1. Description of the Existing Site and Surrounding Area 1 DESCRIPTION OF THE EXISTING SITE AND SURROUNDING AREA 1.1 Introduction 1.1.1 This chapter provides a general description of the characteristics of the existing HPC Development Site and surrounding area which have the potential to be affected by the proposed new nuclear power station. As illustrated in Figure 1.1, the HPC Development Site is divided into three components for the purposes of this Environmental Appraisal (EnvApp). This comprises: the Built Development Area East located to the west of the existing the Hinkley Point Power Station Complex and which will be used for the built development and main construction works areas; the Built Development Area West located to the west and south of Built Development Area East and which will be occupied by the built development and main construction works areas; and the Southern Construction Phase Area located to the south of the Built Development Areas East and West and extends to the southern boundary. The Southern Construction Phase Area lies outside the proposed built development footprint and main construction works areas, however it will accommodate the on-site accommodation campus and other facilities during the construction period. 1.1.2 More detailed, topic-specific descriptions of the environment effected by the Hinkley Point C development itself are included in each topic chapter of this EnvApp volume. Similarly detailed descriptions of the off-site associated development sites are provided in Volume 3. 1.2 Description of the Development Site and Surrounding Area a) Location of the HPC Development Site 1.2.1 Hinkley Point C is located on the west Somerset coast, 25km to the east of Minehead and 12km to the north-west of Bridgwater. The HPC Development Site falls within the parish of Stogursey in the district of West Somerset. 1.2.2 As illustrated in Figure 1.2 the Development Site is approximately centred on the National Grid Reference 320300, 145850 and occupies a total area of approximately 175.9 hectares (ha). The proposed area for the permanent land-based development will be approximately 66.6 ha. 1.2.3 Immediately to the east of the Development Site, the land is occupied by two nuclear power stations, Hinkley Point A and Hinkley Point B, which form the existing Hinkley Point Power Station Complex. Hinkley Point A operated between 1965 and 2000 and is currently undergoing decommissioning by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA). Hinkley Point B, owned by EDF Energy, has operated since 1976 and is scheduled to continue generating until at least 2016. HINKLEY POINT C PRE-APPLICATION CONSULTATION – STAGE 2 | 1 ENVIRONMENTAL APPRAISAL – VOLUME 2 1. Description of the Existing Site and Surrounding Area 1.2.4 Land to the south of existing Hinkley Point Power Station Complex forms part of the Bridgwater Bay Special Site of Scientific Interest (SSSI) comprising mixed farmland which has similar characteristics to that found within the site, and an area of flat, open, improved grassland which is seasonally grazed. 1.2.5 The surrounding area is predominantly agricultural and with scattered settlements, representative of the Vale of Taunton and Quantock Fringes National Character Area (NCA) including: Stolford approximately 2km to the east of the Development Site; Wick approximately 800m to the south east of the Development Site; Shurton approximately 200m to the south of the Development Site; Burton approximately 600m to the south-west of the Development Site; Stogursey approximately 1.5km to the south of the Development Site; and Knighton approximately 500m to the west of the Development Site. 1.2.6 The villages of Combwich and Williton are located approximately 5km and 12km to the south- east and west of the site respectively, these villages have been identified as sites to accommodate the proposed off-site associated development. Further off-site associated development will be located in the village of Cannington and in Bridgwater, approximately 8km and 12km to the south-east of the site and at Junctions 23 and 24 of the M5. 1.2.7 The site is bounded to the north by the Bridgwater Bay, part of the Severn Estuary from which it is separated by a low cliff, between five and ten metres in height. At low tide, the shore adjacent to the site comprises a relatively narrow platform of rock, cobbles and pebbles, interspersed with and fringed by muddy sand. Intertidal areas to the west include more extensive areas of mobile sand, while to the east, adjacent to the built nuclear power stations, the intertidal rock platforms, mud and sand extend up to 500m from the upper shore at low water. The Severn Estuary is recognised for its international and national nature conservation importance, further details are provided below under the section on designated sites. Further details on these are provided within Chapters 18 and 19 of this Volume on Terrestrial and Marine Ecology respectively. b) Access 1.2.8 The main access road serving Hinkley Point is the C182, which runs from Hinkley Point through the village of Cannington and then joins the A39 to the south of the village. It is an unlit, single carriageway rural road, generally subject to the national speed limit. 