RENEWABLE ENERGY Environmental Statement Volume 1: Report May 2012 MAGNETIC PARK ENERGY CENTRE Copyright and Non-Disclosure Notice The contents and layout of this report are subject to copyright owned by AMEC (©AMEC Environment & Infrastructure UK Limited 2012) save to the extent that copyright has been legally assigned by us to another party or is used by AMEC under licence. To the extent that we own the copyright in this report, it may not be copied or used without our prior written agreement for any purpose other than the purpose indicated in this report. The methodology (if any) contained in this report is provided to you in confidence and must not be disclosed or copied to third parties without the prior written agreement of AMEC. Disclosure of that information may constitute an actionable breach of confidence or may otherwise prejudice our commercial interests. Any third party who obtains access to this report by any means will, in any event, be subject to the Third Party Disclaimer set out below. Third Party Disclaimer Any disclosure of this report to a third party is subject to this disclaimer. The report was prepared by AMEC at the instruction of, and for use by, our client named on the front of the report. It does not in any way constitute advice to any third party who is able to access it by any means. AMEC excludes to the fullest extent lawfully permitted all liability whatsoever for any loss or damage howsoever arising from reliance on the contents of this report. We do not however exclude our liability (if any) for personal injury or death resulting from our negligence, for fraud or any other matter in relation to which we cannot legally exclude liability. Document Revisions No. Details Date 1 Final Report May 2012 i Contents Volume 1 1. Overview of the Proposed Development 1 1.1 Introduction 1 1.2 Site Description 1 1.3 Overview of the Development Proposals 1 1.4 Purpose of this Report 2 1.5 Applicant and Project Team 2 1.6 Report Structure 3 2. The Proposed Development 5 2.1 Overview of the Need for the Proposed Development 5 2.2 Alternatives 6 2.2.1 Alternative Locations 6 2.2.2 Alternative Technologies 8 2.3 Development Description 8 2.3.1 Overview 8 2.3.2 Details of the EfW Facility 8 2.4 Other Consents 14 3. Environmental Impact Assessment 15 3.1 The Process 15 3.1.1 Overview 15 3.1.2 Scoping 16 3.1.3 Project Evolution 17 3.2 Application of EIA 18 3.2.1 EIA Terminology 18 3.2.2 Topics to be Addressed in the EIA 19 3.2.3 Scoping Exercise 19 3.2.4 Assessment Methodology 20 4. Planning Policy 23 © AMEC Environment & Infrastructure UK Limited May 2012 h:\projects\30633 magnetic park efw\docs\es\rr023i1.doc ii 4.1 Introduction 23 4.2 Planning and Guidance 23 4.2.1 The Statutory Development Plan 23 4.2.2 National Planning Policy 33 4.3 Conclusions 34 5. Ground Conditions and Hydrogeology 37 5.1 Introduction 37 5.2 Context 37 5.2.1 Relevant Terminology 37 5.2.2 Technical Context 37 5.2.3 Planning and Guidance 38 5.3 Assessment Approach 40 5.3.1 Data Gathering and Survey Work 40 5.3.2 Proposed Scope of Assessment 40 5.3.3 Significance Evaluation Methodology 40 5.3.4 Technical Consultations 42 5.3.5 Final Scope of the Assessment 42 5.3.6 Information Gaps 42 5.4 Baseline Conditions 42 5.4.1 Potential Sources of Contamination 42 5.4.2 Fieldwork 44 5.4.3 Intrusive Investigations 44 5.4.4 Contamination 45 5.5 Proposed Mitigation 46 5.5.1 