Switching On The Green Light Environmental Assessment Scoping Statement Southampton Biomass Power Ltd Proposed 100MW Biomass Fuelled Electricity Generating Plant, Southampton Port September 2010 Version 4.0 Prepared By: Helius Energy Plc 242 Marylebone Road London NW1 6JL Tel: 020 7723 6272 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 Introduction 2.0 Consultation 3.0 The Proposed Development Site 4.0 The Development Proposals 5.0 Planning Policy Context 6.0 Baseline Conditions 7.0 Identifying Environmental Issues 8.0 Scoping the Environmental Statement 9.0 Non Significant Issues 10.0 Proposed Structure of the Environmental Statement SCHEDULE OF APPENDICES Appendix A EIA Scope of Significant Issues Appendix B Maps of International and National Nature Conservation Designations within 5 km Appendix C Southampton City Council Highways Consultation PLAN SPTN-9001-2.0 Site Boundary SPTN-9002-2.0 Aerial View of Primary Development Area SPTN-9003-1.0 Site Location Plan SPTN-1002-1.0 Site Elevation SPTN-1003-1.0 Site Elevation SPTN-1004-2.0 Associated Development SPTN-1005-2.0 Primary Development Layout FIGURES Figure 4.16 Process Flow Southampton Scoping Statement v4.0 Page 2 September 2010 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Helius Energy plc (“Helius Energy”) is seeking to obtain development consent under Section 31 of the Planning Act 2008 in respect of a biomass fuelled electricity generating plant capable of generating approximately 100 Megawatts (Declared Net Capacity) of electricity and associated biomass processing and fuel store, boiler house, turbine building, cooling assembly, ancillary buildings, structures, plant and equipment together with other engineering and building works located within the Port of Southampton (Grid Reference SU 396 124). The general location of the site is shown on plan number SPTN-9003-1.0. The proposed site area is shown on plan number SPTN-9001-2.0 and SPTN-9002-2.0. Detailed Description of Development for which Consent will be Sought 1.2 Consent will be sought for a biomass fuelled electricity generating plant as the primary development. This will be capable of generated approximately 100 Megawatts (declared net capacity) of electricity and comprise the following principal buildings, structures, plant and engineering works: i Main Biomass Store Building; ii Auxiliary Biomass Fuel Stores; iii Fuel Delivery Building (Road Deliveries); iv Boiler House (comprising one circulating fluidised bed boiler); v Steam Turbine Building (accommodating one steam turbine) vi Transformer Building; vii Motor Control Centre Building; viii Electrical Switch Gear Compound; ix Water Treatment Plant; x Grey/fresh water Storage Tanks; xi Stack Assembly; xii Flue Gas Cleaners; xiii Cooling Assembly (Hybrid Towers or Air Cooled Condenser); xiv Office Accommodation; xv Storage/Workshop/Control Building; xvi Pipes for Hot Water/ Steam Pass Outs and Returns; xvii Weighbridges and Security Gatehouse; xviii Internal Site Access Roads, Hardstandings, Parking Facilities and Pedestrian Walkways Including Access to the Internal Dock Road Network; and xix Bunding, Earthworks, Landscaping, Site Lighting and Boundary Treatments. 1.3 Consent will also be sought for associated development comprising: Southampton Scoping Statement v4.0 Page 3 September 2010 i Underground connections for cooling water supply and discharge, potable and grey water supply, discharge of process water, discharge of foul water, surface water management systems and surface water discharge; ii Grey water extraction structure and Pump house; and iii Underground electrical connection to the existing electricity grid infrastructure. 1.4 Consent will also be sought for the following ancillary works: i Demolishing existing substation and removal of existing hardstandings. 1.5 The scheme will also incorporate a conveyor from the site to the quayside. Planning permission is already granted for this by virtue of Class B Part 17 of Schedule 2 to the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995. 1.6 Deemed Listed Building Consent will also be sought, if necessary, for any works that may be undertaken to the George V Dock, pursuant to the grey water extraction structure and Pump house. Need for Environment Impact Assessment 1.7 It is considered that the proposed development falls within Schedule 2, Category 3(1) of The Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2009. It is of a scale and nature that could give rise to significant effects and, therefore, the applicant has undertaken to submit an Environmental Statement (ES) with the application for a Development Consent Order. 1.8 As part of the project development and assessment process, the project team has carried out a scoping study to identify the key environmental issues and the need for specific investigations and other technical studies. The scope for the proposed environmental impact assessment (EIA), as presented in this document, has been determined by the following: i Desktop and baseline field studies; ii Consideration of the relevant development plans for the area including the saved policies from the Southampton Revised Local Plan (2006) and the Southampton Core Strategy (2010); and iii Identification of potential sources of environmental effects and an evaluation of likely duration in magnitude and significance. 