Renewable and Low Carbon Energy Facility Environmental Statement Non Technical Summary February 2010
Ltd Renewable and Low Carbon Energy Facility, Dorset Green Technology Park, Winfrith, Dorset Environmental Statement Non Technical Summary February 2010 A planning application for the development of a Renewable and Low Carbon Energy Facility at Dorset Green Technology Park, Winfrith, Dorset has been submitted by New Earth Energy Ltd. An Environmental Statement has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (England and Wales) Regulations 1999. Schedule 4 of those regulations requires that a summary of the Environmental Statement is provided in non technical language. This document forms the Non Technical Summary to satisfy these requirements. This report was produced by Atkins Limited for New Earth Energy Ltd (NEE) for the specific purpose supporting the planning application. It may not be used by any person other than NEE without NEE s express permission. In any event, Atkins accepts no liability for any costs, liabilities or losses arising as a result of the use of, or reliance upon, the contents of this report by any person other than NEE. Atkins Limited Document History JOB NUMBER: 5088436 DOCUMENT REF: LowCEF Non Technical Summary 0.1 Draft for client review LS KO JAS Feb10 Revision Purpose Description Originated Checked Reviewed Authorised Date February 2010
Introduction New Earth Energy Ltd (NEE) is proposing to develop a Renewable and Low Carbon Energy Facility (LowCEF) at the Dorset Green Technology Park (DGTP) in Winfrith, Dorset. The DGTP is going through a process of regeneration with the draft Masterplan being developed by ZBV (Winfrith) Ltd in partnership with the Homes & Communities Agency (HCA). At the core of the Masterplan is the redevelopment of the DGTP as a sustainable low carbon business park. An key objective of this is to provide renewable and low carbon (non fossil fuel) heat and power to the DGTP. The proposed Facility will provide approximately 20MWth (thermal mega watts) of renewable and low carbon heat and around 10MWe (mega watts of electricity) of renewable and low carbon power through the pyrolysis (intense heating without the presence of oxygen) of a feedstock (residual nonhazardous waste and biomass). The facility will be constructed in two phases. Phase 1 will have the capacity to process approximately 50,000 tonnes of dried feedstock per annum and Phase 2 will have a capacity to process approximately 42,000 tonnes per annum. The Applicant New Earth Solutions Group Ltd (NESG) is the parent company of New Earth Solutions Ltd (NES) and New Earth Energy Ltd (NEE) (the applicant). NESG is a pioneering waste management and renewable energy business based in Verwood, Dorset. It provides sustainable waste management services to councils and other public sector bodies and businesses in the UK. NESG operate a Mechanical Biological Treatment In-Vessel Composting (MBT IVC) facility in Canford, Poole as well as several other facilities around the country. NEE has been formed to develop and install Advanced Thermal Conversion (ATC) technologies to generate renewable and low carbon energy to complement NESG s existing plants and to maximise landfill diversion. The Need for the Development The facility will contribute to the national objectives of the 2009 Renewable Energy Strategy. European and UK legislation sets targets for local authorities to reduce the amount of biodegradable waste they send to landfill. Visual Model of the proposed LowCEF February 2010 1
The Draft Regional Spatial Strategy and the Waste Local Plan both identify the immediate and future need for facilities such as the proposed LowCEF, to ensure diversion of waste away from landfill. The Alternatives Considered Both alternative technologies and alternatives sites for the LowCEF have been considered. It is considered that the ATC technology proposed by this application provides the greatest flexibility and best complements NESG s existing facilities. It also most appropriately meets the objectives of the national, regional and local waste strategies. NES have undertaken an exhaustive search for a suitable site to accommodate the LowCEF in Dorset. The search has established that the application site is one of the most appropriate locations for a LowCEF. Dorset Green is centrally located to serve the wide area s waste management needs with good transport links. The DGTP has an immediate and future need for sustainable low carbon heat and power and the draft Masterplan has allocated the application site for such a use. The Site and Its Setting The application site is located within the approximately 54ha Dorset Green Technology Park (DGTP). The application site is situated approximately 1.0km west of East Burton, 1.3km north east of East Knighton and 2.0km west of the larger village of Wool as shown on Figure 1. Deliveries of feedstock will be via a dedicated access on the northern boundary of the DGTP and will not pass through the main DGTP site entrance. The DGTP occupies the eastern part of the former United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) Winfrith civil nuclear research establishment which was established by the UKAEA in 1958. The DGTP area was previously used for administration and non nuclear research to support the civil nuclear research establishment and has been used as a business park and technology centre since the late 1990s. The application site is approximately 2.7ha of previously developed land which forms the north western plot of the DGTP. The site is bounded to the south and east by other plots of the DGTP, to the west by the former UKAEA establishment, and to the north by an informal footpath and the main Weymouth to London railway line. The application site formerly housed a medical centre a high voltage switchgear station and storage area. Most of the site is now vacant with part of the former medical centre building remaining in the south eastern part of the site. The site is surfaced mostly with grass and