Document Ref: 6.3.12 PINS Ref: EN010082 Tees CCPP Project The Tees Combined Cycle Power Plant Project Land at the Wilton International Site, Teesside Volume 2 - Annex G1 Regulations – 6(1)(b) and 8(1) Applicant: Sembcorp Utilities UK Date: November 2017 Annex G1 Effects of Air Quality on Nationally and Locally Designated Sites G1 ANNEX G1 -INTRODUCTION G1.1 PURPOSE OF THIS ANNEX G1.1 This Annex provides an assessment of the likely effects of predicted Project emissions to atmosphere on nationally and locally designated sites during operation. G1.2 APPROACH TO THE AIR QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF DESIGNATED SITES G1.2.1 Overview to Screening Assessment G1.2 The approach taken follows the guidance set out in the Planning Inspectorate’s Advice Note 10 (1) and guidance produced by the Defra / Environment Agency (EA) on screening risks from air emissions on protected areas for nature conservation (2). It has also taken account of a range of other guidance material such as guidance produced by the European Commission (EC) (2011 (3), 2007 (4); 2002 (5), 2000 (6)). G1.3 This process follows the HRA process by initially Screening to identify the likely effects of a project on a nationally designated site and consider whether there are likely to be adverse effects. G1.2.2 Consultation and Key Issues G1.4 Sembcorp is carrying out various consultation activities as part of the DCO process, including consulting Natural England (NE), Environment Agency (EA), the Secretary of State (SoS), Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council (RCBC) and North Yorkshire Country Council (NYCC). These responses are detailed in Table 9.1 of Chapter 9 Ecology. G1.5 In particular to this assessment, it was noted that the screening of atmospheric emissions should include: Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) within 15 km of the Project; and Local Wildlife Sites (LWSs) and ancient woodland within 2 km of the Project. (1) Advice Note 10: Habitats Regulations Assessment relevant to nationally significant infrastructure projects. The Planning Inspectorate. Republished January 2016, Version 7. (2) https://www.gov.uk/guidance/air-emissions-risk-assessment-for-your-environmental-permit#screening-for- protected-conservation-areas (3) European Commission (2011) Guidelines on the Implementation of the Birds and Habitats Directives in Estuaries and Coastal Zones with Particular Attention to Port Development and Dredging. Advice Note 10 EC (4) European Commission (2007) Guidance Document on Article 6(4) of the Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC. EC (5) European Commission (2002) Assessment of Plans and Projects Significantly Affecting Natura 2000 Sites. Methodological Guidance on the provisions of Article 6(3) and (4) of the Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC. EC (6) European Commission (2000) Managing Natura 2000 Sites - The Provisions of Article 6 of the ‘Habitats’ Directive 92/43/CEE. EC ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT SEMBCORP UTILITIES (UK) LIMITED G1-1 G1.2.3 Designated Sites G1.6 No designated sites will be directly affected by the Project: the closest SSSI is Lovell Hill Pools, which is 3 km to the southeast. The closest LWS is Wilton Woods Complex LWS which lies 1.2 km to the south. G1.7 Designated sites that were included in the assessment are detailed below, along with their Areas of Search (AoS): SSSIs within 15 km of the Project, in line with Environment Agency (EA) guidance, SSSIs which could be affected by air pollutants from the Project were identified as those which fell within a radius of 15 km from the Project, adopting the worst case distance for effects from larger emitters, as defined by Defra / EA Guidance (1); and National Nature Reserve (NNRs), Local Nature Reserves (LNRs), Local Wildlife Sites (LWSs) and ancient woodland within 2 km of the Project. G1.8 There are 15 SSSIs within a 15 km radius of the Project site (listed in Table G1.1) and two LWSs within 2 km (one of which contains ancient woodland listed on the Ancient Woodland Inventory published by NE) (see Table G1.2). No NNRs or LNRs were identified within 2 km of the Project. Table G1.1 SSSIs within 15 km of the Project SSSI Distance Citation features and Direction from Site in km Lovell Hill 3.0 km SE A mosaic of former mining pit ponds supporting an outstanding Pools assemblage of dragonflies and damselflies. Tees & 3.9 km W A discontinuous site comprising several unconnected areas Hartlepool including freshwater pools, grazing marsh, inter tidal mud and Foreshore & rocky foreshore which together support large numbers of migratory Wetlands and wintering waterbirds. South Gare 4.7 km N Of considerable interest for its flora, invertebrate fauna and birdlife. & Coatham The range of habitats present includes extensive tracts of intertidal Sands mud and sand, sand dunes, saltmarsh and freshwater marsh. Seal Sands 5.7 km N An extensive area of intertidal mudflats, with tidal channels that are