A120 Braintree to A12 Essex County Council Environmental Assessment Report Volume 1 B3553T41-JAC-EGN-00-REP-EN-0001 | P00.1 24/11/16 ENVIR ONMEN TAL ASSESSM ENT R EPORT Essex C ounty Council ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT REPORT Contents Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................................... 6 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................ 9 1. Purpose and structure of this report ..................................................................................................... 10 2. The scheme .............................................................................................................................................. 12 2.1 Need for the scheme ................................................................................................................................. 12 2.2 Location ..................................................................................................................................................... 12 2.3 History........................................................................................................................................................ 12 2.4 Planning policies and context .................................................................................................................... 12 2.5 Aims and objectives ................................................................................................................................... 14 2.6 Chapter References .................................................................................................................................. 15 3. Options ..................................................................................................................................................... 16 3.1 Options generation and sifting process ..................................................................................................... 16 3.2 Descriptions of options currently under evaluation ................................................................................... 17 3.3 Chapter References .................................................................................................................................. 21 4. Overall assessment methodology and approach to options evaluation ........................................... 22 4.1 Study area ................................................................................................................................................. 22 4.2 Assessment scope and key guidance ....................................................................................................... 22 4.3 Scale of significant effects ......................................................................................................................... 23 4.4 Chapter References .................................................................................................................................. 23 5. Stakeholder engagement ........................................................................................................................ 24 Options Evaluation and Scoping Assessment ................................................................................................. 32 6. Air Quality and Carbon Emissions ........................................................................................................ 33 6.1 Scope of assessment ................................................................................................................................ 33 6.2 Policy and guidance .................................................................................................................................. 33 6.3 Definition of significant effects ................................................................................................................... 34 6.4 Data sources and stakeholder engagement ............................................................................................. 36 6.5 Field surveys and modelling ...................................................................................................................... 36 6.6 Assumptions and uncertainties ................................................................................................................. 37 6.7 Environmental baseline description ........................................................................................................... 37 6.8 Options evaluation – potential significant effects identified ....................................................................... 39 6.9 Mitigation and opportunities ...................................................................................................................... 42 6.10 Scoping Assessment ................................................................................................................................. 42 6.11 Chapter references .................................................................................................................................... 43 7. Cultural heritage ...................................................................................................................................... 44 7.1 Scope of assessment ................................................................................................................................ 44 7.2 Policy and guidance .................................................................................................................................. 44 7.3 Definition of significant effects ................................................................................................................... 47 7.4 Data sources and stakeholder engagement ............................................................................................. 50 7.5 Field surveys and modelling ...................................................................................................................... 50 7.6 Assumptions and uncertainties ................................................................................................................. 51 7.7 Environmental baseline description ........................................................................................................... 51 B3553T41-JAC-EGN-00-REP-EN-0001 2 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT REPORT 7.8 Options evaluation – potential significant effects identified ....................................................................... 52 7.11 Chapter references .................................................................................................................................... 58 8. Landscape ................................................................................................................................................ 59 8.1 Scope of assessment ................................................................................................................................ 59 8.2 Policy and guidance .................................................................................................................................. 59 8.3 Definition of significant effects ................................................................................................................... 60 8.4 Data sources and stakeholder engagement ............................................................................................. 63 8.5 Field surveys and modelling ...................................................................................................................... 63 8.6 Assumptions and uncertainties ................................................................................................................. 63 8.7 Environmental baseline description ........................................................................................................... 64 8.8 Options evaluation – potential significant effects identified ....................................................................... 73 8.9 Mitigation and opportunities ...................................................................................................................... 82 8.10 Scoping Assessment ................................................................................................................................. 82 8.11 Chapter References .................................................................................................................................. 83 9. Nature conservation ................................................................................................................................ 84 9.1 Scope of assessment ................................................................................................................................ 84 9.2 Policy and guidance .................................................................................................................................. 85 9.3 Definition of significant effects ................................................................................................................... 90 9.4 Data sources and stakeholder engagement ............................................................................................. 95 9.5 Field surveys and modelling .....................................................................................................................