(Greatmoor Sidings Order Railway Etc.) | Environmental Statement Environmental The High Speed Rail (London – West Midlands) (Greatmoor Railway Sidings Etc.) Order Environmental Statement Main Environmental Statement Volume 2: Main Environmental Statement August 2016 CS573_5.2 The High Speed Rail (London – West Midlands) (Greatmoor Railway Sidings Etc.) Order Environmental Statement Volume 2: Main Environmental Statement August 2016 CS573_5.2 High Speed Two (HS2) Limited has been tasked by the Department for Transport (DfT) with managing the delivery of a new national high speed rail network. It is a non-departmental public body wholly owned by the DfT. High Speed Two (HS2) Limited, One Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5AB Telephone: 020 7944 4908 General email enquiries: [email protected] Website: www.gov.uk/hs2 A report prepared for High Speed Two (HS2) Limited: High Speed Two (HS2) Limited has actively considered the needs of blind and partially sighted people in accessing this document. The text will be made available in full on the HS2 website. The text may be freely downloaded and translated by individuals or organisations for conversion into other accessible formats. If you have other needs in this regard please contact High Speed Two (HS2) Limited. © High Speed Two (HS2) Limited, 2016, except where otherwise stated. Copyright in the typographical arrangement rests with High Speed Two (HS2) Limited. This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence v2.0. 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Volume 02 Main Environmental Statement Contents Glossary 5 1 Introduction 7 1.1 Overview 7 1.2 Scoping report 12 1.3 Scoping opinion 13 1.4 Environmental Impact Assessment / Purpose of this report 15 1.5 Structure of the ES 15 1.6 The EIA team 16 2 The Proposed Scheme 17 2.1 Site Description 17 2.2 Surrounding environment 18 2.3 Need for the Proposed Scheme and scheme history 21 2.4 Description of the Proposed Scheme 23 2.5 Incorporated design measures 28 2.6 Community consultation and engagement 28 2.7 Construction strategy 29 3 Consideration of alternatives and options 38 4 EIA methodology 42 4.1 Overview 42 4.2 Scope of the EIA 42 4.3 General approach to TWAO EIA 42 4.4 Environmental baseline 43 4.5 Identification of likely significant environmental effects 44 4.6 Climate change 45 4.7 Mitigation 46 4.8 Cumulative effects 46 4.9 Significant residual effects 50 4.10 Assumptions 50 5 Agriculture, forestry and soils 51 5.1 Introduction 51 5.2 Assessment methodology 51 5.3 Legislation and planning policy framework 52 5.4 Environmental baseline 53 5.5 Effects arising during construction 56 1 Volume 02 Main Environmental Statement 5.6 Effects arising from operation 59 6 Air quality 60 6.1 Introduction 60 6.2 Assessment methodology 60 6.3 Legislation and planning policy framework 63 6.4 Environmental baseline 64 6.5 Effects arising during construction 65 6.6 Effects arising from operation 67 7 Community 69 7.1 Introduction 69 7.2 Assessment methodology 69 7.3 Legislation and planning policy framework 70 7.4 Environmental baseline 70 7.5 Effects arising from construction 70 7.6 Effects arising from operation 71 8 Cultural heritage 72 8.1 Introduction 72 8.2 Assessment methodology 72 8.3 Legislation and planning policy framework 73 8.4 Environmental baseline 75 8.5 Effects arising during construction 79 8.6 Effects arising from operation 80 9 Ecology 82 9.1 Introduction 82 9.2 Assessment methodology 82 9.3 Legislation and planning policy framework 84 9.4 Environmental baseline 84 9.5 Effects arising during construction 93 9.6 Effects arising from operation 97 10 Land quality 102 10.1 Introduction 102 10.2 Assessment methodology 103 10.3 Legislation and planning policy framework 103 10.4 Environmental baseline 104 10.5 Effects arising during construction 107 10.6 Effects arising from operation 112 11 Landscape and visual 114 11.1 Introduction 114 11.2 Assessment methodology 114 11.3 Legislation and planning policy framework 115 11.4 Environmental baseline 115 11.5 Effects arising from construction 119 11.6 Effects arising from operation 125 12 Sound, noise and vibration 132 12.1 Introduction 132 12.2 Assessment methodology 132 12.3 Legislation and planning policy framework 135 12.4 Environmental baseline 135 2 Volume 02 Main Environmental Statement 12.5 Effects arising during construction 138 12.6 Effects arising during operation 141 13 Traffic and transport 145 13.1 Introduction 145 13.2 Assessment methodology 145 13.3 Legislation and planning policy framework 146 13.4 Environmental baseline 146 13.5 Effects arising during construction 148 14 Water resources and flood risk 154 14.1 Introduction 154 14.2 Assessment methodology 155 14.3 Legislation and planning policy framework 156 14.4 Environmental baseline 157 14.5 Effects arising during construction 164 14.6 Effects arising from operation 166 15 Summary of likely residual