of great ornithological importance attracting large numbers of migratory wildfowl and wading birds especially during the winter months. Redcar 6.0 km Geologically important site - exposures of rock in the Lower Lias Rocks NE which display most of the stratigraphical interval missing from classic sections along the Yorkshire coast and which are composed of calcareous shales containing characteristic fossil ammonites. When exposed at low tide the rocks and sands provide an important feeding ground for several species of wading birds. Seaton 6.6 km N An area of considerable importance for its flora, invertebrate fauna Dunes & and bird life. The range of habitats present includes sandy, muddy Common and rocky foreshore, marsh, dunes, dune slacks and dune grassland. (1)https://www.gov.uk/guidance/air-emissions-risk-assessment-for-your-environmental-permit First accessed 01/02/17 ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT SEMBCORP UTILITIES (UK) LIMITED G1-2 SSSI Distance Citation features and Direction from Site in km Cowpen 7.1 km Includes the largest saltmarsh between Lindisfarne and the Humber Marsh NW Estuary and together with adjacent coastal grazing marshes and mudflats it provides an important wintering site for migratory wildfowl and wading birds. Roseberry 7.5 km S Geologically important site - a nationally important palaeobotanical Topping site famous for the large assemblage of fossils from its Middle Jurassic plant bed laid down about 170 million years ago. North York 7.6 km S The North York Moors contain the largest continuous tract of Moors heather moorland in England. The site is of national importance for its mire and heather moorland vegetation communities and of international importance for its breeding bird populations, particularly merlin and golden plover. Langbaurgh 7.8 km S Geologically important site - a disused quarry along Langbaurgh Ridge Ridge exposes sections of the ‘Cleveland Dyke’. Cliff Ridge 8.5 km S Geologically important site - the upper quarries at Cliff Ridge show the Cleveland Dyke in full cross-section and in contact with thermally altered metamorphosed sediments. Saltburn 10.2 km E Saltburn Gill is a steep sided coastal dene, incised into glacial clays, Gill shales and sandstones of the Lower Jurassic period. The site comprises the eastern slopes of the gill which are of particular importance in supporting one of the few relatively undisturbed areas of mixed deciduous woodland in Cleveland. Kildale Hall 11.3 km S Geologically important site. Important for a sequence of minerogenic and organic deposits infilling a former kettlehole. These deposits have yielded a continuous palaeoenvironmental record from the Late Devensian to the Middle Flandrian. Hartlepool 11.3 km Geologically important site - a peat bed, in the intertidal area, the Submerged N deposits from which been used to establish the pattern of relative Forest sea level change over the last 5,000 years. Pinkney 14.7 km An area of deciduous woodland on the steep slopes of Kilton Beck. and Gerrick SE It is of importance as one of the few ancient woodland sites in Woods Cleveland which remains in a largely semi-natural condition. G1.9 Sites that have been scoped out of further assessment as they are not sensitive to air quality effects have been highlighted in grey. Table G1.2 Locally Designated Sites within 2 km of the Project Designated Distance Key features Site and Direction from Site in km Wilton 1.2 km S A woodland complex part of which comprises ancient semi-natural Woods woodland and plantation on ancient woodland sites, both listed on Complex the Ancient Woodland Inventory (AWI). (LWS) Eston Moor 1.9 km S Designated for lowland heath and basin mire habitats. (LWS) ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT SEMBCORP UTILITIES (UK) LIMITED G1-3 G1.10 The locations of these designated sites are shown in Figures 9.1 and 9.2 of the Ecology Chapter. G1.11 The approach to assessing the effects on habitats and species from emissions to air is more prescriptive and complex, and further details have been provided in Section G1.3. G1.3 APPROACH TO ASSESSING THE EFFECTS ON DESIGNATED SITES FROM EMISSIONS TO AIR G1.12 Information about the relative sensitivity to air pollutants of qualifying interest habitats and plant species, and habitats supporting qualifying interest fauna species of the SSSIs and LWSs, was obtained from the Air Pollution Information System (APIS) (1) . G1.13 The critical levels (2) and critical loads (3) used as tools for helping to assess the risk of air pollutants on habitats, were obtained from APIS. Critical levels (eg for effects from NOx) are not assessed on a habitat or species-specific basis; rather they are assessed against standards which are applied for all habitat types and locations. These standards are 30 µg m-3 annual average for NOx. Effects relating to acid and nutrient nitrogen deposition are considered by a habitat and species specific approach, against the specific critical loads listed in APIS.