Bullington Cross Wind Farm Supplementary Environmental Information, Volume 1: Main Report April 2015 Bullington Cross Wind Farm Supplementary Environmental Information, Volume 1: Main Report 2 EDF Energy Renewables Limited Bullington Cross Wind Farm Supplementary Environmental Information, Volume 1: Main Report April 2015 Prepared by Prepared for TÜV SÜD PMSS EDF Energy Renewables 8 Latimer Walk Alexander House Romsey 1 Mandarin Road Hampshire Rainton Bridge Business Park SO51 8LA Houghton le Spring Sunderland DH4 5RA Bullington Cross Wind Farm Supplementary Environmental Information, Volume 1: Main Report 3 Bullington Cross Wind Farm Supplementary Environmental Information, Volume 1: Main Report 4 Table of Contents List of Figures (See Volume 2a) 6 List of Appendices (See Volume 2b) 6 List of Abbreviations 7 1. Introduction 10 2. Structure and Contents of the SEI 12 Contents of the SEI 12 Structure of the SEI 12 Project Consultants 13 3. Project Description 14 Grid Connection 14 Project Access 14 4. Site Selection Process and Rationale for the Development 16 5. Planning and Energy Policy 18 6. Landscape Resource and Visual Amenity 20 Introduction 20 Residential Visual Amenity Study 20 Visualisations 20 Updated Site Access Drawings 21 7. Hydrology, Hydrogeology, Geology and Flood Risk 22 8. Ecology 24 Introduction 24 Additional Information – Ecology and Ornithology 24 Natural England Consultation and jointly drafted Biodiversity Mitigation and Management Plan 24 Phase 1 Habitat Report 25 Summary of Principal Findings 25 Habitats 25 Woodland 25 Grassland and Arable 26 Hedgerows 26 Species 27 Bats 27 Dormouse 27 Updated Site Access Drawings 28 9. Ornithology 30 10. Noise 32 Introduction 32 Updated Noise Impact Assessment 32 Final Noise Impact Assessment 33 11. Archaeology and Cultural Heritage 34 Introduction 34 Hurstbourne Priors Conservation Area Detailed Heritage Setting Assessment 34 Laverstoke Park and House Assessment Update 34 Hurstbourne Park additional photomontages 34 Revision of existing heritage photomontages 35 High-resolution digital surface model ZTVs 35 12. Traffic and Transportation 36 Introduction 36 Highways Agency Access Study 36 Bullington Cross Wind Farm Supplementary Environmental Information, Volume 1: Main Report 5 Topographical Survey and Updated Design Drawings 36 13. Electromagnetic Interference, Infrastructure and Safeguarding 38 Introduction 38 Farnborough Radar Line of Sight Report 38 MOD Air Traffic Control Radars Mitigation Proposal Letter 38 MOD Precision Approach Radar Objection – AAC Middle Wallop 38 14. Public Access and Socio-Economics (including Shadow Flicker) 40 15. Grid Connection 42 Introduction 42 Grid Connection Point 42 Outline Design Parameters and Construction Method 43 High Level Environmental Constraints 44 Methodology 44 Results and Outline Assessment 45 Ecology 45 Cultural Heritage and Archaeology 49 Landscape 50 Groundwater and Flooding 50 Contaminated Land 51 Conclusions 51 Bullington Cross Wind Farm Supplementary Environmental Information, Volume 1: Main Report 6 List of Figures (See Volume 2a) Figure 11.1 - Site Location and Blade Tip Zone of Theoretical Visibility (ZTV) showing Heritage Assets Figure 11.2 - Site Location and Hub Height Zone of Theoretical Visibility (ZTV) showing Heritage Assets Figure 12.1 - Option 1 Road Improvement and Site Access Plan Figure 12.2 - Option 1 Road Long Section Drawing Figure 12.3 - Option 1 Swept Path Analysis of Road Improvement and Site Access Plan Figure 12.4 - Option 2 Road Improvement and Site Access Plan Figure 12.5 - Option 2 Road Long Section Drawing Figure 12.6 - Option 2 Swept Path Analysis of Road Improvement and Site Access Plan Figure 15.1 - Cable Route Desk-Study Search Area Figure 15.2 - Ecology Statutory Sites Figure 15.3 - Ecology Non-Statutory Sites Figure 15.4 - Priority Habitats Figure 15.5 - Heritage Assets Part 1 (east) Figure 15.6 - Heritage Assets Part 2 (west) List of Appendices (See Volume 2b) Appendix 6.1 - Residential Visual Amenity Study Appendix 6.2 - Visualisation Methodology and Viewing Instructions Appendix 8.1 - Additional Information – Ecology and Ornithology Appendix 8.2 - Biodiversity Mitigation and Management Plan Appendix 8.3 - Update Phase 1 Report Appendix 10.1 - Updated Noise Impact Assessment (2014) Appendix 10.2 - Final Noise Impact Assessment (2015) Appendix 11.1 - Hurstbourne Priors Conservation Area Detailed Heritage Setting Assessment Appendix 11.2 - Laverstoke Park and House Assessment Update Appendix 12.1 - Highways Agency Access Study Appendix 13.1 - Farnborough Radar Line of Sight Report Appendix 13.2 - MOD Air Traffic Control Radars Mitigation Proposal Letter Appendix 15.1 - Hampshire Biodiversity Information Centre List of Species Appendix 15.2 - Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Desk Based Assessment of Indicative Cable Route Bullington Cross