PORTISHEAD BRANCH LI NE PRELIMINARY ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMAT I O N R E P O R T V O L U M E 2 CHAPTER 8 Cultural Heritage Table of Contents Section Page 8 Cultural Heritage ........................................................................................................... 8-1 8.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 8-1 8.2 Legal and Policy Framework ...................................................................................... 8-1 8.3 Methodology.............................................................................................................. 8-4 8.4 Baseline, Future Conditions and Value of Resource ................................................ 8-15 8.5 Measures Adopted as Part of the DCO Scheme ...................................................... 8-25 8.6 Assessment of Effects .............................................................................................. 8-25 8.7 Mitigation and Residual Effects ............................................................................... 8-37 8.8 Cumulative Effects ................................................................................................... 8-39 8.9 Limitations Encountered in Compiling the PEI Report............................................. 8-41 8.10 Summary .................................................................................................................. 8-42 8.11 References ............................................................................................................... 8-45 8.12 Abbreviations ........................................................................................................... 8-45 Tables Table 8-1: Summary of relevant NPSNN advice on the historic environment Table 8-2: Summary of Local Policy Table 8-3: Summary of consultation responses Table 8-4: Assessing the value of cultural heritage receptors Table 8-5: Definition of assessment criteria for the magnitude of impact Table 8-6: Determination of the significance of effect Table 8-7: Potential Impacts, Mitigation and Residual Impacts for the DCO Scheme on Cultural Heritage Assets Figures See Volume 3 Book of Figures Figure 8-1: Cultural heritage Appendices See Volume 4 Appendices Appendix 8.1: Cultural Heritage Gazetteer Appendix 8.2: Scheme inter-visibility PORTISHEAD BRANCH LINE PRELIMINARY CHAPTER 8 ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION REPORT, VOLUME 2 CULTURAL HERITAGE CHAPTER 8 8 Cultural Heritage 8.1 Introduction The Portishead Branch Line (MetroWest Phase 1) DCO Scheme (“the DCO Scheme”) has the potential to give rise to likely significant effects on cultural heritage. This Chapter: • describes the relevant legal and policy framework which informs the undertaking of the assessment; • describes the methodology used for the identification and assessment of likely significant cultural heritage effects in the Preliminary Environmental Information Report ("PEI Report"); • describes the cultural heritage baseline having regard to existing information and information presented in Appendix 8.1 in the PEI Report Volume 4 Appendices; • describes the measures that have been adopted as part of the DCO Scheme; • identifies and assesses the likely significant effects that could result from the DCO Scheme during the construction, operation and decommissioning phases; • considers mitigation of likely significant effects and assesses those residual effects that will result; • considers the cumulative effects of other developments in combination with the DCO Scheme on cultural heritage assets; • identifies the limitations encountered in compiling the PEI Report; and • provides a summary of the residual effects for the mitigated DCO Scheme. The cultural heritage resource comprises built heritage (including extant railway architecture of all types), designated areas (including Conservation Areas "CA", Scheduled Monuments "SM", and Registered Parks and Gardens "RP&G"), extant and buried archaeology, and Historic Landscape Characters ("HLC"). This report considers the direct and indirect impacts of the DCO Scheme on statutory and non-statutory designations in addition to non-designated cultural heritage assets during construction and the operation phases. This chapter should be read in conjunction with Chapter 4 Description of the Proposed Works and Chapter 12 Landscape and Visual Impacts which also discusses the landscape setting and views from heritage features. Supporting information on specific heritage features is provided in the gazetteer in Appendix 8.1 and photographs showing the setting of heritage features are provided in Appendix 8.2. Figure 8-1 Sheets 1 to 5 in the PEI Report Volume 3 Book of Figures show the location of heritage features. 8.2 Legal and Policy Framework EU and National Legislation The main legal framework governing the conservation of cultural heritage assets is provided by the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 (as amended) and the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990. 8-1 CHAPTER 8 PORTISHEAD BRANCH LINE PRELIMINARY CULTURAL HERITAGE ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION REPORT, VOLUME 2 The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 provides for the protection of scheduled monuments. The Infrastructure Planning (Decisions) Regulations 2010 states that: “(1) When deciding an application which affects a listed building or its setting, the [Secretary of State] must have regard to the desirability of preserving the listed building or its setting or any features of special architectural or historic interest which it possesses. (2) When deciding an application relating to a conservation area, the [Secretary of State] must have regard to the desirability of preserving or enhancing the character or appearance of that area. (3) When deciding an application for development consent which affects or is likely to affect a scheduled monument or its setting, the [Secretary of State] must have regard to the desirability of preserving the scheduled monument or its setting.” The Planning (Listed Building and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 requires local authorities to designate areas of special architectural or historic interest as Conservation Areas with the aim of preserving and enhancing their character and appearance. Historic England (formerly English Heritage) may need to be consulted with regard to proposed works within a Conservation Area and section 72(1) requires Local Authorities to pay particular attention to Conservation Areas in the planning process. This Act states that when deciding a planning application the decision maker must have special regard to preserving the character of a Conservation Area and listed buildings and their settings. National Policy The National Policy Statement for National Networks ("NPSNN") advises on the assessment of effects of nationally significant infrastructure projects ("NSIP") on the historic environment at paragraphs 5.120 - 5.142. This includes an introduction to heritage issues, the requirements on the applicant, decision-making by the Secretary of State and recording. Table 8-1 below identifies those policies of direct relevance to this assessment and the location where they are considered in this PEI Report. Table 8-1: Summary of relevant NPSNN advice on the historic environment Summary of NPS provision Consideration within the PEI Report Paragraph 5.126 states that for development This chapter presents the findings to date. subject to environmental impact assessment (EIA) the Applicant should undertake an assessment of likely significant heritage impacts. Paragraph 5.127 requires the Applicant to describe The HER for NSDC and BCC were consulted and are the significance of heritage assets affected, summarised in Section 8.4 and listed in the gazetteer in including their setting. The relevant Historic Appendix 8.1 in the PEI Report Volume 4 Appendices. Environment Record (“HER”) should be consulted. The location of sites is shown on Figure 8-1 Sheets 1 to Where the site has potential to include heritage 5 in the PEI Report Volume 3 Book of Figures. assets, the applicant should undertake a desk- Photographs showing the setting of these assets are based assessment and where appropriate field provided in Appendix 8.2 in the PEI Report Volume 4 evaluation. Appendices. This chapter presents the results of a desk- based assessment supported by field walkover surveys. The National Planning Policy Framework ("NPPF") Section 12 on Conserving and Enhancing the Historic Environment describes the approach to be used by local planning authorities to determine planning applications in relation to cultural heritage and listed building consent applications. This guidance applies both to designated heritage assets, such as Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas and also to undesignated, but potentially significant, heritage assets such as buried archaeological remains and other historic 8-2 PORTISHEAD BRANCH LINE PRELIMINARY CHAPTER 8 ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION REPORT, VOLUME 2 CULTURAL HERITAGE structures, including those that make a positive contribution to the character of a Conservation Area. Whilst the NPPF only applies to planning applications and not applications for development consent, it may be an important and relevant consideration as part of the DCO application. Local Policy The local planning framework comprises a number of key adopted documents which form the statutory development plan for each authority, against which proposals seeking planning