1.2.9 From the M5, the A38 links the motorway north and south of Bridgwater at Junctions 23 and 24 respectively. At Bridgwater the A38 joins the A39. c) Designated Sites i) Nature Conservation 1.2.10 As illustrated in Figure 1.3 there are a number of designated sites in proximity to the Hinkley Point C Development Site. The Severn Estuary to the north of the Development Site is recognised for its international and national nature conservation importance and designated as: a Ramsar site under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance; the Severn Estuary Special Protected Area (SPA) under the EC Directive (79/409/EEC) on the Conservation of Wild Birds; and 2 | HINKLEY POINT C PRE-APPLICATION CONSULTATION – STAGE 2 ENVIRONMENTAL APPRAISAL – VOLUME 2 1. Description of the Existing Site and Surrounding Area the Severn Estuary Special Area of Conservation (SAC), under the EC Directive (92/43/EEC) on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Flora and Fauna. 1.2.11 The Severn Estuary SPA and Ramsar Site covers all intertidal and inshore marine habitat adjacent to the northern boundary of the Built Development Areas and also extends inland and includes Wick and North Moor to the east. 1.2.12 Bridgwater Bay SSSI, which includes Bridgwater Bay National Nature Reserve (NNR), lies to the east of the site, south of the existing Hinkley Point Power Station Complex and comprises a succession of habitats ranging from mudflats, saltmarsh, shingle beach, and grazing marsh. It supports internationally and nationally important numbers of wintering and passage wildfowl and is an integral part of the Severn Estuary system, as well as forming a link to the Somerset Levels. 1.2.13 A relatively extensive area of land on the southern side and small areas of ground to the east and west of the existing Hinkley Point Power Station Complex have been subject to land management and are non-statutorily designated for their conservation value as a County Wildlife Site (Hinkley CWS). Approximately 60% of the designation is within the Built Development Area. ii) Geomorphology 1.2.14 Adjacent to the western boundary of the Built Development Area West frontage, lies the ‘Blue Anchor to Lilstock’ Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) which is designated for the unique cliff stratigraphy which comprises interbedded limestones, shale and mudstones of the Lower Blue Lias units. The exposed stratigraphic units are considered to be amongst the best examples of the Blue Lias outcrop in Europe. Furthermore, the SSSI also has a geomorphological designation for the exposed limestone rock pavement on the foreshore. iii) Landscape 1.2.15 There are no local landscape designations within the site, however, a Historic Landscape, Green Wedge, Historic Parks and Gardens and a Conservation Area are present within the wider study area. Within 5km of Hinkley Point there are three Scheduled Monuments (Wick Barrow Pixies Mound, Stogursey Castle and Village Cross) and three historic Parks and Gardens (Fairfield, St. Audries House and Crowcombe Courts). The presence of these features indicates historic activity in the area immediately surrounding the Development Site, and also immediately off- shore. As such the area is likely to be considered of high archaeological importance. 1.2.16 Located within 5km of the Development Site, to the west and south west, is the Quantock Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), which covers an area of 99km2, from the vale of Taunton Deane to the Bristol Channel Coast. The AONB consists of large amounts of heathland, oak woodlands, ancient parklands and agricultural land. The existing Hinkley Point Power Station is clearly visible from parts of this nationally designated landscape. Exmoor National Park and Mendip Hills AONB are also located within 20km of the Development Site. d) Topography 1.2.17 The topography of the Development Site is typical of that in the wider locality comprising mostly open, gently rolling, mixed lowland farmland with a series of east-west trending ridges. Across the Built Development Areas East and West, ground elevations range from approximately 10m to 35m AOD. The topography within Built Development Area East is variable where the southern boundary of the area is occupied by higher ground peaking at 26.2m AOD. The relief then falls northwards and levels out with a large proportion of the area lying at elevations ranging HINKLEY POINT C PRE-APPLICATION CONSULTATION – STAGE 2 | 3 ENVIRONMENTAL APPRAISAL – VOLUME 2 1. Description of the Existing Site and Surrounding Area between 14m AOD and 16m AOD.