non technical summary - iema copleston natalie williams and ... 1.11 the significance of impacts has...

February 2013

Non Technical Summary


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Project Title: Rothwell North

Report Title: Environmental Statement Non-Technical Summary

Project No: 47064029

Status: Final

Client Company Name: Persimmon Special Projects

Issued By: URS Infrastructure & Environment UK Limited

Document Production / Approval Record

Issue No: 1 Name Signature Date Position

Compiled by Natalie Williams and Laurence Copleston

Natalie Williams and Laurence Copleston

11/02/2013 Environmental Consultant

Checked by Michael Elliott Michael Elliott 11/02/2013

Principal Consultant

Approved by Neil Titley Neil Titley 11/02/2013 Associate Director

Limitations

URS Infrastructure & Environment UK Limited (“URS”) has prepared this Report for the sole use of Persimmon Special Projects (“Client”) in accordance with the Agreement under which our services were performed. No other warranty, expressed or implied, is made as to the professional advice included in this Report or any other services provided by URS. This Report is confidential and may not be disclosed by the Client nor relied upon by any other party without the prior and express written agreement of URS.

The conclusions and recommendations contained in this Report are based upon information provided by others and upon the assumption that all relevant information has been provided by those parties from whom it has been requested and that such information is accurate. Information obtained by URS has not been independently verified by URS, unless otherwise stated in the Report. Where assessments of works or costs identified in this Report are made, such assessments are based upon the information available at the time and where appropriate are subject to further investigations or information which may become available. URS disclaim any undertaking or obligation to advise any person of any change in any matter affecting the Report, which may come or be brought to URS’ attention after the date of the Report.

Certain statements made in the Report that are not historical facts may constitute estimates, projections or other forward-looking statements and even though they are based on reasonable assumptions as of the date of the Report, such forward-looking statements by their nature involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results predicted. URS specifically does not guarantee or warrant any estimate or projections contained in this Report.

Copyright

© This Report is the copyright of URS Infrastructure & Environment UK Limited. Any unauthorised reproduction or usage by any person other than the addressee is strictly prohibited.

Preface

This document comprises a Non-Technical Summary of the Environmental Statement that has been

prepared in support of the Rothwell North development proposal. It has been prepared in support of an

outline planning application made by Persimmon Special Projects to Kettering Borough Council.

The Environmental Statement comprises the following documents:

• The Non-Technical Summary (this document);

• Environmental Statement - Volume I Main Report; and

• Environmental Statement - Volume II Technical Appendices.

In addition to the above, the Environmental Statement is accompanied by planning application documents

including: cover letter; forms and schedule; Design and Access Statement, and planning application

drawings.

Further copies of these reports, or further information on the proposed development, can be obtained from:

Jane Gardner Marrons Planning 1 Meridian South Meridian Business Park Leicester LE19 1WY Copies of the full Environmental Statement and Technical Appendices can be purchased as a hard copy for

£250 (Environmental Statement £100, Technical Appendices £150). Electronic copies on CD are available for

a fee of £5.

The Environmental Statement can be viewed by the public during normal office hours at the offices of the

Planning Department of Kettering Borough Council, at:

Kettering Borough Council,

Planning Department,

Municipal Offices

Bowling Green Road

Kettering

NN15 7QX

Figures based on Ordnance Survey® maps in this Non-Technical Summary have been reproduced under OS

License. © Crown copyright, All rights reserved. 2009. Licence number AL 100017812.


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Introduction

Overview

1.1 Persimmon Special Projects (the ‘Applicant’) is seeking outline planning permission for a mixed-use

urban extension on land at ‘Rothwell North’, situated immediately north of Rothwell, Northamptonshire (hereafter referred to as the Proposed Development).

1.2 This Non-Technical Summary of the Environmental Statement (ES) is submitted in support of the

undetermined application submitted in 2007 (Ref. KET/2007/0461) and replaces the Non-Technical

Summary submitted along with the original planning application. The 41.5 hectare (ha) Application Site

is centred on National Grid Reference 480864, 281716, approximately 800 metres (m) south of

Desborough, 5km northwest of Kettering, and 8km southwest of Corby. A plan illustrating the site location with regards to the surrounding towns is provided in Figure NTS-1.

Figure NTS-1: Site Location

1.3 The Application Site was identified in the ‘Rothwell and Desborough Urban Extension Area Action

Plan’ as the Council’s Preferred Option for the delivery of 700 residential dwellings and 3ha of employment land in Rothwell. The Proposed Development is a direct response to this document.

