NON TECHNICAL SUMMARY

Transcription

1 INTRODUCTION 1. This document comprises a Non Technical Summary (NTS) and has been prepared by (SLR) on behalf of SITA UK (the applicant). 2. The NTS is part of a package of documents being submitted to Aberdeenshire Council in support of the planning application for variation of condition 2 of planning permission Ref: N992222PF to allow a 12 year extension to 31st December 2024 for completion of landfilling at Stoneyhill Landfill, all in accordance with the landfilling and restoration scheme approved by planning permission N992222PF. Application Submission Package 3. This NTS comprises Volume 2 of a larger multi volume submission to accompany the planning application. In addition to the formal planning application forms and certificates, the full submission comprises: Volume 1: Planning Statement (including planning application forms and certificates and a Pre-Application Consultation Report); Volume 2: Non Technical Summary (NTS) of the ES; and Volume 3: Environmental Statement (ES). 4. The NTS is a formal part of the Environmental Statement and in addition to being included as Section 14 of the ES, it has also been produced as a separate document to accompany the planning submission. This NTS provides, in non-technical language, a brief summary of the likely significant effects that the proposed development would have on the environment. 5. Formal scoping and formal consultation has been pursued with various organisations, including Aberdeenshire Council, Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and other statutory consultees prior to submission of the Environmental Statement. The responses, in addition to the scoping response, have defined the information to be included in the Environmental Statement. The Applicant 6. SITA UK was established in 1988 and currently employs more than 6,000 people and has a proud history of delivering environmentally responsible and innovative waste solutions throughout the UK. In 2000, SITA UK was awarded a 25 year contract to manage recycling, composting, treatment and disposal of Aberdeen City s household waste. In 2011 SITA UK were also awarded the contract to treat and dispose of Aberdeenshire s residual household waste for the next 15 years. 7. Headquartered in Maidenhead, SITA UK operate in over 300 locations throughout the UK, including offices; civic amenity sites; transfer stations; landfills; and energy-from-waste, material recycling, composting and security NTS-1

2 THE SITE shredding facilities. Further information on SITA UK can be found at 8. The existing Stoneyhill landfill site is located approximately 7 km south-west of Peterhead, 38km North East of Aberdeen and 1.5km west of Longhaven). The general location of the site is illustrated on Drawing SL1A. 9. The landfill site is located to the west of the C56B which leads northwards from the A90 Aberdeen to Peterhead Trunk road connecting the site with the A90 approximately 3 kilometres to the south of the site. The A90 runs east/west connecting Peterhead to the east with Aberdeen to the south west. 10. The general area comprises gently undulating agricultural land and open fields with pockets of woodland plantation located 2-3km to the west and the south. The site setting is shown on Drawing SL2A and on the oblique aerial photo Drawing SL3A. 11. The current landfill site extends to an area of approximately 55 hectares, (although the actual operational landfill footprint area is on 24 ha) and the site was acquired by SITA UK in 2008 upon acquisition of Stoneyhill Waste Management Limited. 12. The landfill is located on the site of a former quarry and the permitted restoration contours represent a land raise facility. The site has been designed to give six phases of landfilling (refer to Drawing SL4A), with Phase 1 originally occupying the former quarry, with permitted operations progressing westwards and northwards into successive phases of landfilling operations. The landfill is operated as a non hazardous facility and accepts municipal, commercial and industrial wastes from Aberdeen city and shire as well as some waste from the Highlands and other areas. 13. Infrastructure currently in place on site includes a Naturally Occuring Radioactive Material (NORM) treatment and recycling facility, leachate and landfill gas management systems, landfill gas utilisation compound, weighbridges, wheel cleaning facilities, site offices and staff facilities. 14. Following SITA UK s acquisition of the site in 2008 significant improvements have been made in the management of landfill gas (LFG) at the facility. The increased efficiency of LFG control at the site which has been aided by improvements in leachate management and capping works is evidenced by the increased power generation figures. Power generated from landfill gas at Stoneyhill more than doubled from 2009 to 2010 and is set to increase by half as much again in Landfill gas is currently actively abstracted from the body of the landfill and piped though a sealed system to a power generation compound where it is used to generate 5.5MW of green electricity to feed into the National Grid. 15. SITA UK are proposing to develop other waste treatment facilities at the site in the form of a Resource Recovery Park (subject to a separate planning application and ES), located to the south of the existing landfill. The NTS-2

