Viridor Energy from Waste Facility. Environmental Statement Non-Technical Summary

Transcription

1 Viridor Energy from Waste Facility Environmental Statement Non-Technical Summary September 2012

2 Viridor Energy from Waste Facility Environmental Statement Non-Technical Summary Introduction Viridor has been appointed as Preferred bidder by Peterborough City Council to manage its residual waste arisings for a 30 year period commencing in October In order to deliver this service, Viridor will construct an Energy from Waste (EfW) facility to process 85,000 tonnes per annum (tpa) (at a particular Calorific Value (CV) the energy output from waste when it is burnt) of waste at the authority-owned integrated Resource Recovery Park on the Fengate Industrial Estate, Peterborough. The plant has been sized to accept both contract waste (municipal residual waste delivered by the council) and third party waste throughout the contract life with an average capacity of circa 30,000 tpa for third party waste. The waste will be burnt and the heat used to generate electricity which will be exported to the national grid (with potential for the heat generated to be used to heat businesses in the local area). A planning permission has previously been approved by Peterborough City Council in May 2010 for an EfW with a throughput of 65,000 tpa (at a slightly lower CV). Viridor is now seeking changes to this planning permission predominantly relating to an increase in the facility throughput and a reduced building envelope. These changes will be handled through a planning application under Section 73 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 ( Section 73 application ). The Application Site The site of the proposed EfW facility is located on land off Forth Drove within the Fengate Industrial Estate, on the eastern edge of the built-up area of Peterborough, approximately 2.5km to the east of Peterborough City Centre. An extract of the site location plan is included below with the application site shown in red. 1

3 The site covers an area of 1.9 hectares and is currently occupied by the Council s Materials Recycling Facility (MRF), which is operated by Viridor. This facility comprises a portal-framed unit, housing the processing equipment, offices and an education centre, with a weighbridge, car parking and external hardstanding used for the storage of recycled materials. The Approved Scheme The approved EfW facility comprises a single building (approximately 96m by 37m in area and approximately 35m high) and incorporating the following main elements: an oscillating kiln for the combustion of waste; waste reception area; bunker hall; process hall (including boiler and flue gas treatment system); turbine generator hall; a chimney stack (approximately 60m high); metal and ash recycling area; bulky waste shredding area; 3 storey offices including staff welfare facilities; and a workshop. It is a steel frame building and external materials comprise metal cladding, with metallic copper and silver cladding used on the main process hall. Dark grey cladding and louvres are also used on the elevations, with translucent panels to the front and side elevations. The approved throughput of the waste facility is 65,000 tpa at a CV of 9,400 kj per kg. The Proposed Changes In addition to an increase in throughput of waste to 85,000 tpa at a CV of 9,700 kj per kg, a number of minor physical changes to the approved scheme are proposed comprising: Main Process Hall to be reduced in height by 1m, length by 3m, and over two-thirds of its length reduced in width from 38m to 24m; Parapet to Main Process Hall, Tipping Hall, Incinerator Bottom Ash enclosure and visitor s centre to be revised; Tipping Hall height to be reduced by 3m and width reduced by 10m; Air cooled condensers (ACCs) to be increased in number from 3 to 4. Width increased by 0.5m, length increased by 15.7m; Changes to internal layout; Minor elevation changes including external materials. The changes to the size and shape of the building are illustrated by the visualisation below. 2

4 Aerial comparison from south- east and north- west The Assessment of the Potential Environmental Effects The potential environmental effects of the approved scheme were assessed and the details presented in an Environmental Statement submitted as part of the planning application. Whilst the limited nature of the changes now proposed mean that the vast majority of that Environmental Statement remains valid, Viridor has identified certain topics where it is necessary to reassess the impact. These topics include: Highways Air Quality Landscape and Visual Impact An ecology survey has also been undertaken to determine whether the ecological value of the site had changes since the previous assessment was carried out. The topics to be revisited and the approach to the assessment were formally agreed with Peterborough City Council as the Local Waste Planning Authority by means of a Scoping Report. The updated assessments have been carried out and are summarised below. Highways A Transport Statement Addendum considers the revised scheme impacts on junctions 5 and 8 of Frank Perkins Way. This has been based on trip generation and distribution details provided by PCC s Highways Team. It concludes that, when compared to the approved scheme, the estimated number of additional vehicle trips generated by the proposed EfW facility and an adjoining Waste Transfer Station (WTS) would be 1 HGV vehicle trip per 5 minutes during the AM peak period and an additional 1 HGV vehicle trip per 9 minutes during the PM period at both junctions 5 and 8, which is not a significant impact. It identifies a requirement within Peterborough s Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document for the payment of a financial contribution towards off-site highway improvements. These contributions are to be payable in respect of improvements to junction 5 of Frank Perkins Way (which 3