some small areas of former car parking. The former storage area comprises a permeable surface consisting of gravel and ballast. To the north is a mature belt of pine trees of up to 25m in height, which are within the development site and will be maintained by NESG. The DGTP is currently predominantly light industrial and office in nature and is currently undergoing a period of regeneration with new industrial and associated developments proposed. Dorset Police occupy a separate site adjacent the north east corner of the DGTP campus. The DGTP lies within a predominantly rural area of Dorset. The surrounding land use is largely agricultural and heathland. The closest residential properties to the site are Cliff Cottage to the northeast and Fantasia to the north-west, off East Burton Road, at approximately 460m and 360m, respectively. A concrete lined surface water flume flows adjacent to the north western site boundary flowing in a north easterly direction under the railway and discharges into the River Frome which is located approximately 400m to the north of the application site. The geological succession underlying the site comprises a thin layer of topsoil and reworked ground which is underlain by the River Terrace Deposits. The sands and clays of the Poole Formation underlie the River Terrace Deposits. Underlying the Poole Formation is the London Clay Formation. Groundwater is present at approximately 1.2m below ground level. The Winfrith Heath and River Frome Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and part of the Dorset Heathlands Special Protection Area and Ramsar site all lie within 1km of the site. February 2010 2
Description of the Proposals The proposed layout of LowCEF is illustrated in Figure 2. The key identifies the proposed use of the different areas of the site. The facility will be constructed in two phases. Phase 1 will have the capacity to process approximately 50,000 tonnes of dried feedstock per annum and Phase 2 will have a capacity to process approximately 42,000 tonnes per annum. It is anticipated that construction will commence in early 2011 and the construction of Phase 1 will take approximately 9 months. The construction of Phase 2 will take a similar amount of time and is anticipated to start in 2012. The buildings have been designed to be functional whilst remaining in keeping architecturally with the surrounding built landscape and the DGTP Masterplan aspirations. The Phase 1 building, including a rear compound, will be 115m in length by 40m wide. Phase 2 will be identical. The buildings will be 15m in height with the low pitched roof hidden from ground view by a parapet and will be clad to floor level in steel sheeting with a green graduating colour design. The stack will be 23m high and will be white in colour. The residual non-hazardous waste feedstock proposed for the LowCEF is a high biomass content process waste that cannot be recycled. In both Phase 1 and Phase 2 it is also likely that the waste derived feedstock will be supplemented with grown biomass such as willow coppice. The delivery of the feedstock in articulated lorries will be undertaken within a completely sealed system. The feedstock will be fed into sealed feedstock hoppers. The feedstock will then pass through industrial dryers to drive off excess moisture prior to processing in the pyrolysis units. The pyrolysis units operate by heating the feedstock to between 850 and 950C without the presence of oxygen. This breaks down the feedstock into a high energy gas fuel and carbon rich bio-char (solid residues of the pyrolysis process). The gas fuel then goes through a cleaning process before being fed into the gas engines. The combustion emissions from the engines will be oxides of nitrogen and carbon dioxide, and a small amount of carbon monoxide which will be emitted through the stack. Each pyrolysis unit has a corresponding gas engine. Once both phases are operational 11 engines will be running producing approximately 10MWe of electrical output to the DGTP. Approximately 24MWth of heat will be generated by the engines during the process. Approximately 3MWth of high grade heat will be fed back into the facility for the drying process the remaining 9MWth of high grade heat and 12MWth of low grade heat will be available for use within the DGTP. Process products of the pyrolysis process are liquid tars (from the gas cleanup process) and biochar from the pyrolysis process. The liquid tars will be removed via an oil filter and disposed off site in accordance with the Environmental Permit. The bio-char will be used beneficially as a means Schematic Process Flow February 2010 3
of enhancing soil condition. The landscaping within the site has been designed to tie into the formal landscaping ethos of the draft DGTP Masterplan at the same time as enhancing existing screening to sensitive views. A new sustainable urban drainage system (SUDS) will be installed on the site. Run-off from the building roofs and impermeable areas will be channelled to one of the infiltration basins designed at either end of the site. The infiltration basins will act as large soakaways reducing the surface water run-off from the site. It is proposed that the Dorset Green LowCEF will operate 24 hours 7 days a week. Once fully operation, Dorset Green LowCEF will create 21 (full time equivalent) jobs, comprising engineers and site operatives, as well as technicians and site administrators. To minimise staff movements at peak hours, this would operate over three 8-hour shifts, as follows: 0600 hours to 1400 hours 1400 hours to 2200 hours 2200 hours to 0600 hours The Assessment of the Potential Environmental Effects The LowCEF will operate under an Environmental Permit from the Environment Agency. The Permit will provide limits on discharges to air, land and water associated with the operation of the facility. An application for an Environmental Permit will be submitted shortly after the planning application. The potential environmental impacts during the construction and operation