March 2014 BROGBOROUGH WIND ENERGY DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT VOLUME ONE NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY FCC Environment Ltd [3512084A] [Final] Brogborough Wind Energy Development EIA - Non- Technical Summary Volume 1 – Non-Technical Summary Prepared for FCC Environment Ltd Ground Floor West 900 Pavillion Drive Northampton NN4 7RG Prepared by Parsons Brinckerhoff Amber Court William Armstrong Drive Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 7YQ 0191 226 2501 www.pbworld.com Brogborough Wind Energy Development EIA - Non-Technical Summary CONTENTS Page 1 Introduction 7 1.1 Overview 7 1.2 The Developer 7 1.3 The Consultant 7 1.4 Needs For and Benefits Of The Project 8 1.5 Planning Policy Context 8 2 The Site and proposed development 11 2.1 Site Description 11 2.2 Site Location 11 2.3 The Proposed Development 11 2.4 Project Layout 13 2.5 Turbine Operation 15 2.6 Turbine Safety 16 2.7 Control Building 17 2.8 Vehicular Access 17 2.9 Electrical Connection 17 2.10 Temporary Works 17 2.11 Construction 18 2.12 Operation and Maintenance 19 2.13 Decommissioning 20 3 Environmental Impact Assessment 21 3.1 Environmental Impact Assessment Methodology 21 3.2 Socio-Economics, Tourism and Recreation 22 3.3 Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment 24 3.4 Ecology and Ornithology 25 3.5 Cultural Heritage and Archaeology 26 3.6 Aviation 28 3.7 Telecommunications 29 3.8 Geology, Hydrology & Hydrogeology 30 3.9 Noise 31 3.10 Air Quality 32 3.11 Shadow Flicker 33 3.12 Safety 33 3.13 Traffic and Infrastructure 34 Brogborough Wind Energy - EIA - NTS.docx Prepared by Parsons Brinckerhoff March 2014 for FCC Environment Ltd - 5 - Brogborough Wind Energy Development EIA - Non-Technical Summary 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Overview 1.1.1 This document is the Non-Technical Summary (NTS) of the Environmental Statement for the Brogborough Wind Energy Development. It has been prepared by Parsons Brinckerhoff on behalf of FCC Environment Limited (FCC). 1.1.2 This NTS summarises the results of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) of the proposed Wind Energy Development and summarises the proposed mitigation measures to minimise any adverse impacts. 1.1.3 The proposed Brogborough Wind Energy Development will comprise six turbines, each capable of producing up to 0.9 megawatts of electricity (MWe) by converting the kinetic energy of the wind to electrical energy. The individual turbines will be connected by underground cables to an onsite control building that will house switchgear and transformers as necessary. The power generated by the turbines will then be exported to the regional grid operated by Western Power Distribution Limited. 1.1.4 The proposed Wind Energy Development will be located entirely within the landholding of the Brogborough Landfill site, approximately 1.7 km south of Cranfield, 3 km west of Marston Moretaine and 2.75 km north west of Lidlington. The site location is shown in Figure 1.1 of Volume 3 of the ES. 1.1.5 Construction of the proposed Wind Energy Development is expected to take between 6 to 8 months. The majority of this work will include construction of the turbine foundations and road infrastructure. The turbines themselves will be fabricated elsewhere, brought to the site in sections and erected using a crane. 1.2 The Developer 1.2.1 FCC is one of the UKs leading waste management services companies, who provide a range of cost and environmentally effective processing, recycling, disposal and energy recovery services for local authorities and private customers. 1.2.2 Each year FCC receives, recycles and disposes of household, commercial and industrial waste at many sites across the UK. They also generate energy from waste, contributing to the Government's efforts to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. 1.2.3 In the last few years FCC has begun to examine the potential of their landholdings in the UK to house renewable energy projects. Feasibility studies have been undertaken at a number of sites, with the Brogborough site identified as being a technically suitable location for the development of a Wind Energy Development. 1.2.4 In developing the site, FCC will seek both to maximise the generation potential of renewable energy in the area, whilst taking into consideration localised constraints and minimising the extent of any environmental impacts resulting from the proposed development. 1.3 The Consultant 1.3.1 Parsons Brinckerhoff has over 125 years experience in the power generation sector and is one of the world’s leading power and energy consultancy companies; providing advice and assistance to governments and developers alike on all manner of power projects. Brogborough Wind Energy - EIA - NTS.docx Prepared by Parsons Brinckerhoff March 2014 for FCC Environment Ltd - 7 - Brogborough Wind Energy Development EIA - Non-Technical Summary 1.3.2 The power generation group within Parsons Brinckerhoff has significant experience in the wind energy market having worked on many projects in the UK, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australasia. 