Thorn Turn Winter Maintenance and Highways Depot Non-Technical Summary Central Bedfordshire Council 12 May 2015 1
Notice This document and its contents have been prepared and are intended solely for Central Bedfordshire Council s information and use in relation to the proposed, Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire. Atkins Ltd assumes no responsibility to any other party in respect of or arising out of or in connection with this document and/or its contents. This document has 17 pages including the cover. Document history Job number: 5134801 Document ref: Non- Technical Summary Revision Purpose description Originated Checked Reviewed Authorised Date Rev 1.0 Draft for review AA MR PB PB 24/04/15 Rev 2.0 Submission Document AA MR PB PB 12/05/15 Client signoff Client Central Bedfordshire Council Project Document title Non Technical Summary Job no. 5134801 Copy no. Rev 2.0 Document reference 2
Table of contents Chapter Pages Introduction 4 Scope and Content of the Environmental Statement 4 The Site and Its Setting 7 Committed Development within the Area 8 Description of the Proposals 9 Vehicle Access 9 Highways Depot 9 Salt Barn 10 Office Accommodation 10 Needs and Alternatives 12 Strategic alternatives 12 Assessment of the Likely Environmental Effects 13 Traffic and Transportation 13 Air Quality 13 Noise and Vibration 14 Landscape and Visual Impact 14 Ecology 15 Water and Drainage 15 PROW 16 Summary and Conclusions 16 Figures Figure 1 Site Location... 7 Figure 2 Current site condition... 8 Figure 3 3D model of proposed Highways Depot... 11 3
Introduction Central Bedfordshire Council (CBC) is seeking planning permission to develop a Highways Depot at Thorn Turn, north west of Houghton Regis. Figure 1 shows the location of the application site. CBC are applying for planning permission to construct an integrated winter maintenance and highways depot incorporating a salt storage barn (and associated outdoor salt mixing area), maintenance workshops, material stores, an accommodation/office block and associated infrastructure. The development will support the council s gritting fleet, passenger transport services and highways maintenance functions by provided parking and maintenance for their vehicles. It is anticipated that the enabling works will begin in autumn 2015, with the main construction phase commencing in early 2016 for a period of 12 months. The initial enabling works will involve the construction of the site access road and the establishment of temporary office and welfare facilities. Scope and Content of the Environmental Statement The Environmental Impact Regulations sets out the types of development for which an Environmental Impact Assessment should be carried out. The proposed development falls under the regulations as Schedule 2; (10) Infrastructure Projects for which the area of the development exceeds 5 hectares. The outcomes of the Environmental Impact Assessment are reported in the Environmental Statement (ES). The 2011 EIA Regulations provide details on what information the ES must contain. Structure of the Environmental Statement Chapter Chapter 1: Introduction (this chapter) Chapter 2: The site and its setting Chapter 3: Description of the development Chapter 4: Need and Alternatives Chapter 5: Traffic and transportation Content Includes the introduction and background to the site and development. It sets out the statutory requirement for an ES, including the scope, content, structure and associated documents that support the planning application. A description of the scoping consultation process detailing what environmental aspects have been included within the EIA and the environmental aspects that have been scoped out. Provides a description of the site location and a summary of the site s current physical and environmental characteristics. Provides a description of the proposed Highways Depot and the likely construction development. A summary of the need for the scheme in terms of the strategic planning context and the practical needs of the Council to operate their highways function from one centrally located site is given here. A description of alternative sites considered in the decision making process for the development is also given as is the iterative process at the site to develop the optimum design. Provides an assessment of the effects of these vehicle movements associated with the proposed development on the existing road network. It includes an assessment of the effects that additional movements will have on driver and pedestrian delay. Information pertaining to pedestrian amenity, fear and intimidation of road users together with accidents and safety information are also included. 4