3 Resource Recovery Park is proposed to divert around 130,000 tonnes of waste per annum from the landfill site and will consist of a Mechanical and Biological Treatment (MBT) facility incorporating In Vessel Composting (IVC) and a gasification plant, located on land to the south of the existing Stoneyhill operational facilities. 16. Section 2 within the ES (Volume 3) provides further information on the application site and its environs. THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT 17. Existing landfilling operations at Stoneyhill are carried out under planning permission reference N992222PF which was granted 26 June Condition 2 of this permission states: "that on or before 10 years from the date of consent or when the land ceases to be used for the purpose hereby approved, whichever is the earlier date, all machinery, buildings etc, other than those required for landfill gas leachate and groundwater monitoring, management or disposal, shall be removed and the site restored in accordance with the agreed restoration plans" 18. This 10 year limit was imposed to accord with planning policy at the time of consent to ensure there was not an over-provision of landfill void. SITA are now seeking to apply to vary condition 2 of planning permission N992222PF to allow the 3.5 million m3 of remaining permitted void space at the site to be filled. No changes are proposed to the currently approved landfill phasing scheme and no changes are proposed to the design or layout of the final landform. This method of landfill phasing and method of operation has therefore previously undergone consultation and has been subsequently approved planning permission. 19. The site currently accepts around 250,000 tonnes of waste per annum but has capacity under its existing Pollution Prevention and Control Permit (number PPC/N/20010) to accept 355,000 tonnes per annum. It is predicted that at the current input rate the site will take a further twelve years beyond the currently permitted life to be completed in accordance with the approved scheme of infill and restoration. SITA UK is therefore seeking an amended end date of 31 December 2024 for landfilling to be completed to approved final levels as illustrated in Drawing SL5A. 20. The additional time period requested would allow the site to be restored and completed in accordance with the approved scheme and enable SITA UK to provide continuity of waste disposal services to other facilities on site. 21. The proposals to continue operations on site will not require any change to the existing waste management or waste acceptance procedures, site management and other mitigation measures at the site. Existing hours of operation will remain the same as those permitted (i.e. there will be no change to the existing working hours on the site). This application does not alter the actual day to day method of operation of the landfill and all existing environmental control measures would continue to be employed. NTS-3

4 22. A full description of the proposed development is included in Section 3 of the ES. SITE RESTORATION 23. SITA UK acquired the site in 2008 and have progressed landfilling and restoration operations on site to ensure that the approved phasing plan was implemented and brought back on programme. 24. During 2008 and ,000m 2 of the site was permanently capped and in 2010 a further 34,500m 2 was capped with soils placed over capping layers and grass cover established. The areas of the site that cannot yet be brought up to final levels (for operational reasons) have also been temporarily capped to minimise environmental impact. From the end of 2011 it is planned that the remaining uncapped areas of the southern end of the landfill site will be brought to final levels and capped and restored in early 2012, effectively giving a fully restored southern aspect. 25. Site restoration works will therefore continue to be diligently undertaken by the operator in accordance with the permitted scheme with capping, soil placement and seeding undertaken at the earliest opportunity as has been the case since SITA UK took over operations at the site. POLICY BACKGROUND 26. The Scottish Government is committed to a plan led system, with the Development Plan forming the basis of all planning decisions. Legislation confers a presumption in favour of development proposals which accord with the Development Plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. 27. Consideration has therefore been given within the submission documentation as to how the proposed development complies with the Development Plan. Emerging replacement development plan documents are also considered. For the area within which the application site lies, the current existing Development Plan comprises: Aberdeenshire Structure Plan; Aberdeenshire Local Plan. 28. In terms of the location of waste management facilities, national guidance considers aspects such as the physical and environmental constraints, cumulative effects and the capacity of transportation network. The various assessments reported in the Environmental Statement clearly demonstrate the acceptability of the application site and proposed development against these criteria. 29. In terms of land use planning constraints, the application site does not lie within any local or national designations. Through the Environmental Impact Assessment process, particular regard has been given to all environmental assets, and the assessments conclude that no significant adverse residual impacts would arise. Consideration has also been given to other facets of the NTS-4