5 is the only junction affected) and will ensure that there is no unacceptable impact on the highway network as a result of the development. The assessment confirms that controls on the times when waste is brought to the site and the routes the HGVs are permitted to take may be used by Viridor to minimise the disruption to road users in the industrial estate. The numbers of HGVs associated with the construction phase are considered likely to be less than that associated with the operational phase, and hence the construction phase HGV impacts are also likely to have a slight adverse effect. A Travel Plan has been prepared for the staff and visitor commuting journeys. The plan sets out measures to reduce travel by single occupancy vehicle and will be implemented and monitored during the operation of the EfW. Air Quality An Air Quality Assessment considers the impact of the revised scheme on local air quality. The assessment is based on the difference between baseline conditions (i.e. no facility of any size) and the proposed facility. The approach used to assess the impact has been updated since the previous application to reflect updates in assessment methodologies and best practice. An assessment has been made of both potential construction and operational phase impacts. The assessment of construction phase dust impacts has been undertaken based on the guidance provided by the Institute of Air Quality Management. Providing dust control measures suitable for the proposed activities, as detailed, are utilised, the residual impact of construction phase activities is negligible. The assessment of construction and operational phase road vehicle exhaust emissions used screening criteria from the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB). This considered the total change in vehicles from baseline rather than the change in vehicle numbers associated with the change in scheme design. All impacts could be screened out from further assessment and are considered to be negligible. The assessment of operational phase process emissions was undertaken using of conservative assumptions. These include the following: It is assumed that the Facility will continually operate at the maximum emission limits allowed under the relevant waste incineration legislation. In practice, this will not be the case and actual emissions will be less than the limits. The maximum ground level concentrations are considered in each case. These concentrations occur in small areas; in general, the concentration will be much lower. Taking account of plant operational availability, the significance of any impacts are considered to be insignificant or negligible. Landscape and Visual Impact The amendments to the proposed development do not change the conclusions of the previously submitted Landscape and Visual Assessment. The proposed development will be similar in mass and height to Peterborough Power Station, an existing and prominent feature in the landscape. The cladding materials selected for the proposed development will, however, not be similar to those used for the power station, but will identify the 4

6 structure as a new landmark building. The proposed development will form a visual extension to the mass of the power station and the distinctive, reflective cladding will result in the building being more visually prominent in the wider landscape. Proposed Roofing and Wall Cladding Materials Due to the screening qualities of the general urban fabric of the industrial area, Peterborough City and the Parkway dual carriageway, the proposed development will result in a neutral effect on the Peterborough townscape character area. The Fengate Urban Edge townscape character area will experience a neutral effect because, although the construction of a landmark building could provide a catalyst to gradually improve the overall townscape character, the immediate magnitude of change impact will be negligible. The extensive shelter belt planting on the eastern edge of the industrial area and the mass of Peterborough Power Station screen some views from the Fenland Edge landscape character area, but the proposed development will increase the scale and visibility of the industrial skyline at the western boundary of the character area and will result in a slight adverse effect. The proposed development will result in a slight adverse effect for close and highly sensitive receptors at Flag Fen Visitors Centre, Mason s Farm, Poplar Farm, Northey Bungalow, Park Farm residential area and the Connect 21 residential development. The proposed development will result in a neutral to slight adverse effect on more distant and less sensitive receptors, and those whose views are screened or partially screened by existing shelter belt vegetation. Ecology A Phase 1 Habitat Survey was carried out in June It describes the existing baseline ecological condition of the site within the proposed planning application boundary, and assesses the potential of the site to support legally protected or ecologically important habitats and species. Desk and field studies were undertaken, and the results presented in the Survey Report. It confirms that the baseline conditions have not changed in the time since the surveys for the Ecology Chapter of the previous Environmental Impact Assessment were undertaken. Therefore, the site contains limited ecological interest. Due to the minor nature of the changes proposed, the conclusions of the previous Environmental Statement in respect of the impact of development on ecological interests beyond the site boundary, i.e. that it would not have an adverse impact, remain valid. 5

7 Summary and Conclusions The impact assessment has sought to understand both the direct and indirect effects of the changes to the EfW development. Where relevant, the cumulative effects of the EfW proposals with other developments have informed the assessment. The environmental impact assessment has determined that the overall impact of the EfW facility will be insignificant in terms of air quality, highways, landscape and visual amenity. The conclusions of the previous assessment in respect of all other topics remain valid. While there will be slight adverse impacts regarding noise and nuisance, these are limited to the construction phase or to occasional occurrences like start-up of the plant. Additional mitigation measures have been identified across a range of environmental aspects where appropriate. Conditions to secure necessary measures have been secured by condition on the approved scheme. The proposed scheme will be subject to the same conditions addressing design, construction management and operational controls. 6