Nenthead (Caplecleugh) Mine Water Treatment EIA Scoping Report The Coal Authority May 2019 Nenthead (Caplecleugh) Mine Water Treatment Scheme Quality information Prepared by Checked by Verified by Approved by J Graham – Graduate S B Banks – Associate I M Campbell – Associate K James Environmental Scientist Environmental Scientist Environmental Scientist Project Manager Revision History Revision Revision date Details Authorized Name Position 0 06 Feb 2019 Internal draft for S B Banks Associate review Environmental Scientist 0 21 Feb 2019 Internal draft for S B Banks Associate review Environmental Scientist 1 25 Feb 2019 Draft for Client review 2 16 April 2019 Final S B Banks Associate Environmental Scientist 3 30 May 2019 Final (revised S B Banks Associate following EA Environmental comments) Scientist Distribution List # Hard Copies PDF Required Association / Company Name Prepared for: The Coal Authority AECOM Nenthead (Caplecleugh) Mine Water Treatment Scheme Prepared for: The Coal Authority Prepared by: AECOM Infrastructure & Environment UK Limited 5th Floor, 2 City Walk Leeds LS11 9AR United Kingdom T: +44 (0)113 391 6800 aecom.com © 2019 AECOM Infrastructure & Environment UK Limited. All Rights Reserved. This document has been prepared by AECOM Infrastructure & Environment UK Limited (“AECOM”) for sole use of our client (the “Client”) in accordance with generally accepted consultancy principles, the budget for fees and the terms of reference agreed between AECOM and the Client. Any information provided by third parties and referred to herein has not been checked or verified by AECOM, unless otherwise expressly stated in the document. No third party may rely upon this document without the prior and express written agreement of AECOM. Prepared for: The Coal Authority AECOM Nenthead (Caplecleugh) Mine Water Treatment Scheme Table of Contents 1. Introduction ...................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Overview ............................................................................................................................................ 1 1.2 Need for the Development ................................................................................................................... 1 1.3 Environmental Impact Assessment ...................................................................................................... 2 The Need for an EIA............................................................................................................................ 2 EIA Scoping ........................................................................................................................................ 2 2. Development Description ................................................................................ 4 2.1 Site Location and Environmental Context ............................................................................................. 4 2.2 The Proposals ..................................................................................................................................... 6 2.3 Development Programme .................................................................................................................... 8 3. EIA Scoping - Approach and Methodology ...................................................... 8 3.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 8 3.2 Determining the Scope of the EIA ........................................................................................................ 8 Identification of Potential Impacts and Effects ..................................................................................... 13 Classification of Effects ..................................................................................................................... 13 Design, Mitigation and Impact Assessment ........................................................................................ 14 3.3 Other Considerations ........................................................................................................................ 14 Habitats Regulations Assessment ...................................................................................................... 14 Water Framework Directive ............................................................................................................... 15 4. Legislative and Planning Policy Context ........................................................ 17 4.1 Legislation ........................................................................................................................................ 17 4.2 Planning Policy ................................................................................................................................. 17 Eden District Council – Adopted Development Plan ...................................................................... 18 5. Environmental Assessment Scoping ............................................................. 19 5.1 Overview .......................................................................................................................................... 19 5.2 Landscape and Visual Amenity .......................................................................................................... 19 5.3 Noise and Vibration ........................................................................................................................... 20 5.4 Air Quality and Odour ........................................................................................................................ 22 5.5 Traffic and Transportation .................................................................................................................. 23 5.6 Cultural Heritage ............................................................................................................................... 23 5.7 Biodiversity ....................................................................................................................................... 26 5.8 Ground Conditions and Hydrogeology ................................................................................................ 31 5.9 Hydrology and Flood Risk .................................................................................................................. 33 5.10 Waste and Materials .......................................................................................................................... 34 5.11 Climate ............................................................................................................................................. 35 5.12 Health Impact Assessment ................................................................................................................ 36 5.13 Cumulative and Combined Effects ..................................................................................................... 37 6. Topics Scoped Out of EIA .............................................................................. 38 6.1 Traffic and Transport – Operation ....................................................................................................... 38 6.2 Noise and Vibration – Operational Traffic Noise .................................................................................. 38 6.3 Ground Conditions and Hydrogeology – Operation ............................................................................. 38 6.4 Socio-economics – Construction and Operation ................................................................................. 39 6.5 Major Accidents and Disasters – Construction and Operation ............................................................. 40 7. The Environmental Statement ....................................................................... 41 Assessment Years ............................................................................................................................. 41 Proposed Structure of the Environmental Statement........................................................................... 41 Prepared for: The Coal Authority AECOM Nenthead (Caplecleugh) Mine Water Treatment Scheme List of Figures Figure 1.1 Site Location Plan Figure 1.2 Indicative Site Boundary Plan Figure 2.1 Environmental Constraints Plan Figure 2.2 Indicative Development Layout Plan Appendices Appendix A Preliminary Ecological Appraisal Report, Site 101 Appendix B Preliminary Ecological Appraisal Report, Nenthead Car Park Prepared for: The Coal Authority AECOM Nenthead (Caplecleugh) Mine Water Treatment Scheme 1. Introduction 1.1 Overview 1.1.1 The Coal Authority (referred to herein as ‘the Applicant’) is proposing to submit a planning application to Cumbria County Council’s Mineral Planning Authority (MPA) for a Mine Water Treatment Scheme for the Nenthead Mine. 1.1.2 The Mine Water Treatment Scheme (referred to herein as the ‘Development’) would be located on a site 0.9 km to the south east of Nenthead, at OS National Grid Reference 378591E 543232N (refer to Figure 1.1). 1.1.3 The planning application will be accompanied by an Environmental Statement (ES), which will be prepared in accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017 (the ‘EIA Regulations’). 1.1.4 AECOM Infrastructure & Environment UK Ltd has been commissioned by the Applicant to prepare an Environmental Impact