Imperial College Consort Reactor Decommissioning Environmental Statement (Volume 1) 121019 December 2014 Consort Reactor Decommissioning Environmental Statement RSK GENERAL NOTES Project No: 121019-01 (00) Title: Consort Reactor Decommissioning Environmental Statement (Volume 1) Client: Imperial College Date: 8th December 2014 Office: Hemel Hempstead Status: Draft Author: Rebecca Cail Technical reviewer: Peter Whipp Signature: Signature: Date: Date: Project manager: Clare Taylor Quality reviewer: Peter Whipp Signature: Signature: Date: Date: RSK Environment (RSK) has prepared this report for the sole use of the client, showing reasonable skill and care, for the intended purposes as stated in the agreement under which this work was completed. The report may not be relied upon by any other party without the express agreement of the client and RSK. No other warranty, expressed or implied, is made as to the professional advice included in this report. Where any data supplied by the client or from other sources have been used, it has been assumed that the information is correct. No responsibility can be accepted by RSK for inaccuracies in the data supplied by any other party. The conclusions and recommendations in this report are based on the assumption that all relevant information has been supplied by those bodies from whom it was requested. No part of this report may be copied or duplicated without the express permission of RSK and the party for whom it was prepared. Where field investigations have been carried out, these have been restricted to a level of detail required to achieve the stated objectives of the work. This work has been undertaken in accordance with the quality management system of RSK Environment. RSK Environment Consort Reactor Decommissioning Environmental Statement PREFACE Imperial College is proposing to close the Consort Reactor Centre and adjoining EAS (Environmental Analysis Section) buildings at their Silwood Park Campus, near Ascot. The Consort Nuclear Reactor will be decommissioned and the buildings will be demolished. RSK Environment has been commissioned by Imperial College to undertake an Environmental Impact Assessment of the proposed scheme. This Environmental Statement reports the findings of environmental assessments undertaken during the development of the proposed scheme. Information relating to the Environmental Statement and supporting documentation is available in three Volumes: Volume 1 – Environmental Statement Volume 2 – Figures Volume 3 – Appendices A copy of the Environmental Statement, together with a Non-Technical Summary outlining the information provided in the Environmental Statement, has been deposited at each of the locations indicated below and will be available for inspection until during normal opening hours. Hard copies of the Environmental Statement are subject to a charge of £150 and are available for as long as stocks last from: Imperial College London Silwood Park Campus Buckhurst Road Ascot SL5 7PY Hard copies of the Non-Technical Summary are available free of charge from the same address. A digital version of the Environmental Statement on CD-ROM can be obtained for a fee of £25 from the same address. Deposit Locations: Ascot Durning Library Windsor Library High Street Bachelors Acre Ascot Windsor Berkshire SL4 1ER SL5 7JE Sunninghill Library Maidenhead Library School Road St Ives Road Sunninghill Maidenhead Ascot SL6 1QU SL5 7AA RSK Environment Consort Reactor Decommissioning Environmental Statement 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 RSK Environment Consort Reactor Decommissioning Environmental Statement CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION 1-1 1.1 Background to the Proposed Scheme 1-1 1.2 Background to the Environmental Impact Assessment 1-1 1.3 Structure of the Environmental Statement 1-2 1.4 The EIA Team 1-3 2 THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT 2-1 2.1 Need for the Scheme 2-1 2.2 Scheme Objectives 2-1 2.3 Consideration of Alternatives 2-1 2.4 The Proposed Scheme 2-1 3 CONSULTATION 3-1 3.1 Overview 4 OVERVIEW OF THE EXISTING ENVIRONMENT 4-1 4.1 Site Location 4-1 4.2 Site Description and Use 4-1 4.3 Land Use 4-1 4.4 Archaeology 4-1 4.5 Ecology 4-1 4.6 Hydrology 4-2 4.7 Geology and Hydrology 4-2 5 THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT PROCESS 5-1 5.1 Scoping 5-1 5.2 Delivery of the Environmental Impact Assessment 5-3 5.3 Reporting of the Assessments 5-5 6 AIR QUALITY 6-1 6.1 Introduction 6-1 6.2 Scope and Methodology 6-1 6.3 Statutory and Planning Context 6-6 