of the LowCEF have been assessed. While several measures to minimise these impacts are incorporated into the design of the facility, the assessment identified additional measures which are detailed in this summary. Traffic and Transport Vehicular access to the site will be gained via the main DGTP site access road off the A352, via the Burton Cross roundabout to the south-east of the site. Deliveries of feedstock will be via a dedicated access on the northern boundary of the DGTP and will not pass through the main DGTP site entrance. Feedstock will be delivered in 20 tonne articulated lorries (Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs)) thereby minimising the amount of HGVs required to operate the facility. The majority of waste deliveries to the facility will occur between: Monday to Friday 0600 hours to 2200 hours Saturday 0700 hours to 1300 hours (and all day Saturday following a bank holiday) When fully developed it is anticipated that operational movements to the site will comprise approximately 18 two-way (18 in and 18 out) staff and visitor car movements per day, and 24 twoway HGV movements per day. The staff shift pattern has been developed to avoid the morning and evening rush hours. The impact of traffic associated with the proposed LowCEF was assessed Schematic by determining Process Flow the percentage impact of development traffic compared with the base traffic in the development s Phase 2 opening year (2013). February 2010 4
This assessment showed that the percentage impacts of the development were below the thresholds given by the Guidelines for the Environmental Assessment of Road Traffic by the Institute of Environmental Management & Assessment (IEMA), 1993. This suggests that the increase of traffic on the highway network, generated by the proposal, is not significant and no further assessment is warranted. The potential environmental effects have, however, been considered and mitigation measures applied, specific to the concerns raised at public consultation. This has resulted in a proposed reduction in the speed limit along the access road of 20mph for all HGVs accessing and exiting the LowCEF. The impact of the LowCEF development traffic on the A31 / A35 junction was modelled at the Highway Agency s request. The impact on this junction was assessed as minimal. Although the models demonstrate that there will be congestion at this junction, this is shown to occur irrespective of the development and the difference in delay caused by the addition of development traffic is minimal. Air Quality The air quality assessment has evaluated the potential effects of the proposed LowCEF on the local environment during both construction and operation. The plant uses a feedstock derived fuel gas to generate power from engines; the engine exhaust gases pass through a stack, the main emissions from which are oxides of nitrogen. The LowCEF will operate under an Environment Agency permit incorporating emission limits for discharges to the atmosphere which NEE will have to meet. The two closest residential properties to the LowCEF are within half a kilometre from the location of the stack. The nearest designated ecological site is the River Frome SSSI, which lies within 300 metres to the north east of the LowCEF stack. The air quality in the area is currently very good, and typical of a rural location. The background annual average nitrogen dioxide concentration is well below the UK regulatory limit. During construction, established good practice measures for construction sites will be employed. The air quality assessment provides specific recommendations as to the mitigation measures appropriate for the site. It is highly unlikely that there will be any noticeable effects of dust within the Technology Park or beyond given the control measures envisaged. The estimated changes in traffic flows and HGV movements were evaluated and found to be below the minimum criteria specified in Highways Agency guidance as warranting assessment for air quality. It was therefore concluded that air quality within the DGTP and at properties near local roads will be unaffected by the very minor changes in vehicle emissions due to the construction and operation of the facility. The air quality assessment used computer dispersion modelling to determine the effects of the plant emissions on local air quality. The modelled short-term and long-term ground level concentrations were evaluated in the context of the national air quality objectives. The study demonstrates that the effects of the engine emissions are relatively localised. The highest annual average concentrations occur close to the site boundary and to the north-east of the plant within the nearby agricultural land. The highest hourly concentrations are found within a few hundred metres to the north-east and to the south of the plant. Taking into account the existing background air quality, both the long-term and short-term nitrogen dioxide concentrations will remain less than a quarter of the UK regulatory limits at all residential receptors. These results are considered to be negligible. The effect of LowCEF emissions on the River Frome SSSI and other designated ecological sites was evaluated in the context of air quality criteria for the protection of vegetation and for nitrogen deposition on heathland habitat. The effects were considered not to be significant. Northings, m 87600 87500 87400 87300 87200 87100 Crown copyright, All rights reserved. 2010 Licence number 0100031673 87000 381800 382000 382200 382400 382600 Eastings, m WN79e_NX_A_b 14/01/10 February 2010 5