1.9 The ES will be a comprehensive account of all significant environmental and associated issues, as required in the EIA Regulations. Southampton Scoping Statement v4.0 Page 4 September 2010 EIA and Scoping 1.10 Government Circular 02/99 on environmental impact assessment defines EIA as: “a means of drawing together, in a systematic way, an assessment of a project's likely significant environmental effects. This helps to ensure that the importance of the predicted effects, and the scope for reducing them, are properly understood by the public and the relevant competent authority before it makes its decision.” (Circ. 02/99, Paragraph 9). 1.11 The importance of scoping in the EIA process is highlighted in the Good Practice to the Preparation of Environmental Statements, produced by the Department of the Environment (1995). This states that: “Defining its scope is one of the most critical parts of an EIA in that it sets the context for what follows. If the scope is defined too narrowly, some critical areas of uncertainty or adverse impact may emerge late in the day. Decisions on the shape of the project may then be too far advanced to allow for any real change. On the other hand, if the scope of work is too loosely defined, then much time, effort and costs may be spent on pursuing unnecessary detail.” (Good Practice Guide, Paragraph 2.2). 1.12 Guidance on the content of a Scoping Report is provided in Circular 2/99, which states that it: “Should include a plan indicating the proposed location of the development, a brief description of the nature and purpose of the proposal and its possible environmental effects, giving a broad indication of the likely scale.” (Circular 2/99, Paragraph 55). 1.13 It further states that: “A developer may also wish to submit a draft outline of the ES, giving an indication of what he considers to be the main issues, to provide a focus for the local planning authorities considerations”. (Circular 2/99, Paragraph 90). 1.14 Regulation 8(1) of The Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2009 provides the applicant with the opportunity to seek a formal Scoping Opinion from the Commission. This Statement has been prepared for agreement with relevant statutory and other consultees on the scope of the environmental impact assessment. Other Supporting Documents 1.15 In addition to the ES, and in accordance with Regulation 5 of the Infrastructure Planning (Applications: Prescribed Forms and Procedure) Regulations 2009, the planning application will be accompanied by: Southampton Scoping Statement v4.0 Page 5 September 2010 i A draft Development Consent Order, pursuant to Section 27 (3)(d) of ‘The Infrastructure Planning (Applications: Prescribed Forms and Procedure) Regulations 2009 and accompanied by an Explanatory Memorandum; ii A Book of Reference; iii A Flood Risk Assessment; iv A statement regarding Section 79(10) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990; v A Habitats Regulations Assessment Report; vi A Transport Assessment; vii A Travel Plan; viii A Statement of Community Consultation; ix A Community Consultation Strategy document; and x A Consultation Report. 1.16 The ES, or it’s appendices, will include the following plans, in accordance with Regulation 5 of the Infrastructure Planning (Applications: Prescribed Forms and Procedure) Regulations 2009: i A land plan identifying the proposed location of the site; ii A land plan identifying the boundary of the site; iii A land plan identifying any statutory or non-statutory sites or features of nature conservation importance, habitats of protected species and water bodies within the South East River Basin Management Plan; iv A land plan identifying any statutory or non statutory sites or features of the historic environment; and v Indicative elevations of the proposed scheme. 1.17 The ES will refer to relevant parts of the reports listed in paragraph 1.10 and plans listed in paragraph 1.11 as appropriate. Programme 1.18 The applicant envisages that the application will be submitted to the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) in March 2011. Southampton Scoping Statement v4.0 Page 6 September 2010 2.0 CONSULTATION 2.1 The process of undertaking consultation assists in identifying the likely environmental and other effects of the proposed development, and enables the refinement of the project to incorporate appropriate mitigation measures to minimise adverse effects and maximise the positive effects of the scheme. Consultation with Section 42 Statutory Consultees 2.2 Helius Energy requested and attended an initial meeting with the IPC to introduce the project and discuss the pre-application procedures. In addition, Helius Energy has invited the IPC to visit the site, along with the key statutory consultees, as per the guidance contained in ‘Advice Note Three: Scoping opinion consultation’, published by the IPC in March 2010.