh FSA Expansion Scheme Contents 1 Introduction 1-1 1.1 Purpose and structure of the Environmental Statement 1-1 1.2 Background to the project 1-3 2 Alternative Options Considered 2-1 2.1 Introduction 2-1 2.2 Strategic context 2-1 2.3 Option development and alternatives considered 2-2 2.4 Revision of preferred option 2-4 2.5 Summary of the preferred option 2-5 3 Site and Works Description 3-1 3.1 Introduction 3-1 3.2 Description of the Works 3-1 3.3 Proposed construction activities 3-15 3.4 Operation and maintenance of the scheme 3-23 4 The EIA Process 4-1 4.1 Introduction and background to EIA 4-1 4.2 EIA screening and scoping 4-1 4.3 Spatial scope 4-4 4.4 The assessment approach 4-4 5 Consultation 5-1 5.1 During the option development and selection staqe 5-1 5.2 Scoping consultation 5-2 5.3 Public / stakeholder events 5-9 5.4 Consultation during development of the Environmental Statement 5-9 5.5 Future consultation 5-10 6 Water and Flooding 6-1 6.1 Introduction 6-1 6.2 Legislation, Policy and Guidance 6-1 6.3 Methodology 6-4 6.4 Assessment of potential impacts, mitigation and residual effects 6-9 6.6 Summary of effects 6-16 7 Biodiversity, Flora and Fauna 7-1 7.1 Introduction 7-1 7.2 Methodology 7-3 7.3 Baseline information 7-15 7.4 Trends and predicted future baseline 7-34 7.5 Design evolution 7-34 7.6 Predicted effects of the scheme 7-35 7.7 Biodiversity Enhancements (Biodiversity Net Gain-BNG) 7-53 7.8 Summary 7-68 8 Archaeology and Heritage 8-1 8.1 Introduction 8-1 Environment Agency Leigh FSA Expansion Scheme i 8.2 Methodology 8-4 8.3 Baseline information 8-8 8.4 Trends and predicted future baseline 8-16 8.5 Information gaps 8-19 8.6 Design evolution 8-19 8.7 Impacts of the scheme 8-20 8.8 Mitigation Measures 8-23 8. Summary 8-23 9 Human Environment 9-1 9.1 Introduction 9-1 9.2 Key Issues 9-1 9.3 Methodology 9-3 9.4 Baseline information 9-4 9.5 Trends and predicted future baseline 9-9 9.6 Information gaps 9-9 9.7 Design evolution 9-10 9.8 Predicted effects of the scheme 9-10 9.9 Summary 9-14 10 Landscape and Visual Impact 10-1 10.1 Introduction 10-1 10.2 Relevant legislation, policies and guidance 10-4 10.3 Landscape baseline and assessment of effects 10-10 10.4 Methodology 10-17 10.5 Baseline information 10-27 10.6 Landscape and Visual Impacts 10-31 10.7 Mitigation 10-33 10.8 Summary 10-34 11. Climate Change and Resilience 11-1 11.1 Introduction 11-1 11.2 Carbon Reduction 11-1 11.3 Carbon Calculation 11-2 11.4 Carbon Reduction Results 11-2 11.5 Carbon Results Summary 11-4 11.6 Flood Risk Modelling and Climate Change 11-4 12 Cumulative Effects and Inter-relationships 12-1 12.1 Introduction 12-1 12.2 Baseline Conditions 12-1 12.3 Assessment Methodology 12-2 12.4 Potential Impacts & Significant Effects 12-2 12.5 Mitigation Measures 12-3 12.6 Residual Effects 12-3 13 Summary of Mitigation Measures and Monitoring 13-1 13.1 Proposed mitigation measures and associated monitoring 13-1 14 Summary of Effects 14-1 14.1 Introduction 14-1 14.2 Water and Flooding 14-1 Environment Agency Leigh FSA Expansion Scheme ii 14.3 Biodiversity, Flora and Fauna 14-1 14.4 Archaeology and Heritage 14-2 14.5 Human Environment 14-2 14.6 Landscape and Visual Impact 14-3 14.7 Climate Change and Resilience 14-4 14.8 Cumulative effects 14-4 14.9 Overall Summary 14-5 APPENDICES APPENDIX A – Environmental Action Plan (EAP) APPENDIX B – EIA Screening & Scoping Opinions, assessment of alternatives, Scoping record • B.1a - 2018 TMBC EIA Screening Opinion • B.1b - 2018 TMBC EIA Scoping Opinion • B.2 - 2018 VBA Environmental comparison of Scheme Options • B.3 - 2019 VBA EIA Scoping Record April 2019 • B.4 - 2018 JBA EIA Scoping Record 24.12.2019 • B.5 - 2020 JBA EIA Scoping Record - Amended v1 10.01.2020 • B.6 - 2020 TMBC Second EIA Scoping Opinion – 28.02.2020 • B.7 - 2020 JBA EIA Scoping Record - Amended v2 29.01.2020 APPENDIX C – Scheme drawings Scheme Overview (drawings not to scale for information only) ENVIMSE100377-JBA-LZ-00-DR-PL-1000 - Red Line Boundary Plan ENVIMSE100377-JBA-LZ-00-DR-PL-1002 - Scheme Overview Plan ENVIMSE100377-JBA-LZ-00-DR-PL-1010 - County District Plan Cattle Arch Embankment ENVIMSE100377-JBA-00-ZZ-DR-PL-1000 - Pumping Station & Cattle Arch Embankment Site Location Plan ENVIMSE100377-JBA-00-ZZ-DR-PL-1020 - Pumping Station & Cattle Arch Embankment Working Areas, Site Compound & Access Routes ENVIMSE100377-JBA-00-CA00-DR-PL-1100 - Block Plan ENVIMSE100377-JBA-00-CA00-DR-PL-1200 - Tie in Sections ENVIMSE100377-JBA-00-CA00-DR-PL-1204 - Construction Details ENVIMSE100377-JBA-00-CA00-DR-PL-1240 - Crest Raising Cross Sections ENVIMSE100377-JBA-00-CA00-DR-PL-1241 - Track Cross Sections Leigh Main Embankment & Control Structure ENVIMSE100377-JBA-00-ZZ-DR-PL-1000 –Site Location Plan ENVIMSE100377-JBA-00-ME00-DR-PL-1303 - Construction Details Sheet 4 ENVIMSE100377-JBA-00-ME01-DR-PL-1100 - Main_Embankment_01_Block_Plan ENVIMSE100377-JBA-00-ME02-DR-PL-1100 Main_Embankment_04_Block_Plan_Sheet_1_of_2 ENVIMSE100377-JBA-00-ME03-DR-PL-1100 Main_Embankment_03_Block_Plan ENVIMSE100377-JBA-00-ME04-DR-PL-1100 - Main_Embankment_04_Block_Plan_Sheet_1_of_2 ENVIMSE100377-JBA-00-ME04-DR-PL-1101 - Main_Embankment_04_Block_Plan_Sheet_2_of_2 ENVIMSE100377-JBA-00-ME04-DR-PL-1220 - A12 Interface Proposed Erosion Protection ENVIMSE100377-JBA-00-ME04-DR-PL-1225 - Bridleway Block Plan ENVIMSE100377-JBA-00-ME04-DR-PL-1200 - Resurfacing Construction Details Environment Agency Leigh FSA Expansion Scheme iii ENVIMSE100377-JBA-00-NR02-DR-PL-1100 - General_Arrangement ENVIMSE100377-JBA-00-NR02-DR-PL-1200 - Proposed_Cross_Section Eel Pass ENVIMSE100377-JBA-00-EP00-DR-EN-0001-EEL_PASS_GA ENVIMSE100377-JBA-00-EP00-DR-EN-0002-EEL_PASS_SECTIONS Pumping Station Embankment ENVIMSE100377-JBA-DE-PF00-DR-PL-1100 – Block Plan Sheet 1 ENVIMSE100377-JBA-DE-PF00-DR-PL-1101 – Block Plan Sheet 2 ENVIMSE100377-JBA-DE-PF00-DR-PL-1102 – Block Plan Sheet 3 ENVIMSE100377-JBA-DE-PF00-DR-PL-1103 – Block Plan Sheet 4 ENVIMSE100377-JBA-DE-PF00-DR-PL-1104 - Culvert Through Embankment Extension Block Plan ENVIMSE100377-JBA-DE-PF00-DR-PL-1105 – Embankment at Network Rail Tie-In Block Plan ENVIMSE100377-JBA-DE-PF00-DR-PL-1200-A5-C01-WorksLongitudinal Section ENVIMSE100377-JBA-DE-PF00-DR-PL-1201 to 1211 – Cross Section Sheets 1 to 11 ENVIMSE100377-JBA-DE-PF00-DR-PL-1301 & 1302 – Construction Details Sheet 1 & 2 APPENDIX D – Chapter 6 Water and Flooding • Appendix D.1 – Flood Risk Assessment • Appendix D.2 – Water Framework Directive (WFD) Assessment APPENDIX E – Chapter 7 – Biodiversity, Flora and Fauna Appendices • Appendix E.1 – Legislation • Appendix E.2 – Policy • Appendix E.3 – Phase 1 Habitat Survey • Appendix E.4 – Vegetation Survey Report • Appendix E.5 – Dormouse Survey • Appendix E.6 – Great Crested Newt Survey Report • Appendix E.7 – Protected Species Survey Report • Appendix E.8 – Badger Survey Report • Appendix E.9 – Bat Tree Survey Report • Appendix E.10 – Aquatic Invertebrates Survey Report APPENDIX F – Chapter 8 - Archaeology and Heritage Appendices • Appendix F.1 – Archaeology and Heritage Asset Gazetteers • Appendix F.2 - ENVIMSE100377-JBAU-XX-00-DR-EN-0010-S3-P01- Designated_Heritage_Assets • Appendix