The assessment found that the proposed materials handling procedures and the mitigation measures inherent in the design of the LowCEF will effectively prevent emissions of odour, dust and bioaerosols from the facility. Landscape The potential effects of the construction and operation of the Facility on the existing landscape character and visual amenity have been assessed through a combination of desk-based work and field studies undertaken over a period of 6 months. The approach, or methodology, to the assessment has been undertaken in accordance with best industry practice, specifically Guidelines for Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment, (GLVIA), published by the Landscape Institute and Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment. This approach involves establishing a study area, together with assessment of the existing landscape and its sensitivity to change. With regard to the visual amenity, this involves establishing a theoretical zone in which views of the Scheme are afforded and consideration is given to the existing views. The visual amenity assessment also includes for lighting. Criteria are then used to assess the scale and change to the landscape and existing views in the year of opening of the Scheme and 15 years on in the operational future. The assessment includes the potential effect to the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, (AONB). The scheme has been designed to reduce the potential effects and integrate it with the existing landscape. Proposed Landscape Masterplan The effects on the landscape are considered to range between the regional, local and site scales. At a regional scale the effect is considered to be negligible. At a local scale the effect is considered to range between minor adverse to minor beneficial and at the application scale, minor adverse. Overall these are due to the Scheme being implemented within an existing built environment, comprising buildings of similar scale and height which aid in integrating into the landscape. The effects on views range between moderate adverse to negligible. Negligible effects are due to the application site being screened from the majority of views by existing buildings, field boundaries and site vegetation. As the application site is in close proximity to a Public Right of Way, specifically adjacent to part of the northern boundary, views are afforded from this location which results in the moderate adverse effect. Noise and Vibration The site construction and operational noise impacts have been assessed for the proposed LowCEF at the nearest residential and commercially sensitive receivers to the site. Vibration impact assessment, however, has been scoped out on account that it will not be a perceptible issue due to the distances involved. Noise surveys identified the existing noise climate at the application site and nearest residential premises to comprise rail traffic noise from train movements along the adjacent railway line linking Weymouth and Poole, noise from occasional vehicles movements, noise from the rustling of leaves and birdsong. Construction noise may just be perceptible at the nearest residential property (Fantasia). To ensure that construction noise will comply with current limits at the closest commercial premises plant and equipment will not be operated simultaneously at or close to the site boundary without noise attenuation such as screening. For more distant commercial premises careful programming of work and the adoption of best practicable means at all times, would achieve compliance with the noise limit for the duration of construction activities. Accordingly, no significant construction noise effects are anticipated. February 2010 6
Operational building services plant and activity noise levels from the proposed facility during both the daytime and night-time periods are anticipated to comply with the proposed design criteria at the nearest residential and commercial receptors such that plant noise will be acceptable. Nonetheless, careful attention will be paid to plant selection, installation and noise attenuation measures to ensure that operational noise is satisfactorily controlled so as to not be an issue. The increase in traffic flows associated with the proposed development are relatively low and were not predicted to be large enough to cause any discernible adverse impacts. Ecology The ecological impact assessment baseline data was obtained through a desk-study search and site surveys. The site was found to be a mixture of grass, heath and woodland; habitats which are considered suitable to support protected species. Five species of bat were recorded using the woodland belt in the north of the site and the reptile survey reported the presence of slow worm and common lizard. No other protected species were recorded. There are a number of ecologically designated sites with 5km of the site including Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Special Area of Conservation (SAC), Special Protection Area (SPA) and Ramsar. There are also four locally importance sites within 1km of the site. The assessment considered the potential effects from the construction and operation of the proposed development. The loss of on-site habitats as a result of the construction has been assessed to be a long-term negative effect of moderate significance at a local level. The potential for the construction activities to disturb protected species was identified, however with the implementation of the proposed mitigation measures, significant effects are not anticipated. Both the construction and operation of the facility has the potential to enable contaminated water to enter the nearby River Frome SSSI, however the design of a new surface water management means that no significant effect is predicted. Once operational the potential disturbance of protected species through site lighting remains and mitigation measures are required and have been included within the design of the facility to ensure that there is no significant effect. The operational facility will emit atmospheric nitrogen oxides (NOx), which could lead to an increase in nitrogen deposition and an impact on flora and fauna around the site, including designated sites. This assessment has considered the results of nitrogen deposition modelling, the type and condition of the vegetation and information on the effect of deposition on vegetation and has concluded that there no