1.4 An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has been requested by Kettering Borough Council (KBC)

to adhere with the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2011

(hereafter referred to as the EIA Regulations). The results of the EIA are presented within the ES, of which this document forms a Non-Technical Summary.

1.5 The ES has considered the environmental effects of the Proposed Development during site

preparation, construction, and from the completed development, and has considered the likely impact

of the development on its surroundings. In addition, the ES also details a number of control measures to eliminate and reduce any significant adverse effects on the environment.

The Site Context

1.6 The 41.5ha Application Site is located immediately to the north of Rothwell, east of the new A6, and

either side of the B576 Desborough Road, which crosses the site in a north to south alignment. The

western half of the Site is bounded to the north by Rothwell Gullet, a Local Nature Reserve, and to the

south by existing development, which is primarily residential in character, together with Montsaye

Academy, located on the existing edge of town. The eastern parcel of the Application Site is bounded

by the B576 to the west, the Ise valley, and more immediately, Stanton Plantation to the north, and

existing residential dwellings to the south. To the east, the Site opens out onto fields, some of which were once allotments, extending as far as Shotwell Mill Lane.

1.7 The Application Site itself largely comprises agricultural land, with hedgerows and woodland scattered

throughout. The fields west of the B576 are arable, and those to the east pastoral, used for grazing sheep, cattle, and horses. The red Application Site boundary is presented in Figure NTS-2.

Figure NTS-2: Application Site Boundary

1.8 Other potential sensitive receptors have been identified in close proximity to the Application Site based on a review of secondary data, field surveys, and consultations. These include:

• Rothwell Medical Centre, surrounded by the boundary of the Site to the north, east and west;

• The Rothwell Gullet nature reserve, which lies immediately north of the western half of the

Application Site, and Stanton Plantation, a secondary Gullet adjoining the northern boundary of the eastern half of the Application Site;

• The Corinthians Football Club, Rothwell Cricket Club, and Rothwell Town Football Club, which are all situated immediately south or southeast of the eastern half of the Application Site;


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• Montsaye Academy, Rothwell Victoria Infants School, and Rothwell Primary School, the first of

which is located immediately south of the western half of the Application Site, and the latter two immediately south and southeast of the eastern portion of the Application Site, respectively;

• Groundwater and surface water, including the River Ise, which is located approximately 700m

north of the Application Site, a tributary of the River Ise is located adjacent to the northern site boundary, and the Slade Brook located approximately 800m to the south of the Application Site;

• Potential archaeological deposits beneath the Application Site, and Listed buildings within the existing town centre (approximately 1km away on the south facing slope of the town);

• A dry pond situated in the northern part of the Application Site, 150m east of the B576;

• The Granary, Barncourt, and Grange Farm residential dwellings, situated approximately 350m east of the Application Site, along Shotwell Mill Lane;

• Glebe Farm and Halfway House residential dwellings, situated along side the B576, approximately 350m north of the Proposed Development;

• Landscape features;

• Pedestrians (including recreational users of public rights of way in the area);

• Mature trees within the Application Site and surrounds;

• Protected species; and

• Agricultural Land and farming businesses.

Assessment Methodology and Approach

The EIA Process

1.9 The potential environmental impacts of the Proposed Development have been assessed

systematically through the EIA process. The results of the EIA are presented in full within the ES (and

summarised in this Non-Technical Summary). The ES is designed to inform readers of the nature of

the Proposed Development, the likely environmental impacts and the measures proposed to eliminate,

reduce or mitigate any significant adverse impacts on the environment. It describes the environmental

impacts of the Proposed Development during the construction phase, and on completion and occupation of the Proposed Development.

1.10 The ES consists of:

• Volume I: Main ES: this document forms the main body of the ES, detailing the results of

environmental investigations, impacts arising and proposed mitigation measures. The ES also

includes details of the Proposed Development;

• Volume II - Technical Appendices: comprises survey data, technical reports and background

information supporting the assessments and conclusions given within the main ES; and

• ES Non-Technical Summary (NTS): (this document): summarises the key findings of the ES in

non-technical language.

1.11 The significance of impacts has been evaluated with reference to specific standards, accepted criteria

and legislation where available. Where it has not been possible to quantify impacts, qualitative

assessments have been carried out, based on professional judgement. Impacts have been classified

as being adverse, beneficial or negligible in significance. In addition to the significance, the

magnitude of impacts is also assessed. Impacts are expressed on a scale using the terms negligible

(imperceptible), minor, moderate or major. Impacts are also assigned a geographic extent (local,

regional or national) and duration (temporary/short-term or long-term). In addition, the ES identifies the potential for impact interactions and cumulative impacts.