Chapter Chapter 6: Landscape and visual Impact Chapter 7: Water and flood risk Chapter 8: Noise and vibration Chapter 9: Air quality Chapter 10: Ecology Chapter 11: Cultural Heritage Chapter 12: Agricultural Land Assessment Chapter 13: Waste and Materials Chapter 14: Summary of effects Chapter 15: Conclusions Content A landscape character and visual amenity assessment which describes the existing features within the identified study is made in this chapter. Consideration of the quality of the landscape, sensitivity to change and the magnitude of the likely change are assessed, as well as an assessment of the significance of effects on the landscape character and the visual amenity receptors. The chapter considers mitigation measures to address any potential landscape and visual effects. Contains a detailed review of the hydrogeological and hydrological conditions at the site, including water abstractions, water balances/catchments, drainage, pollution and flood risks. An assessment of the impacts of the development during operation and construction on the water environment and estimation of significance of the effects has been made. The chapter specifies mitigation measures to address any potential impacts on the water environment are provided. Identifies noise sensitive receptors including residential developments. It provides a description of the potential noise impacts during the construction and operation of the proposed Facility on the surrounding area, including vibration impacts during the construction and traffic impacts. It reports on the noise effects and their significance based on the likelihood of perceptible changes in noise compared with the existing baseline and the likelihood of noise complaints. An assessment of the effects of the construction and operation of the proposed Facility on local air quality, including a quantitative assessment of the effects of odour emissions from the Highways Depot operations and from the construction and operational traffic on nearby sensitive receptors. Provides details of the desk study, Phase 1 walkover survey and locally held records together with an assessment of the effects of the proposed development on local ecological receptors and protected species. An assessment will consider the location, extent, nature and date of any archaeological features or deposits present. It also covers the integrity and state of preservation of any archaeological features or deposits which may be present. A soil survey of the site will be carried out to assess the Agricultural Land Classification. The results of which will feed into a report on the soils and Agricultural Land Classification of the site and a Soil Handling and Management Plan. The report will also review cumulative impacts of loss of agricultural land, in relation to planned developments on neighbouring rural land. Contains details of the material produced during the excavation and construction phases of the development. The report will also consider the potential impacts on local waste management capacity. This chapter provides a summary of the residual effects and consideration of whether the effects are direct or indirect, the geographical level of importance (national, regional or local), short or long term, temporary or permanent. It also provides a summary of the mitigation measures proposed within the technical chapters. Overall conclusions of the assessment presenting the key positive and negative impacts of the proposed development. 5
Potential effects are concluded to be of negligible, minor, moderate or major significance. Moderate and major significance effects are considered to be significant in terms of EIA guidance. This document provides a non-technical summary of those assessments and by extension the ES. 6
The Site and Its Setting The closest settlements to the planning application site boundary are Houghton Regis (1.5km SE), Toddington (3.0km) and Tilsworth (2km NW) with the larger area of Dunstable being located 3km to the south east. There are two statutory designated wildlife sites within 2km of the study area. The nearest is the Houghton Regis Marl Lake Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) which is 370m from the southern site boundary, and Totternhoe Chalk Quarry SSSI is located approximately 1.68km to the south-west of the site. There are 5 non-statutory designated wildlife sites within 1km of the study area. The sites include one Roadside Nature Reserve and 4 County Wildlife Sites. The application site is currently used as agricultural land (Figure 2). Figure 1 Site Location 7
Figure 2 Current site condition Ouzel Brook flows in an east west direction north of the site boundary. To the north the site is an area currently in use as agricultural land but for which an application for the development of the Thorn Turn Waste Park has been made. The Dunstable Waste Water Treatment Works is located to the east of the application site, beyond which lies arable farmland. Immediately south of the application site is an area of vacant greenfield land. The A5 borders the site to the west, this lies between 9m and 12m above the proposed application site, the road is separated by an embankment which is planted with mature woodland. Committed Development within the Area Consideration has been given to other planning applications and sites that have been granted planning permission in the local area. When taken with the proposed development, these sites could give rise to greater impacts on the local environment and this has been assessed through the planning application. Two sites immediately to the north of the application site will be the subject of two separate planning applications. A waste transfer station and household waste recycling centre is proposed on the land immediately north. A new area of commercial development is proposed on the land north of the application site between the Ouzel Brook and Thorn Road. The wider area also has a number of planning applications which are either being decided or have been decided, these relate to areas of proposed residential and other uses e.g. business, leisure and employment sites. Beyond these application sites, to the north of the application site is the A5-M1 link road scheme. This project has recently begun construction. 8