6.4 Existing Environment 6-8 6.5 Predicted Impacts 6-8 6.6 Mitigation 6-11 6.7 Summary of Effects 6-13 7 ARCHAEOLOGY 7-1 7.1 Introduction 7-1 7.2 Scope and Methodology 7-1 7.3 Statutory and Planning Context 7-4 7.4 Existing Environment 7-5 7.5 Predicted Impacts 7-7 7.6 Mitigation 7-7 7.7 Summary of Effects 7-7 8 ECOLOGY 8-1 8.1 Introduction 8-1 i Consort Reactor Decommissioning Environmental Statement 8.2 Scope and Methodology 8-1 8.3 Statutory and Planning Context 8-6 8.4 Existing Environment 8-7 8.5 Predicted Impacts 8-12 8.6 Mitigation 8-13 8.7 Summary of Effects 8-15 9 GEOLOGY, HYDROLOGY AND SOILS 9-1 9.1 Introduction 9-1 9.2 Scope and Methodology 9-1 9.3 Statutory and Planning Context 9-3 9.4 Existing Environment 9-6 9.5 Predicted Impacts 9-7 9.6 Mitigation 9-10 9.7 Summary of Effects 9-10 10 LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL 10-1 10.1 Introduction 10-1 10.2 Scope and Methodology 10- 10.3 Statutory and Planning Context 10-5 10.4 Existing Environment 10-5 10.5 Predicted Impacts 10-11 10.6 Mitigation 10-11 10.7 Summary of Effects 10-16 11 NOISE AND VIBRATION 11-1 11.1 Introduction 11-1 11.2 Scope and Methodology 11-1 11.3 Statutory and Planning Context 11-3 11.4 Existing Environment 11-5 11.5 Predicted Impacts 11-6 11.6 Mitigation 11-8 11.7 Summary of Effects 11-8 12 RADIOACTIVE DISCHARGES 12-1 12.1 Introduction 12-1 12.2 Scope and Methodology 12-1 12.3 Statutory and Planning Context 12-1 12.4 Existing Environment 12-2 12.5 Predicted Impacts 12-4 12.6 Mitigation 12-8 12.7 Summary of Effects 12-9 13 RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTE 13-1 13.1 Introduction 13-1 13.2 Scope and Methodology 13-1 13.3 Statutory and Planning Context 13-2 13.4 Existing Environment 13-5 13.5 Predicted Impacts 13-5 13.6 Mitigation 13-7 13.7 Summary of Effects 13-8 ii Consort Reactor Decommissioning Environmental Statement 14 RESOURCE USE 14-1 14.1 Introduction 14-1 14.2 Scope and Methodology 14-1 14.3 Statutory and Planning Context 14-2 14.4 Existing Environment 14-3 14.5 Predicted Impacts 14-3 14.6 Mitigation 14-4 14.7 Summary of Effects 14-4 15 SOCIO-ECONOMIC 15-1 15.1 Introduction 15-1 15.2 Scope and Methodology 15-1 15.3 Statutory and Planning Context 15-4 15.4 Existing Environment 15-5 15.5 Predicted Impacts 15-9 15.6 Mitigation 15-11 15.7 Summary of Effects 15-12 16 SURFACE WATER 16-1 16.1 Introduction 16-1 16.2 Scope and Methodology 16-1 16.3 Statutory and Planning Context 16-4 16.4 Existing Environment 16-7 16.5 Predicted Effects 16-8 16.6 Mitigation 16-13 16.7 Summary of Effects 16-14 17 TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORT 17-1 17.1 Introduction 17-1 17.2 Scope and Methodology 17-1 17.3 Statutory and Planning Context 17-4 17.4 Existing Environment 17-5 17.5 Predicted Impacts 17-11 17.6 Mitigation 17-13 17.7 Summary of Effects 17-13 18 CUMULATIVE EFFECTS 18-1 18.1 Introduction 18-1 18.2 Scope and Methodology 18-1 18.3 Existing Environment 18-4 18.4 Predicted Inter-relationships between effects 18-4 18.5 Cumulative Effects 18-8 18.6 Mitigation 18-8 18.7 Summary of Effects 18-8 19 ASSESSMENT OF ALTERNATIVES 19-1 19.1 Overview 19-1 20 SUMMARY OF ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITMENTS 20-1 20.1 Introduction 20-1 20.2 Environmental Commitments 20-1 21 BIBLIOGRAPHY 21-1 iii Consort Reactor Decommissioning Environmental Statement LIST OF TABLES TABLE 6.1 – EP UK Guidance to Identify the Schemes Requiring an Air Quality Assessment TABLE 6.2 - Risk Category from Demolition Areas TABLE 6.3 - Risk Category from Earthworks Activities TABLE 6.4 - Risk Category from Trackout TABLE 6.5 - Sensitivity of the Area Surrounding the Reactor Site TABLE 6.6 - Significance of Effects for Each Activity (Before Mitigation) TABLE 6.7 - Significance of Effects for Each Activity (With Mitigation) TABLE 6.8 - Air Quality Objectives Relevant to the Proposed Scheme TABLE 6.9 – Air Concentrations at Reactor Site TABLE 6.10 - Summary of Dust Emissions Class of Demolition Activities (Before mitigation) TABLE 6.11 - Summary of Dust Emissions Class of Earthworks Activities (Before mitigation) TABLE 6.12 - Summary of Dust Emissions Class of Trackout Activities (Before mitigation) TABLE 6.13 - Summary of Risk Categories of the Proposed Scheme (Before mitigation) TABLE 6.14 - Significance of Impacts Decommissioning and Demolition Works (Before Mitigation) TABLE 6.15 - Significance of Impacts of Decommissioning and Demolition Works (After Mitigation) TABLE 7.1 - Criteria for Determining Heritage Asset Importance TABLE 7.2 - Criteria Grading for Determining Magnitude