Measures Incorporated to Mitigate Potential Significant Effects 46 5.5.2 Summary of Mitigation Measures 46 5.5.3 Additional Measures Incorporated to Mitigate Possible Other Effects 50 5.6 Assessment of Effects 50 5.6.1 Data Collection and Interpretation Methodology 50 5.6.2 Predicted Effects and their Significance: Construction Phase 50 5.6.3 Predicted Effects and their Significance: Operational Phase 51 5.6.4 Possible Other Mitigation 53 5.6.5 Conclusions 53 5.7 Summary of Predicted Effects 53 5.8 Implementation of Mitigation Measures 56 5.9 Technical References 56 6. Hydrology, Drainage and Flood Risk 57 © AMEC Environment & Infrastructure UK Limited May 2012 h:\projects\30633 magnetic park efw\docs\es\rr023i1.doc iii 6.1 Introduction 57 6.2 Context 57 6.2.1 Relevant Terminology 57 6.2.2 Technical Context 58 6.2.3 Planning and Guidance 58 6.3 Assessment Approach 62 6.3.1 Data Gathering and Survey Work 62 6.3.2 Proposed Scope of Assessment 62 6.3.3 Significance Evaluation Methodology 63 6.3.4 Technical Consultations 64 6.3.5 Final Scope of the Assessment 65 6.3.6 Information Gaps 65 6.4 Baseline Conditions 65 6.4.1 Ground Conditions 65 6.4.2 Hydrology and Hydrogeology 66 6.4.3 Nature Conservation Sites 67 6.4.4 Fisheries 67 6.4.5 Rainfall 67 6.4.6 Water Supply 67 6.4.7 Foul Water 67 6.4.8 Surface Water Drainage and Surface Water Features 68 6.4.9 Surface Water Quality 68 6.4.10 Pollution Incidents, Water Abstractions and Discharge Consents 70 6.4.11 Flooding 71 6.4.12 Future Baseline 72 6.5 Proposed Mitigation 72 6.5.1 Measures Incorporated to Mitigate Potential Significant Effects 72 6.5.2 Summary of Mitigation Measures 74 6.6 Assessment of Effects 75 6.6.1 Predicted Effects and their Significance: Construction Phase 75 6.6.2 Predicted Effects and their Significance: Operational Phase 75 6.6.3 Conclusions 77 6.7 Summary of Predicted Effects 77 6.8 Implementation of Mitigation Measures 78 6.9 Technical References 79 7. Ecology 81 7.1 Introduction 81 7.2 Context 81 7.2.1 Relevant Terminology 81 © AMEC Environment & Infrastructure UK Limited May 2012 h:\projects\30633 magnetic park efw\docs\es\rr023i1.doc iv 7.2.2 Technical Context 82 7.2.3 Planning and Guidance 82 7.3 Assessment Approach 94 7.3.1 Data Gathering and Survey Work 94 7.3.2 Proposed Scope of Assessment 95 7.3.3 Significance Evaluation Methodology 96 7.3.4 Technical Consultations 100 7.3.5 Final Scope of the Assessment 100 7.3.6 Information Gaps 100 7.4 Baseline Conditions 101 7.4.1 Desk Study 101 7.4.2 Designated Sites 101 7.4.3 Protected and Notable Species 102 7.4.4 Field Survey 102 7.4.5 Summary of Identified Valued Ecological Receptors 107 7.5 Proposed Mitigation 108 7.5.1 Measures Incorporated to Mitigate Potential Significant Effects 109 7.5.2 Summary of Mitigation Measures 109 7.5.3 Additional Measures Incorporated to Mitigate Possible Other Effects 110 7.6 Assessment of Effects: Designated Sites 112 7.6.1 Predicted Effects and their Significance: Construction Phase 112 7.6.2 Predicted Effects and their Significance: Operational Phase 112 7.7 Assessment of Effects: Habitats and Flora 114 7.7.1 Predicted Effects and their Significance: Construction Phase 114 7.7.2 Predicted Effects and their Significance: Operational Phase 114 7.8 Assessment of Effects: Bats 114 7.8.1 Predicted Effects and their Significance: Construction Phase 114 7.8.2 Predicted Effects and their Significance: Operational Phase 114 7.9 Assessment of Effects: Great Crested Newts 114 7.9.1 Predicted Effects and their Significance: Construction Phase 114 7.9.2 Predicted Effects and their Significance: Operational Phase 115 7.10 Assessment of Effects: Invertebrates 115 7.10.1 Predicted Effects and their Significance: Construction Phase 115 7.10.2 Predicted Effects and their Significance: Operational Phase 115 7.11 Assessment of Effects: Other fauna 115 7.11.1 Predicted Effects and their Significance: Construction Phase 115 7.11.2 Predicted Effects and their Significance: Operational Phase 115 7.12 Cumulative Effects 115 7.13 Summary of Predicted Effects 116 7.14 Implementation of Mitigation Measures 118 © AMEC Environment & Infrastructure UK Limited May 2012 h:\projects\30633 magnetic park efw\docs\es\rr023i1.doc v 7.15 Technical References 118 8. Cultural Heritage 121 8.1 Introduction 121 8.2 Context 121 8.2.1 Relevant Terminology 121 8.2.2 Technical Context 122 8.2.3 Planning and Guidance 122 8.3 Assessment Approach 124 8.3.1 Data Gathering and Survey Work 124 8.3.2 Proposed Scope of Assessment 124 8.3.3 Significance Evaluation Methodology 125 8.3.4 Technical Consultations 126 8.3.5 Final Scope of the Assessment 127 8.3.6 Information Gaps 127 8.4 Baseline Conditions 127 8.4.1 Designated Features 128 8.4.2 On-site Features 128 8.4.3 Archaeological Finds in the Surrounding Area 128 8.4.4 Historic Buildings 130 8.4.5 Historic Landscapes 131 8.4.6 Baseline Value of the Cultural Heritage 132 8.5 Proposed Mitigation 132 8.5.1 Measures Incorporated to Mitigate Potential Significant Effects 132 8.6 Assessment of Effects 133 8.6.1 Predicted Effects and Their Significance: Construction Phase 133 8.6.2 Predicted Effects and their Significance: Operational Phase 133 8.7 Summary of Predicted Effects 134 8.8 Implementation of Mitigation Measures 134 8.9 Technical References 135 9. Landscape and Visual Assessment 137 9.1 Introduction 137 9.2 Context 137 9.2.1 Relevant Terminology 137 9.2.2 Technical Context 138 9.2.3 Planning and Guidance 138 9.3 Assessment Approach 140 9.3.1 Data Gathering and Survey Work 140 © AMEC Environment & Infrastructure UK Limited May 2012 h:\projects\30633 magnetic park efw\docs\es\rr023i1.doc vi 9.3.2 Proposed Scope of Assessment 142 9.3.3 Significance Evaluation Methodology 143 9.3.4 Technical Consultations 144 9.3.5 Final Scope of the Assessment 145 9.3.6 Information Gaps 145 9.4 Baseline Conditions 145 9.4.1 Topography 145 9.4.2 Landscape Character and Context 145 9.4.3 Visual Receptors and Existing Views 151 9.5 Proposed Mitigation 155 9.5.1 Measures Incorporated to Mitigate Potential Significant Effects 155 9.5.2 Summary of Mitigation Measures 156 9.6 Assessment of Landscape Effects 157 9.6.1 Data Collection and Interpretation Methodology 157 9.6.2 Predicted Effects and their Significance: Construction Phase 157 9.6.3 Predicted Effects and their Significance: Operational Phase 158 9.6.4 Conclusions 159 9.7 Assessment of Visual Effects 160 9.7.1 Data Collection and Interpretation Methodology 160 9.7.2 Predicted Effects and their Significance: Construction Phase 160 9.7.3 Predicted Effects and their Significance: Operational Phase 162 9.7.4 Possible Other Mitigation 168 9.7.5 Conclusions 168 9.8 Cumulative Effects 168 9.9 Summary of Predicted Effects 168 9.10 Implementation of Mitigation Measures 171 9.11 Technical References 172 10.