5 environment, and again, the Environmental Impact Assessment has shown that no significant adverse impacts would arise. 30. The overall conclusion therefore is that the development accords with the adopted Development Plan and the emerging Strategic and Local Development Plans and Supplementary Guidance, in that it would provide much-needed landfill capacity to address the need for such capacity in the short to medium term, having regard to the objectives and targets of the Zero Waste Plan; it would enable to continued use of an existing landfill site; and it would give rise to limited adverse impacts upon the environment and local community. ALTERNATIVES 31. There is a requirement to consider alternatives primarily from the requirements of The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2011 and a number of options to the development proposals have been considered. 32. An alternative site location is not an option in this situation as the proposals are continuation of an existing operational landfill facility as opposed to a new facility. Waste is currently being imported into the site and landfilled at a rate of approximately 250,000 tonnes per annum and the remaining consented void space is 3.5M m3. Accelerated infilling of waste to ensure that the site is completed by the expiry of the current permission in June 2012 is not a viable option. 33. Should an alternative reduced void landform be created this would result in a loss of allocated void space and result in a shortfall in capacity. There is in fact little scope for a significantly reduced void landform since the site is half way through and at roughly the widest and deepest part of the designed final landform. A landfill site has to be designed to final slopes which shed water effectively and without ponded water collecting around the engineered area, whilst being stable in the long term. Any reduced void design would only reduce the void for waste slightly and would be likely to make the final landform look truncated and less natural. SITA UK consider that the sustainable solution would be to allow Stoneyhill landfill to continue to operate and make best use of the currently consented and permitted void, providing a significant proportion of the rolling capacity requirement over the next ten years and maximise green energy generation at the site. The landfill also provides a much needed disposal route for Natural Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) waste which, if prevented by early closure of the site, could result in the offshore industry having to transport such wastes significantly longer distances for disposal. NTS-5

6 LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT 34. The Environmental Statement assessed the potential landscape and visual implications of the proposals including a baseline study of the existing site and its surroundings, a study of the landscape and visual characteristics of the development and an assessment of the residual landscape and visual impacts likely to be generated after mitigation has been considered and their significance. 35. In landscape terms, the effect of this application is to delay the proposed final restoration of the site by twelve years to 31 December After this date the landfill operations will cease and work will commence on completing landscape restoration works which will restore the site in accordance with the approved scheme. Restoration to the final landform will be completed approximately 1-2 years following closure of the landfill although restoration works will be carried out progressively throughout the life of the site. 36. During the proposed remaining life of the site, the existing use will remain, and the landscape will appear and function as it currently does. There will be subtle changes to the landform throughout the remaining life when the site will continue to be developed in accordance with the approved scheme of working and restoration. There would be no lateral extension of waste operations or other changes to the permitted development. 37. In visual terms there would be a slight continuation of visible operational features as a result of the extension of time, but this would be no more than existing and during working the proposed development would cause few differences. Following restoration there would be no difference from the approved final landform. 38. For views to the south of the site where active landfill operations have been completed and restoration works progressed the differences would also be very limited and even less so following completion of restoration in these areas. Progression of the phasing from south to north in a sequential manner (as per the approved scheme) and continuation of the successful progressive restoration techniques SITA UK have employed since their acquisition of the site in 2008 would continue to be employed. Following restoration, the significance of visual impacts for all viewpoints would be negligible and the proposed development would have no impact over what is currently consented. 39. Overall the landscape assessment concluded that the development would not cause unacceptable landscape and visual impacts during its proposed operational life time of 12 years from 2012 to NTS-6