significant effects 167 15.1 Introduction 167 15.2 Agriculture, forestry and soils 167 15.3 Air quality 167 15.4 Community 167 15.5 Cultural heritage 168 15.6 Ecology 168 15.7 Land quality 168 15.8 Landscape and Visual assessment 168 15.9 Sound , noise and vibration 169 15.10 Traffic and transport 170 15.11 Water resources and flood risk 170 List of figures Figure 1: Application boundary 11 Figure 2: Area context plan 20 Figure 3: Comparison plans for the existing and proposed sidings locations 22 Figure 4: Mitigation plan 26 Figure 5: Mitigation hierarchy 46 List of tables Table 1: Summary of the outcome of the scoping report 12 Table 2: Scoping opinion from Department for Transport and response 13 Table 3: Indicative construction programme phasing diagram 36 Table 4: Assessment of alternative site options 39 Table 5: Committed developments 48 Table 6: Summary of habitat areas (hectares) lost as a result of the Proposed Scheme and areas already lost by HS2 Phase One scheme 92 Table 7: Summary of Sensitive Receptors 106 Table 8: Summary of baseline CSM for sites which may pose a contaminative risk for the Proposed Scheme 108 3 Volume 02 Main Environmental Statement Table 9: Summary of temporary (construction) effects 110 Table 10: Summary of permanent (post-construction) effects 111 Table 11: Existing baseline sound levels – Construction assessment 137 Table 12: Established baseline noise levels – Operational assessment 137 Table 13: Assessment of construction noise at residential receptors 139 Table 14: Assessment of construction traffic noise levels 140 Table 15: Calculated Operational ambient noise levels 143 Table 16: Peak vehicle trip generation for construction-site 149 Table 17: Surface water features potentially affected by the Proposed Scheme 158 Table 18: Summary of geology and hydrogeology in the study area 160 4 Volume 02 Main Environmental Statement Glossary AADT annual average daily traffic ALC Agricultural Land Classification AOD Above Ordnance Datum AP Additional Provision APIS UK Air Pollution Information System AQMA Air Quality Management Area AVDC Aylesbury Vale District Council ATC Automatic Traffic Count BAP Biodiversity Action Plan BBOWT Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust BCC Buckinghamshire County Council BGS British Geological Survey BMV agricultural land best and most versatile agricultural land BNS Biological Notification Site BPM Best Practicable Means CIEEM Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management CoCP Code of Construction Practice CoPA Control of Pollution Act CSM Conceptual Site Model Defra Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs DMRB Design Manual for Roads and Bridges EA Environment Agency EfW Energy from Waste EIA Environmental Impact Assessment EPA Environmental Protection Act ES Environmental Statement ETM ERM, Temple, Mott MacDonald EU European Union EWR2 East West Rail Phase 2 FCC FCC Waste Services (UK) Ltd. FCD Field Capacity Day GLVIA Guidelines for Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment HGV Heavy Goods Vehicles HS2 High Speed Two (London-West Midlands) IAQM Institute of Air Quality Management IEEM Guidelines for Ecological Impact Assessment IPC Integrated Pollution Control IPPC Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control IRZ Impact Risk Zones LCA landscape character area LGS Local Geological Sites LOAEL Lowest Observable Adverse Effect Level LWS Local Wildlife Site MCC Manual Classified Count NERC Natural Environment and Rural Communities NO2 Nitrogen dioxide 5 Volume 02 Main Environmental Statement NPPF National Planning Policy Framework NTS Non-Technical Summary OS Ordnance Survey PRoW Public Right of Way PPG Planning Policy Guidance PWS Public Water Supply SES Supplementary Environmental Statement SMR Scoping and Methodology Report SOAEL significant observed adverse effect level SPZ Source Protection Zone SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest SuDS sustainable drainage systems Thames RBD Thames River Basin District Thames RBMP Thames River Basin Management Plan TEMPRO Trip End Model Presentation Program TIN Technical Information Note TWAO Transport and Works Act Order uFMfSW updated Flood Map for Surface Water WC Wetness Class WFD Water Framework Directive ZTV Zone of Theoretical Visibility 6 Volume 02 Main Environmental Statement 1 Introduction 1.1 Overview 1.1.1 FCC Waste Services (UK) Ltd. (FCC) operates the Calvert landfill site and Greatmoor Energy from Waste (EfW) facility, which are located to the south of the village of Calvert, west of the Aylesbury Link railway line and the proposed Phase One alignment of High Speed Two (HS2) (London-West Midlands). As part of its current operation, FCC brings in material to the Calvert landfill and Greatmoor EfW facility by rail which is off loaded at existing railway sidings currently located at Calvert on the west side of the Aylesbury Link railway line.