Case Studies Flashcards
Process of EIA
understand likely envt impacts of a proposed development
identify mitigation measures and feed into design
inform planning decision- forms part of the planning application
Why undertake EIA
it is the law
EU directive 2011/92/EU
Town and country planning regulations 2011 Marine works regulations 2007 Infrastructure planning (EIA) 2009
a better more sustainable development
Pembury Hospital
Development consolidates Pembury Hospital and Kent and Sussex hospital into one new model facility on the pembury site
cliet sleveted as preferred contractor
team had to deliver planning permission in 5 months
Hospital 1930s and workhouse 1800
currently poor quality Grade 2 listed chapel surrounded by AONB within greenbelt geological SSSI close to site RSBP site adjacent demolish existing buildings build new 521 bedroom district general hospital increase car parking-1200 spaces new junction into site helipad for air ambulance
Pembury Screening
previous planning approved 2002
EIA undetaken by another consultant
ramboll argue no EIA required- just update to assessments
would be cheaper and quicker for client
Tunbridge wells borough council “played it by the book”
New EIA needed
Pembury Scoping
Archaeology and cultural heritage ecology and nature conservation transportation landscape air quality noise and vibration hydrology and drainage contaminated land and geology waste and resource management
Pembury Arachaeology
grade 2 victorian chapel
numerous other building of historic interest incl workhouse, well and water tower, entrance lodge, formal lawn and driveway, sand pit, quarry and sewage treatment works
Pembury ecology
Previous EI not found evidence of much ecological interest
2007 surveys found:
maternity roost of brown long eared bats
single roost of bats further 11 buildings
repitiles, incl clow worms and common lizards
3 species of red listed breeding birds nesting on buildings and other breed birds in woodland
breeding populations of dormice
Acid and hay meadow grassland
semi natural ancient woodland
Japanese knotweed and himalayan Balsam
Pembury Transportation
Transport assessment and framework travel plan
traffic modelling
consideration of public transport, cycling, walking
negotiations with highways agency - difficult
negotiations with kent county council- easier
Pembury hospital - ES
ES bringing it all together
thorny issue of significance
-matrices or not?
discipline guidance versus standard approach
Pembury - Environmental management
discharging planning conditions
construction environemtal management plan (CEMP_ produces febuary 2008
CEMP details required mitigation and management measures for each issue
supported by additional documents - ecological management plan
ie BATS- removal of tiles/ roof spaces
dedication heated bat house
bat boxes throughout woodland surrounding site
Port of Poole Masterplan
Trust port establishment in 1895, managed by poole Harbour commissioners
cross channel freight, passenger, ro-ro ferries and build cargo vessels
operates two marine and hosts visiting cruise ships sporadically
declining free trace, global movement, towards larger and deeper cargo vessels, increase in cruise industry
Poole development
land reclamation
construction of new quays
widening of quays
dredging to create deeper quays
increase height of quay walls for flood defence
HRO and MMO licence required
Poole Scoping
Contamination and water quality flood risk historic environment landscape noise and vibration air quality flood risk hydrodynams transport navigation risk socio economic ecology -terrestrial -intertidal -sub tidal -fish
Poole- Hydrodynamics, sand transport
baseline conditions
- deposition in turning basin and middle channel
- erosion in little channel and towards harbour entrance
proposed conditions
- incrase in deposition in turning basin from 3000m3 to 3400m3 per year
change in deposition in middle channel from 23800m3 to 23200m3
poole signifiance and mitigation
signifiance is often subjective
- landscape and visual assessment determines that there was no significance impact on AONB but this was contested by other members of the team
mititgation
discussion with client is key
suggest mitigation measures in the ES in order to reduce significance if the client isn’t willing to employment them! essential to get their buy-in
Mitigation Hierachy
- avoid impact by not taking certain action- alternative sites or technology to eliminate impacts, avoiding envt sensitive areas, prevenative measures
- reduce/minimse the impact over time by maintenance or preservation- actions during design, construction, operation to minimise or eliminate impacts , scaling down or relocating the proposal
- restore/remdy the impact by repair or restoration
-compensate by replacing resources- used as a last resort to offset impacts, rehabilitation of affect, habitat enhancement and restocking fish.
restoration of affected site or envy to its previous state or better typical of mine sites, forestry roads and seismic lines
replacement of same resource valures at another location i.e. wetland engineering to provide an equivalent area to that lost to drainage or infill
-(enhance: positive change)
Mitigation of larger scale housing projects
avoid and minimise
Displacement of existent land use- trade offs between land values for housing and those of other uses i.e. farmland. ensure design suited to local conditions and no unnecessarily wasteful of land.
destruction of envt critical areas- ensure regionally critical envy sites is forested areas, major bodies and wetlands are identified and not threatened by project location.
(world bank, 1991)
Mitigation of a dam project
Avoid/ minimise
Eco River Dam, Oaxaca Mexico
identified series of measures to avoid/ minimise impacts:
replacing homes and lands of the people displaced
operating and rehabilitating borrow pits in appropriate manner
establishing fish breeding programs
removing trees for wood form the site prior to flooding
planting trees as barriers
promoting agriculture practice that will reduce the need for water.
EIA - Fracking
Bowland Shale in Lancashire 2009-2010. Cuadrilla- series of planning permissions. change of use from agricultural to allow exploratory drilling. all 0.77-0.99!!!
installations such as shale gas drilling
HS2
Jan 2012- govt announce intention to develop Y shaped high speed rail networks.
Royal Assent 2016, commencing construction 2017.
Jan 2013-announce preferred route.
July 2014 proposed rout was consulted on for 7 months.
reports 2014- recommended accelerating Phase 2 of the route to deliver HS2 sooner and benefits to the north soon.r
EIA will accompany the deposit of a hybrid bill in parliament and will be considered alongside the draft of hybrid Bill in parliament.
EIA required by Europeans Union directive on assessment of effects of certain public and private projects
EIA= strategic and route wide, route corridor and local alternatives.
topics:
agriculture, forestry, soils
air quality
climate
community
cultural heritage
ecology
electromagnetic interference
health
land quality
landscape and visual assessment
major accidents and natural disasters
socio-economc
sound noise and vibration
traffic and transport
waste and material resources
water resources and flood risk assessment