7 GEOLOGY, HYDROLOGY AND HYDROGEOLOGY 40. The surface and groundwater regimes at the site have been assessed, both as part of this application, and previous applications at the site, with reference to information held by Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Local Authorities and others, and by the consideration of site specific investigation and monitoring data. 41. The site is currently operating under a planning consent to a permitted design; the proposals for a time variation to the facility do not alter the permitted engineering or restoration landform for the site. The site benefits from an approved surface water management scheme and the potential impacts of the proposed development upon the water environment have been previously identified and assessed, and where appropriate, mitigation measures have been included in the design of the development. 42. Overall the Environmental Statement concluded that with respect to the water environment, the continuation of landfill operations at the site, in accordance with the approved scheme will not have any significant residual impacts. HIGHWAYS & TRANSPORTATION 43. The Environmental Statement addresses local and strategic transport policy and identifies how the proposals might impact upon the highway and other transport users in the local area. In addition a separate Transport Assessment (TA) was carried out to assess the proposals. 44. The site currently accepts around 250,000 tonnes of waste, but has capacity under its existing Pollution Prevention and Control Permit to accept 355,000 tonnes per annum. It is predicted that at the current input rate the site will take a further twelve years beyond the currently permitted life to be completed in accordance with the approved scheme of infill and restoration. It was agreed with the Highway Authorities at scoping stage that the assessment should test the impact of development assuming the landfill is operating at the maximum capacity (355,000 tonnes of waste per annum). 45. The access to the Stoneyhill site will continue unchanged from the existing C56B/Site Access Priority Junction, with vehicles continuing to access the landfill via the internal road system available on site. The road network in the vicinity of the site is well established for Heavy Good Vehicle (HGV) use, with the C56B utilised by HGVs associated with existing site operations. 46. The legal obligation associated with the existing planning permission requires all HGV traffic associated with the landfill operations to enter and exit the site from / to the south. SITA operates an informal vehicle routing agreement, with inbound trips encouraged to use the western A90 junction and outbound trips utilising the eastern junction. 47. As described in detail in the Environmental Statement, for the purpose of the assessment, all landfill trips were assumed to use the C56B/A90 western priority junction in order to present a worst case scenario. The findings of this NTS-7

8 assessment concluded that the junctions will continue to operate within capacity even at worst case scenario. The assessment also presents cumulative assessment of scenarios with and without the upcoming proposals for a Resource Recovery Park (RRP) at the Stoneyhill facility to ensure a robust approach. 48. The assessment considered that the overall impact of traffic generated by the development will have an insignificant effect on traffic conditions on the C56B, A90 and their junctions. No off-site highway improvements are considered necessary to support the extension of time of the landfill. The development as proposed is therefore considered acceptable from a highway and transportation perspective. AIR QUALITY 49. An assessment of the potential for air quality impacts associated with the proposed additional timescale for land-filling operations at the Stoneyhill site has been undertaken. The assessment considered: Air Quality Strategy Pollutants from vehicle and landfill gas engine exhausts; Landfill gas generation and release from the land-filled waste; Dust emissions during the operational phases; and Odours arising from the land-filling activities. 50. The proposed timescale extension will not result in an increase in the release rate of odours, dust or landfill gas and will not result in a change to traffic flows or routing. The proposed timescale variation is therefore considered to result in a continuation of the existing level of impact. 51. Mitigation measures for dust, odour and landfill gas control are already in place at the site and included in the Pollution Prevention and Control Permit with specific controls detailed in the associated (Landfill) Gas and Odour Management Plans. The effective application of these mitigation measures will continue to be monitored by Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) as part of their regulatory role. ECOLOGY 52. An extended Phase 1 Habitat survey, and badger walkover survey were undertaken in September 2011, and an otter and water vole survey undertaken in October The study area can be divided into three approximate zones, the current landfill site in the south, the flood plain and valley sides associated with the Laeca Burn system, and the steep sided Dun na Cluaich Hill to the east. The landfill site within the study area comprises either restored slopes supporting rough grassland, or (in the northern end of Phase 3) disturbed excavated ground supporting patchy rough grassland, areas with short ruderal species and bare ground, plus stands of tall ruderal species along the side of the track. NTS-8

