M27 Southampton Junctions PCF Stage 1 – Environmental Study Report December 2016 iii TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................... 1 1.1 IDENTIFY THE SCHEME AND STAGE OF SCHEME ...................................... 1 1.2 LOCATION OF SCHEME ................................................................................... 1 1.3 SCOPE AND CONTENT .................................................................................... 3 1.4 STRUCTURE OF THE REPORT ....................................................................... 4 2 THE SCHEME ............................................................................... 5 2.1 BACKGROUND TO THE SCHEME ................................................................... 5 2.2 REGULATORY FRAMEWORK AND THE SCHEME OBJECTIVES ................ 5 2.3 LAND USE SETTING AND LAND TAKE ........................................................ 11 2.4 CONSTRUCTION, OPERATION AND LONG TERM MANAGEMENT .......... 12 3 ALTERNATIVES UNDER CONSIDERATION ............................ 13 3.1 DESIGN OPTIONS EXAMINED IN PCF STAGE 0 ......................................... 13 3.2 DESIGN OPTIONS EXAMINED IN PCF STAGE 1 ......................................... 13 3.3 SCENARIO OPTIONS FOR CONSIDERATION IN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT ................................................................................................. 17 4 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY ASSUMPTIONS MADE ................................. 20 4.1 GENERAL APPROACH ................................................................................... 20 4.2 BASELINE TRAFFIC FLOWS ......................................................................... 20 4.3 SCOPING ......................................................................................................... 21 4.4 SIGNIFICANCE CRITERIA .............................................................................. 23 4.5 MITIGATION/ENHANCEMENT ........................................................................ 23 5 AIR QUALITY ............................................................................. 24 5.1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................. 24 5.2 ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY ................................................................... 24 iv 5.3 STUDY AREA ................................................................................................... 24 5.4 BASELINE CONDITIONS ................................................................................ 27 5.5 REGULATORY AND POLICY FRAMEWORK ................................................ 32 5.6 DESIGN, MITIGATION AND ENHANCEMENT MEASURES, INCLUDING MONITORING REQUIREMENTS ............................................... 34 5.7 OVERALL ASSESSMENT ............................................................................... 35 5.8 INDICATION OF ANY DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED ................................ 43 6 CULTURAL HERITAGE ............................................................. 45 6.1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................. 45 6.2 ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY ................................................................... 45 6.3 STUDY AREA ................................................................................................... 46 6.4 BASELINE CONDITIONS ................................................................................ 46 6.5 REGULATORY AND POLICY FRAMEWORK ................................................ 60 6.6 DESIGN, MITIGATION AND ENHANCEMENT MEASURES, INCLUDING MONITORING REQUIREMENTS ............................................... 62 6.7 OVERALL ASSESSMENT ............................................................................... 63 6.8 INDICATION OF ANY DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED ................................ 68 7 LANDSCAPE, TOWNSCAPE AND VISUAL ASSESSMENT .... 69 7.1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................. 69 7.2 ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY ................................................................... 69 7.3 STUDY AREA ................................................................................................... 71 7.4 BASELINE CONDITIONS ................................................................................ 71 7.5 REGULATORY AND POLICY FRAMEWORK ................................................ 74 7.6 DESIGN, MITIGATION AND ENHANCEMENT MEASURES, INCLUDING MONITORING REQUIREMENTS ............................................... 76 7.7 OVERALL ASSESSMENT ............................................................................... 77 7.8 INDICATION OF ANY DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED ................................ 88 8 NATURE CONSERVATION ....................................................... 89 8.1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................. 89 v 8.2 ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY ................................................................... 89 8.3 BASELINE CONDITIONS ................................................................................ 94 8.4 VALUE (SENSITIVITY) OF RESOURCE ....................................................... 106 8.5 REGULATORY / POLICY FRAMEWORK ..................................................... 108 8.6 DESIGN, MITIGATION AND ENHANCEMENT MEASURES, INCLUDING MONITORING REQUIREMENTS ............................................. 109 8.7 OVERALL ASSESSMENT ............................................................................. 112 8.8 INDICATION OF ANY DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED .............................. 125 9 GEOLOGY AND SOILS ........................................................... 126 9.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................ 126 9.2 ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY ................................................................. 126 9.3 STUDY AREA ................................................................................................. 131 9.4 BASELINE CONDITIONS .............................................................................. 131 9.5 DESIGN, MITIGATION AND ENHANCEMENT MEASURES, INCLUDING MONITORING REQUIREMENTS ............................................. 142 9.6 OVERALL ASSESSMENT ............................................................................. 143 9.7 INDICATION OF DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED ...................................... 148 10 MATERIALS ............................................................................. 149 10.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................ 149 10.2 ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY ................................................................. 149 10.3 STUDY AREA ................................................................................................. 150 10.4 BASELINE CONDITIONS .............................................................................. 150 10.5 REGULATORY AND POLICY FRAMEWORK .............................................. 155 10.6 DESIGN, MITIGATION AND ENHANCEMENT MEASURES, INCLUDING MONITORING REQUIREMENTS ............................................. 157 10.7 OVERALL ASSESSMENT ............................................................................. 159 10.8 INDICATION OF ANY DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED .............................. 167 11 NOISE AND VIBRATION ......................................................... 168 11.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................ 168 vi 11.2 ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY ................................................................. 168 11.3 STUDY AREA ................................................................................................. 172 11.4 BASELINE CONDITIONS .............................................................................. 172 11.5 REGULATORY AND POLICY FRAMEWORK .............................................. 176 11.6 DESIGN, MITIGATION AND ENHANCEMENT MEASURES, INCLUDING MONITORING REQUIREMENTS ............................................. 176 11.7 OVERALL ASSESSMENT ............................................................................. 177 11.8 INDICATION OF ANY DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED .............................. 190 12 PEOPLES AND COMMUNITIES .............................................. 191 12.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................ 191 12.2 ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY ................................................................. 191 12.3 STUDY AREA ................................................................................................. 193 12.4 BASELINE CONDITIONS .............................................................................. 194 12.5 REGULATORY AND POLICY FRAMEWORK .............................................. 203 12.6 DESIGN, MITIGATION AND ENHANCEMENT MEASURES, INCLUDING MONITORING REQUIREMENTS ............................................. 205 12.7 OVERALL ASSESSMENT ............................................................................. 208 12.8 INDICATION OF ANY DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED .............................. 223 13 ROAD DRAINAGE AND THE WATER ENVIRONMENT ......... 224 13.1 INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................