1.3.3 Ornithological and ecological studies were undertaken by Baker Consulting Limited. 1.4 Needs For and Benefits Of The Project 1.4.1 In the UK, the development of renewable energy projects has principally been driven by initiatives and targets set by the Government in order to combat climate change. Climate change is an important issue on the International, European and National Stages. On the International stage the extended Kyoto Protocol sets emissions limits until 2017, with the European Climate Change Programme enacting this on a European Stage. Nationally important pieces of legislation include the Climate Change Act (2008), the Renewables Obligations and Renewable Targets, The Climate Change Act establishes a long term framework to tackle climate change by seeking to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases by 34 per cent by 2020 and 80 per cent by 2050. Furthermore, the Renewables Obligation required licensed electricity suppliers to source 12.4 per cent of electricity by 2011/12 and 15.4 per cent by 2015/16. The Brogborough Wind Energy Development can help achieve both these targets. 1.4.2 In addition to climate change, the decline of the UK’s indigenous energy supplies and increase in energy imports requires a shift from our current dependence on fossil fuels. The construction and operation of renewable energy projects, like the Brogborough development, will add to the diversity of the UK electricity generation sector, helping to maintain the reliability of supplies. Wind energy is inexhaustible and is not subject to the instability of international fuel markets. Wind energy will also eliminate the emissions of gases and local air quality pollutants associated with the operation of fossil fuelled generation plant. 1.5 Planning Policy Context 1.5.1 The following planning policy is relevant to this Development: x National Planning Policy – National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF); and x Regional / Local Planning Policy – Central Bedfordshire Local Development Framework (CBLDF). 1.5.2 The NPPF sets sustainable development at the core of its guidelines, emphasising Economic, Social and Environmental opportunities as key to the delivery of sustainable development. It states that any proposed development that accords with an up-to-date sustainable local plan should be approved, in line with the presumption in favour of sustainable development described in the document. The NPPF also identifies 13 key policy areas that constitute the Government’s view of what sustainable development in England means in practice for the planning system. 1.5.3 The CBLDF has been set out to provide planning policy for the Central Bedfordshire area, in documents known as Development Plan Documents (DPDs) that contain policies that will be used to determine planning applications submitted to the Council. An important DPD for the Central Bedfordshire area is the “Core Strategy and Development Management Policies” (CSDMP) document, which sets out Central Bedfordshire Council’s long term policies over the period 2001-2026. The vision, objectives and policies in the Core Strategy provide an overarching approach that Brogborough Wind Energy - EIA - NTS.docx Prepared by Parsons Brinckerhoff March 2014 for FCC Environment Ltd - 8 - Brogborough Wind Energy Development EIA - Non-Technical Summary supports the more detailed policies in the development management policies contained in the same document. 1.5.4 Within the CSDMP document, there are eleven strategic objectives that set out the general development aims of the council and highlight which of the core strategy policies are also relevant to achieving those aims. In the case of the Brogborough Wind Energy Development, which is clearly defined as a renewable energy development, strategic objectives three and five are the most relevant in this case and are discussed further below. Strategic Objective Three 1.5.5 Strategic objective three aims to plan for the highest quality of sustainable development in the most sustainable locations whilst ensuring that new development has a positive impact on communities and is supported by necessary infrastructure. This objective aims to ensure that new developments meet strict design and sustainability criteria, maximising the reuse of previously developed land in a sustainable manner. The core strategies that underpin strategic objective three are: x CS1: Development Strategy x CS2: Developer Contributions x CS3: Healthy and sustainable communities x CS13: Climate Change x DM1: Renewable Energy x DM2: Sustainable construction of buildings x DM3: High quality development x DM4: Development within and beyond settlement envelopes x DM17: Accessible green spaces Strategic Objective Five 1.5.2 Strategic objective five aims to make mid Bedfordshire a more environmentally, economically, socially and sustainable place, that positively responds to the challenges of climate change but is also prepared for its effects. The objective intends to, identify the global impacts of local development and respond accordingly, improve energy efficiency and increase renewable energy sources and, reduce the risk of flooding.