Description of the Proposals Vehicle Access A purpose built access road will be constructed from Thorn Road. Vehicles will travel down the access road, once over the Ouzel Brook, operational highways and staff vehicles for the highways depot will enter and exit the site via the eastern access road which runs parallel to the site boundary. Operational vehicles may also exit the site via a western perimeter road. Vehicles will access via a security access barrier area with 2 No. barriers, one for vehicles coming into the site and one for vehicles leaving the site. Highways Depot The Highways Depot Facility will provide a centralised base for the road maintenance team and the CBC vehicle fleet, together with vehicle maintenance facilities and various storage areas. The maintenance buildings are located at the northern extent of the site. These are steel clad portal frame buildings which are approximately 12m in height. The buildings will be subject to architectural enhancement to ensure the design is sympathetic to the landscape. Photovoltaic ells will also be installed on the roof of the highways store building. Provision has been made for 2No. hot boxes. These comprises a steel box with opening roof and hinged front door. The boxes are loaded with bituminous material which is then kept warm/workable until the material is reloaded onto vehicles for use by the highways maintenance team. There will be 2 No. De-watering Bays for street sweeper waste. Water will be prevented from escaping by means of a raised kerb edge. A skip storage area which contains a mix of half height skips in addition to boat skips for deposition of trade type waste. An open bay storage area consists of three sided open bays for the stocking of highways material such as sand and gravel and the bulking of demolition materials such as surfacing and general rubble. A cold wash will be provided, solely for the cleaning of the road gritting fleet. While a hot wash can be used to clean down highways vehicles when they come off rounds and for cleaning off vehicles for inspection prior to maintenance work being carried out. The site makes provision to overnight stabling of CBC`s passenger transport fleet (minibus). The depot will support stabling for mini-buses and HGVs belonging to the highways maintenance fleet. Provision is also made for 3 fuel tanks to allow for vehicle refuelling, both for on and offsite use. 9
A Sustainable Drainage System will be in place at the site. Any water from the building roofs or off the pavement areas will drain to a surface attenuation pond to the north of the site. This will discharge at an agreed rate to the Ouzel Brook. Any foul water e.g. from the buildings or trade effluent from the operational areas will be discharged to sewer. This will be pumped south down the site where it will join an existing Anglian Water manhole before being taken for treatment at the adjacent waste water treatment works. The Highways Depot will employ 164 members of operational staff. Salt Barn The barn will be a purpose built salt storage facility which will have the capacity to hold up to 5,000 tonnes of road salt, in two segregated bunkers (2500 tonnes each) to allow for the storage of two grades of salt. The building will be serviced by an external yard for manoeuvring of vehicles and an area for salt mixing operations to take place. The gritting fleet will also be located at the site and vehicles will be housed within a three sided (dutch barn type) structure located to the north of the salt barn when not in use. The building has 2 double doors to the front to facilitate vehicle entrance and egress. Vehicles accessing the facility will enter the yard area and reverse into the building to offload salt. Within the yard area, is a glycol storage tank and salt mixing bay. Material to be utilised for road gritting will be taken from the building into the salt mixing yard area. Glycol will be added and the mixed material will be loaded on the gritter wagons. Office Accommodation The office will comprise a two storey modular accommodation facility with the upper floor for office based staff and the ground floor utilised by onsite or vehicle operating staff. Welfare, parking and meeting room facilities will also be provided. The main highways facility will be operational between 07:00 and 18.00 daily. However to respond to winter maintenance requirements and emergency highways maintenance issues, there will be times when it is in operation up to 24 hours a day. Figure 3 presents a visualisation of the how the highways depot will look once built. 10
Figure 3 3D model of proposed Highways Depot 11