significant effects on the identified sensitive sites. Water and Drainage This section assesses the potential for the LowCEF to impact local groundwater and surface water in terms of flow and quality during both the construction and operational phases. The assessment of the impacts on the water environment has identified the groundwater receptors (sensitive receivers) to be the Minor / Secondary Aquifers of the River Terrace Deposits and the Poole Formation which underlie the site, and the surface water receptors to be the surface water flume located to the north west of the proposed development area which discharges into the River Frome (secondary receptor and SSSI) and the River Win which could be impacted through the current surface water drainage system discharging to the east of the site. The groundwater underlying the site flows in a northerly direction towards the River Frome and is shallow. Groundwater levels have been recorded at the site to principally range between 0.8m below ground level (bgl) and 1.7mbgl across the site. Environment Agency Flood Map February 2010 7
The site is located within Environment Agency Flood Zone 1 and therefore has a low risk of flooding. A flood risk assessment detailing the control of runoff has been completed and is included within Folder 1 of this planning submission. Following the implementation of the mitigation measures proposed at the LowCEF there should be a neutral impact in terms of the water environment from the proposed development. Contaminated Land The key issues relating to the water environment which have been identified from the assessment include: The potential contamination of the surface water and groundwater from contaminated site runoff and infiltration during construction; The management of surface water runoff during the construction and operation; and Changes to the groundwater flow regime during construction and operation. To mitigate against these potential impacts the following are proposed: Adopt good working practices during construction and operation. Carry out all site activities in accordance with the Water Resources Act 1991 and the Environment Agency s Pollution Prevention Guidance (PPG); During construction temporary infiltration trenches will be created around the site to collect runoff and discharge it to groundwater to replicate the natural preference for infiltration at the site and prevent flooding in the adjacent sites; Where deeper foundations are required, an appropriate technique will be developed to allow construction in line with the relevant standards and to ensure there will be no detrimental impact on the groundwater flow regime. The design and placement of the foundations will be such that every endeavour will be taken to limit the potential impact on the long term groundwater flow; and The surface water management system includes two infiltration basins which will provide primary treatment of the runoff. This treatment occurs naturally through various processes as the water infiltrates through approximately 1m of the underlying soil before it reaches the groundwater. Borehole drilling during November 2009 geoenvironmental ground investigation The application site was formerly part of the UKAEA Winfrith site and comprised a medical centre and a Southern Electricity Board storage compound. The storage compound is thought to have contained a high voltage switch gear station and associated transformers. The application site was decommissioned in the 1990s and made available for unrestricted use on the understanding that there is no residual radioactive historical contamination present which is likely to cause harm to human health or the environment as such is deemed safe to human health and the environment from radioactivity. A geo-environmental investigation was undertaken on the application site in November 2009. The results of this investigation showed that there is no residual contamination present on the site which is likely to restrict the development February 2010 8
of the LowCEF. No remediation is therefore considered necessary and the construction and operation of the facility is assessed as having a neutral effect on the environment with regards to contaminated land. Summary and Conclusions The impact assessment has sought to understand both the direct and indirect effects of the LowCEF during construction and operation and has considered their duration. Generally, the environmental impact assessment has determined that the during the construction phase there will be some minor adverse impacts relating to noise and landscape. These are all short term impacts typical of activities on construction sites. The existing acid grassland and heathland habitats on the application site will be lost. However, this will be balanced by the improved biodiversity of the bank of pine trees along the northern site boundary through thinning of the pines and replanting with native species. Once the site is operational the overall environmental assessment has determined that there is likely to be an overall minor long term adverse effect to the surrounding environment. This is largely due to the effects of local views from the public right of way (at one specific view point) to the north of the application site and the UKAEA site immediately to west of the application site. Taking into account all other environmental assessment there should be a negligible effect on the surrounding environment when all mitigation measures are taken into account. The main environmental benefits of the scheme are: The provision of a renewable low carbon form of heat and power to the DGTP in line with local and national policy. The provision of secondary waste treatment, diverting waste away from landfill in line with local and national policy. Improved biodiversity of the site area, through the replacement of some pines with native tree species, further planting of trees around the site and planting of the infiltration basins with native fen species.. February 2010 9
Figures February 2010