9 54. Evidences of badger activity was found in the area around the site and on the basis of the findings, it was recommended that a full presence absence survey be undertaken for the study area, which is due to be undertaken in November 2011 when conditions are favourable. 55. The assessment has to consider the impact of the proposed time variation of landfilling operations from 2012 to The area of the landfill yet to be developed, i.e. the northern part of Phase 3, and Phases 4, 5 and 6, has already been granted planning consent. The assessment of effects therefore covers only those potential impacts arising over and above those generated by the original consent, i.e. as a direct result of the time extension. Such impacts are only likely to arise if habitats, or species distribution and/or numbers, have undergone significant change on the site since the original consent, or if the national status of habitats or species has changed which is not the case. 56. The Study area is not within any site designated at the European or National level nor are there any non-statutorily designated nature conservation sites in the locality. 57. The continued working of the landfill over the proposed longer time period will ultimately result in loss of the wetland habitat in Phase 5 and 6, although these areas have already been consented for landfill operations. There are therefore no new impacts on the wetland habitat arising from the time amendment to the operations. NOISE 58. The applicant is currently carrying out consented landfill operations on the site and the proposals will be identical to those works currently permitted. Although there has been only one noise complaint recorded at the site it is intended that the site will continue to be proactive, to anticipate when potential noise problems may occur and to take necessary preventative action for the duration of the operation of the landfill. 59. The proposals to extend the life of the landfill by a further 12 years do not propose any extension in the physical extent of landfill operations. Therefore landfill operations will at no point take place any closer to residential properties than is currently permitted. Noise monitoring undertaken previously at receptor locations to comply with a former condition of the site s Pollution Prevention and Control Permit demonstrated that existing site operational noise is well within the limits imposed by existing condition 7 of planning permission N992222PF. 60. Site management would continue to be proactive, to anticipate when potential noise problems may occur and to take necessary preventative action. Notwithstanding the above, noise mitigation measures would be constantly kept under review and where appropriate, new equipment and/or practices would be instigated. NTS-9

10 61. Calculations have been made of likely worst case noise levels due to operation and traffic movements for the landfill site and these have been compared with the existing noise levels generated by the site. The proposed operational noise emissions are consistent with existing operations. The proposals will therefore be simply be a continuation of existing operationswhich have not generated significant levels of complaints during the ten year life of the existing landfill. CULTURAL HERITAGE 62. Planning consent (Ref: N992222PF) for landfill operations was permitted in 2002 following the submission of a planning application and Environmental Statement which included a detailed archaeological appraisal of the proposals, the development site and the greater surrounds. A detailed archaeological study has therefore already been conducted in relation to the original planning application and Environmental Statement for the landfill site which included a desk based assessment and field survey of the site. 63. The existing development area comprises the current landfill development boundary and the landfill footprint area and has therefore previously been assessed through a recent Environmental Impact Assessment and through an approved scheme of intrusive site investigations (including pitting and trenching). The proposals are for an amendment to the timescale for completion of the existing permitted landfill and the landfill development area; phasing and restoration contours will remain as currently permitted. 64. The proposals have therefore been previously assessed and approved and are temporary in nature prior to implementation of the permanent approved restoration landform. The archaeological work that has already been carried out at the site has ensured that a detailed record of the archaeology of the development area has been made. The current application does not involve any further lateral working from the current landfill extent, therefore there will be no additional direct impacts to historic assets at the site. No further impact on archaeology would be presented by the current scheme. NTS-10

11 CONCLUSIONS 65. This Non-Technical Summary has outlined the findings of the Environmental Impact Assessment of the development proposals contained within the Environmental Statement that accompanies the planning application for amending the closure date at Stoneyhill Landfill. 66. The Environmental Impact Assessment has considered the likelihood of significant environmental impacts occurring from the proposed development upon the site itself and its surroundings. The environmental issues addressed as part of the scheme have been identified through a combination of review of published data, desk based and site survey work and consultation with the Council and other organisations. 67. The ES has not identified any significant impact from the proposed development. Through the adoption of the mitigation measures embodied within the project design, or imposed through planning conditions, any impacts identified can be maintained within acceptable limits. NTS-11