Wind Farm Supplementary Environmental Information, Volume 1: Main Report 7 List of Abbreviations AAP Area of Archaeological Potential AHAP Area of High Archaeological Potential AM Amplitude Modulation AOD Above Ordnance Datum AONB Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty AP Aerial Photography Appellant EDF Energy Renewables Limited ATC Air Traffic Control BDBC Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council BERR Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform BMMP Biodiversity Mitigation and Management Plan BNG British National Grid CEnv Chartered Environmentalist CIEEM Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management dB (A) Decibel – A Weighted dB Decibel DBA Desk-Based Assessment DECC Department of Energy and Climate Change DCLG Department for Communities and Local Government DEFRA Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs DNO Distribution Network Operator DSM Digital Surface Model DTI Department for Trade and Industry ECoW Ecological Clerk of Works EDF ER EDF Energy Renewables Limited EPSL European Protected Species Licence ES Environmental Statement GLVIA Guidelines for Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment GPG Good Practice Guide GPS Global Positioning System GSPZ Groundwater Source Protection Zones HA Highways Agency HBIC Hampshire Biodiversity Information Centre HDD Horizontal Directional Drilling HER Historic Environment Record Hz Hertz IEC International Electrotechnical Commission IEMA Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment IoA Institute of Acoustics IRZ Impact Risk Zone KHG Keep Hampshire Green km Kilometre LOAEL Lowest Observable Adverse Effect Level LPA Local Planning Authority LVIA Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment m/s metres per second MOD Ministry of Defence N/A Not applicable NOEL No Observed Effect Level NPPF National Planning Policy Framework NPPG National Planning Policy Guideline NPSE Noise Policy Statement for England OAM Other Amplitude Modulation OS Ordnance Survey PAR Precision Approach Radar Bullington Cross Wind Farm Supplementary Environmental Information, Volume 1: Main Report 8 PEA Preliminary Ecological Appraisal PMSS TÜV SÜD PMSS PoS Point of Supply PPG Planning Policy Guidance PPS Planning Policy Statement RMS Root Mean Square RVAS Residential Visual Amenity Study RVEI Roadside Verges of Ecological Importance SEI Supplementary Environmental Information SEPD Scottish and Southern Energy Power Distribution SINC Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation SNH Scottish Natural Heritage SOAEL Significant Observed Adverse Effect Level SODAR Sonic Detection and Ranging SRN Strategic Road Network SRTM Shuttle Radar Topography Mission SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest the Scheme Bullington Cross Wind Farm TIN Technical Information Note TVBC Test Valley Borough Council VRI Visual Route Inspection WCC Winchester City Council WPAC Wind Power Aviation Consultants Ltd WTG Wind Turbine Generator ZTV Zone of Theoretical Visibility Bullington Cross Wind Farm Supplementary Environmental Information, Volume 1: Main Report 9 Bullington Cross Wind Farm Supplementary Environmental Information, Volume 1: Main Report 10 1. Introduction 1.1. EDF Energy Renewables Limited (the Appellant) submitted planning applications to Winchester City Council, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, and Test Valley Borough Council in April 2013, for planning permission for the construction of a wind farm comprising fourteen turbines (the Scheme) on land to the north-east of the Bullington Cross interchange between the A34 and the A303. 1.2. The project site falls within an area administered by three local planning authorities (LPAs), namely: i. Winchester City Council (WCC) (7 turbines), ii. Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council (BDBC) (4 turbines), and iii. Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC) (3 turbines) 1.3. Applications were made to all three LPAs. The planning applications were assigned the planning reference numbers 13/00800/FUL, 13/00046/FUL, and 13/00753/FULLN respectively. Planning descriptions for each application followed the same structure but varied depending on the amount of infrastructure in each local authority area, however for reference the description to WCC is given below: 1.4. ‘Construction of a wind farm development comprising 7 wind turbines up to 126.5m in height to blade tip and ancillary equipment, site access, external transformers, foundations, crane hardstandings, access tracks, cable trenches, anemometry mast, control building and temporary construction compound, in conjunction with planning applications to Test Valley Borough Council for 3 wind turbines, ancillary equipment, external transformers, foundations, crane hardstandings, access tracks, cable trenches, and Basingstoke