Needs and Alternatives Strategic alternatives The Council s current service provision is provided by sites in Dunstable and Bedford. The Council are keen to move forward and provide a surety of service by owning and operating site within its Council boundary. Consideration has therefore been given to the economies that can be achieved through the co-location of services at a single site. A site search was carried out, which has considered land currently under the ownership of the Council which would be able to accommodate the services detailed in the application. The alternative sites were assessed against the following criteria: Size; Availability; Historic land use; Ownership; and Location. The site search did not find any sites that could be taken forward as preferable to the Thorn Turn site, that are also located within the appropriate area, or that meet the selection criteria above. 12
Assessment of the Likely Environmental Effects An assessment has been carried out to determine the likely significant effects on the environment of the construction and operation of the Highways Depot. Traffic and Transportation Access to the site is from a purpose built access road. In order to understand the existing traffic flow, assessment of the conditions close to the site and traffic modelling was undertaken to calculate the likely impacts was also carried out. All HGVs and vans associated with the construction of the store will be expected to enter and leave the site via the main access which links to Thorn Road, as will HGVs delivering RCBs to the store. Contractors personnel working on the construction will also utilise this access. A Transport Assessment was carried out to support the application. The modelling for this assessment uses baseline traffic data and then considers how traffic levels are likely to increase in the area over the next 11 years. The findings of the submitted TA demonstrate that with the development fully occupied in the growth year 2026, the site access junction would operate within capacity. It also shows that the local highway routes are not expected to experience any capacity issues during the operational phase of the proposed development. There will be no significant effects from the predicted change in total traffic and HGV flows during the construction or operation of the proposed development. The site lies in a sustainable location and opportunities for sustainable travel have been used for mitigation purposes. The local highway network will continue to operate within capacity in the growth year 2031 with the development fully occupied. Air Quality This deals with the general air quality issues that may potentially arise, including dust and traffic generated emissions. An initial baseline survey was carried out through site visits. This also included testing the baseline odour levels in the area given the proximity of the waste water treatment works. An assessment was carried out in line with relevant guidance of the potential dust generation and effects on PM 10 concentrations. The following mitigation measures are proposed; Production of a dust management plan; All roads will be hard surfaced; and The unloading or road salt will take place within the storage building. The following good practice measures will also be implemented: Vehicles entering and leaving the site will be covered, or enclosed; 13
Onsite vehicle speeds will be restricted to 5 mph; and A road sweeper will be used on access roads and hard surfaced areas as required. The assessment identified that given the lack of human and ecological receptors within the vicinity of the site boundary there are not anticipated to be any significant effects arising from dust. The potential effects from increased traffic movements has also been assessed. This modelling demonstrated that concentrations of nitrogen dioxide, PM 10 and PM 2.5 will remain below the strategic air quality objectives at all existing and proposed receptors in 2021. The potential impact is therefore considered to be negligible. Consideration of potential impacts on the local SSSI has been carried out. The results showed that there are not predicted to be any significant impacts on the SSSI due to NOx and nutrient and acid nitrogen deposition. The assessment concludes that the overall operational air quality impacts of the proposed development are considered not to be significant. Noise and Vibration The noise assessment has concluded that the potential impacts on local residents from vehicle movements both in terms of the construction and operational phases will be negligible. During construction, the modelling demonstrates that there may be an adverse impact on the northern façade of the proposed extension to Chalk Hill Farm (which is the nearest receptor), however given the use proposed for this side of the building (based on planning submission), it is not considered to give rise to a significant impact on the residents of the property. During operations, the assessment shows that the noise impacts at the residential receptors in proximity to the site would not be subject to significant impacts (following mitigation) and there would be negligible effects on these properties. An assessment of the road traffic during both the construction and operation of the facility also demonstrated that noise impacts are predicted to be negligible at all receptors. During both the construction and operational phases, there may be an adverse impact on the bridleway running to the west of the site. During both phases, there is the potential for loud noises to occur, this is extremely difficult to mitigate, however warning notices will be erected. Landscape and Visual Impact A Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment has been undertaken in connection with the proposed development. The LVIA considered the landscape resource, character and visual amenity effects of the proposed development. 14
