A5 Western Transport Corridor Volume 3 – Appendices APPENDIX 7A SCOPING REPORT © Mouchel 2015 .7A-1 A5 Western Transport Corridor Environmental Scoping Report September 2014 Produced for Transport NI Prepared by Project Office: Mouchel Shorefield House 30 Kinnegar Drive Holywood County Down Northern Ireland BT18 9JQ T 028 9042 4117 F 028 9042 7039 W mouchel.com Document Control Sheet Project Title A5 Western Transport Corridor Report Title Environmental Scoping Report 718736-3000-R-020 Revision V3 Status Final Control Date September 2014 Record of Issue Issue Status Author Date Check Date Authorised Date V1 Draft S Walton 14/03/13 S Ireland 17/03/13 P Reid 20/03/13 V2 Draft C Middleton 20/06/14 S Ireland 23/06/14 P Reid 23/07/14 V3 Final S Ireland 15/08/14 P Reid 28/08/14 P Edwards 23/09/14 Distribution Organisation Contact Copies David Millar 1 (e) Transport Northern Ireland Willie Kerr 1 (e) Northern Ireland Environment Agency Claire Hempsey 1 (e) Loughs Agency John McCartney 1 (e) Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Lynne Peoples 1 (e) Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure Jim Hayes 1 (e) National Parks and Wildlife Service William Cornacan 1 (e) A5 Western Transport Corridor Scoping Report 718736-3000-R-020 Contents 1 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 2 1.1 Background ......................................................................................................... 2 2 The Proposed Scheme ...................................................................................... 4 2.1 Alignment ............................................................................................................. 4 3 The proposed studies, surveys and assessments ........................................ 15 3.1 Air quality ........................................................................................................... 15 3.2 Cultural heritage ................................................................................................ 19 3.3 Landscape effects ................................................................................................ 7 3.4 Ecology and nature conservation ....................................................................... 11 3.5 Geology and soils .............................................................................................. 29 3.6 Noise and vibration ........................................................................................... 31 3.7 Effects on all travellers ....................................................................................... 38 3.8 Community and private assets ........................................................................... 42 3.9 Road drainage and water environment .............................................................. 46 3.10 Cumulative effects ............................................................................................. 61 4 Indicative structure for the Environmental Statement .................................. 62 4.1 The structure...................................................................................................... 62 4.2 Volume 1 ........................................................................................................... 62 4.3 Volume 2 ........................................................................................................... 63 4.4 Volume 3 ........................................................................................................... 63 1 A5 Western Transport Corridor Scoping Report 718736-3000-R-020 1 Introduction 1.1 Background 1.1.1 Transport Northern Ireland (TNI) is proposing to upgrade the existing A5 Western Transport Corridor (A5WTC). Subject to consent, the proposal will involve the construction of a new 85km dual carriageway running between New Buildings and the border with the Republic of Ireland (ROI) south of Aughnacloy. 1.1.2 The proposed scheme constitutes Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) development as defined by The Roads (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999 as amended by The Roads (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007. TNI as promoters of the proposed scheme will, therefore, be preparing and publishing an Environmental Statement (ES) describing the studies and assessments undertaken relative to the significant effects the proposed scheme will be likely to have on the environment in accordance with the requirements of the Regulations. 1.1.3 An ES for a proposed upgrading, the A5 Western Transport Corridor, Environmental Statement, November 2010 (A5WTC ES 2010) has previously been published, consulted on and considered at public inquiry. The environmental information provided in the A5WTC ES 2010 was found to be robust in scope and content such that, it enabled the Minister, as the competent authority, to make an informed decision regarding development consent based on the significant environmental effects likely to result from the construction and future use of the proposed scheme. 1.1.4 Time has elapsed since the completion of baseline studies and surveys which informed the previous assessments reported in the 2010 ES. It has also been confirmed the proposed scheme will no longer be constructed in its entirety within a three-year period as originally anticipated. The expectation now, is that it will be constructed in three phases comprising: • Construction of junctions 1-3 (New Buildings – Strabane North) and junctions 13-15 (Omagh South – Ballygawley). • Construction of junctions 3-13 (Strabane North – Omagh South). • Construction of junction 15 (Ballygawley) to the border. 1.1.5 It has accordingly been concluded that any likely significant environmental effects which may result from the construction and future use of the currently proposed scheme should be re-assessed. 1.1.6 This scoping report identifies the studies and assessments which it is intended should form the focus of the ES for the currently proposed scheme. The report is being 2 A5 Western Transport Corridor Scoping Report 718736-3000-R-020 issued to statutory consultees with a request for comments relating to the scope of the intended studies and assessments, and any recommendations they may have relative to works they consider appropriate in relation to the currently proposed scheme. All responses received will be considered as the ES is prepared. 1.1.7 Preliminary discussions have been held with Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA), Loughs Agency (LA), Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), and Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL) regarding the scope of the ES. There is no presumption in this document that those discussions constitute an agreement on the part of those organisations to the studies and assessments identified in the report in advance of receipt of their formal responses to the consultation request. 3 A5 Western Transport Corridor Scoping Report 718736-3000-R-020 2 The Proposed Scheme 2.1 Alignment 2.1.1 The proposed A5WTC comprises an 85km long dual carriageway, running largely through an agricultural landscape between New Buildings and the border with the Republic of Ireland (ROI), immediately south of Aughnacloy. The alignment and principal components of the proposed scheme and their environmental context are described below, and shown in Figure 1 – Regional context, and Figures 2.1-2.7 – Route alignment and environmental context, which are appended to this report. New Buildings to south of Strabane 2.1.2 The proposed scheme commences on the northern fringe of New Buildings where a new roundabout (junction J1), located adjacent to the existing A5, connects the proposed scheme and the existing A5. An initial 1.2km section of 2+1 single carriageway would run in a south-westerly direction from the roundabout west of the settlement and close to the eastern bank of the River Foyle through a part of the valley which is designated as being of high scenic value. There would be a transition from wide single carriageway to dual carriageway at a second roundabout (junction J2) where an eastern spur off the roundabout would provide for access between the existing A5 and the proposed A5WTC, approximately 0.5km southwest of the settlement. 2.1.3 Continuing south-west from J2, the proposed dual carriageway would pass through a short section of deep cutting and then between Magheramason and the River Foyle in the vicinity of the northern limit of the River Foyle and Tributaries Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI). It would cross Dunnalong Road immediately south of the village, the local road being realigned on embankment to the south of its existing alignment to enable it to be bridged over the dual carriageway. The alignment would continue in a south-westerly direction becoming more distant from the SAC and ASSI as the river follows a marked meander to the west. It would cross Meenagh Road which would be raised on embankment on- line to maintain access along the local road, and then follow a gentle curve to the south as it rises on high embankment to enable the proposed dual carriageway to be bridged over the existing the A5 Victoria Road, north of its junction with Cloghboy Road. 2.1.4 South of the new bridge, the alignment would encroach onto the lower western-facing slopes of Sollus Hill and would involve substantial cutting and regrading of the slopes as they