The assessment found that the long term impact of the proposed development on landscape elements would not be significant and any existing vegetation that needs to be removed to allow the construction of the development will be replaced. It is considered that in the long term the majority of receptors will experience no adverse effect on their visual amenity. There will be a greater impact on the views from Chalk Hill Farm and the public right of way, however planting along this edge will be retained and new planting will be undertaken which will seek to limit direct views into the site. Ecology An Ecological Impact Assessment has been undertaken. The assessment recognises that there are areas of habitat on the site which do have conservation value, however the value is not significant when considered on a wider scale. As well as the loss of local habitats, the assessment highlighted that there is also potential for a number of protected species to be affected, further surveys will be carried out to identify the potential impacts. Mitigation measures will be employed as appropriate and the requirement for pre-construction surveys with regards to potential species onsite. The assessment concluded that with such measures the impacts on the conservation status of protected species can be avoided or reduced to a negligible level. Compensation planting will be provided in the north of the Site in the form of additional planting and seeding to create woodland as well as the development of species-rich grassland habitats. With the mitigation and compensation measures implemented, the EcIA concludes that no residual impacts on ecological features are expected. Water and Drainage The site is underlain by the West Melbury Chalk Formation (Lower Chalk) which is classified by the Environment Agency as a Principal Aquifer. These are layers of rock that have high permeability, which means they usually provide a high level of water storage. The closest surface watercourse is located to the north of the proposed waste park (Ouzel Brook). Flood maps for the site indicate that a proportion of the north end of the site is within Flood Zone 3. This means that there is a 1% chance of the site flooding in any given year. There is the potential for the construction and operation phases to impact on the water quality in the area. However, it is considered that this potential risk can be managed by the implementation of good practice and the development of a Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) which will seek to minimise potential impacts arising during the construction phase. With appropriate mitigation, the assessment concludes that overall the proposed development is not considered likely to result in significant adverse effect on the water quality within the area. 15
The assessment concludes that there is only a low risk of flooding to the development from Ouzel Brook, with flows contained within bank for the 1 in 100 year event and the proposed Development will have no impact on the existing floodplain extents. There is a risk of localised flooding from groundwater, however the site levels will be raised to minimise the potential for this risk. Overall there are not considered to be any significant impacts to the water quality or flood risk from the proposed development. PROW There is the potential that the public right of way which runs to the west of the site will be affected by the proposed development in terms of visual impact and noise both during the construction and development phases. Design considerations have sought to ensure the buildings are sympathetic to the landscape and perimeter landscaping will be retained where possible, particularly along the route of the bridleway. To the north of the site, additional compensatory planting will be carried out which will minimise the visual impact. A key aspect in regards to the bridleway is the potential for noise impacts, given the proposed nature of the facility there may be loud sharp noises emanating from the facility. Signs will be erected warning of this activity along the bridleway, however mitigation to eliminate this risk is not possible. Summary and Conclusions The impact assessment has sought to understand both the direct and indirect environmental effects of the highways depot during the construction and operation phases. Generally, the environmental impact assessment has determined that during the construction and demolition phase there will be some minor adverse effects relating to noise and landscape. However these are all short term impacts typical of activities on construction sites and mitigation measures will result in the development having no significant effects. During operations, there is the potential for the bridleway to be impacted in terms of noise and visual impact. Existing vegetation will be retained and additional planting is proposed which will screen views into the site. Warning notices will be erected in terms of potential noise impacts. Properties from Chalk Hill will also be able to view the site, again vegetation will be planted to screen views into the site and mitigate any potential impacts. 16
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