1.12 Where mitigation measures have been identified to either eliminate or reduce adverse impacts, these

have been incorporated into the design of the Proposed Development, site preparation and

construction commitments and operational or managerial standards and procedures. The ES has also

highlighted the residual impacts, which are those which remain following the implementation of

suitable mitigation measures, and classified these in accordance with the standard set of significance criteria.

1.13 In order to assess the potential impacts of the Proposed Development, the existing conditions of and

around the site (known as 'baseline conditions') have been determined and considered. For the

purposes of the EIA, the baseline conditions have been taken as the environmental and socio-economic conditions that currently exist on the site and of the surrounding area.

EIA Scoping and Consultation

1.14 Consultation is important to the development of a balanced ES. Views of statutory and non-statutory

consultees serve to focus the studies and identify issues which require further investigation. Over the course of the design and EIA process, a number of consultees have been consulted including:

• Kettering Borough Council (KBC);

• Northamptonshire County Council (NCC);

• Environment Agency;

• Natural England;

• English Heritage;

• Rothwell Town Council; and

• Members of the public.

1.15 Scoping is a key stage of the EIA process which determines specific requirements for the EIA and to

eliminate areas for which no significant effects are anticipated. The ES was preceded by the scoping

exercise, which included consultation with the Local Planning Authority (KBC) and statutory

consultation bodies (e.g. Environment Agency) to contribute to and inform the scope of the EIA for the

Proposed Development. The response, from both KBC and statutory consultees, to the scoping report has been incorporated in to the ES.

Key Features of the Proposed Development

Overview

1.16 The Proposed Development comprises a mixed-use urban extension on land at Rothwell North. This

comprises of 700 dwellings, employment land, a local centre, open space, green infrastructure and an

extension to Montsaye Academy playing fields. The Proposed Development also includes, pedestrian

and cycle links into the town centre and surrounding area, together with associated roads and other

infrastructure, including sustainable drainage measures. Detailed proposals of the vehicular access

junctions into the site from the A6 and B576, as well as the footpath and cycle routes access points into the site, have been submitted as part of this application.

1.17 The illustrative masterplan of the completed development is presented in Figure NTS-3. There is also

an area of 5.72ha set aside outside the Application Boundary for potential to expand south of

Residential Parcel 1 as detailed in the Kettering Borough Council’s Site Specific Proposals Local

Development Options Paper (March 2012). This does not form part of this planning application or EIA and would be subject to its own application and environmental reports.

Layout

Residential

1.18 The 700 residential dwellings will be situated on across approximately 20.25ha of land, with an

average of 34.57 dwellings per hectare. A range of property types will be available from 1 to 5

bedrooms and there will be an affordable housing provision of up to 20% allowing for a socially balanced community.

1.19 The dwellings will be reasonably evenly distributed either side of the B576, with 417 dwellings to the west of the B576 and 283 to the east.


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1.20 The residential buildings will be predominantly 2-storey, rising to 3-storey in landmark areas around

the development. Dwellings will have maximum height of up to 12m (to allow for buildings up to 3 storeys), and a maximum length of up to 50m.

1.21 At this stage of the design process, although extensive consideration of material selection has been

made, the final façade material to be used has not been identified, with this decision to be taken during the detailed design stage. ]

Employment and Local Centre

1.22 The employment area covers is located in the north west of the Proposed Development Site covering

approximately 3ha with an additional 1ha of strategic planting. The employment area covers

approximately 12,800m2 of floor space, possibly over 4 buildings. A single access point off the western

roundabout will service the employment area, which slopes down towards the Rothwell Gullet.

1.23 A local centre providing community services and facilities will also be situated immediately east of the

B576, in the centre of the Proposed Development, covering approximately 0.77ha and is located within the vicinity of the existing Medical Centre.

1.24 Both the employment buildings and Local Centre will have maximum height of up to 12m (to allow for buildings up to 2.5 storeys and 3 storeys respectively).

Landscaping

1.25 As part of the Proposed Development, 2.13ha of undeveloped land will be handed over to Montsaye

Academy to extend their playing fields northwest. A further 11.38ha of public open space will be

provided within the Application Site, including sports facilities, namely a sports pitch, proposed on the

northern boundary of the Proposed Development, to the east of the B576, and the remainder for attenuation ponds, allotments, natural open space, and semi-natural open space.

1.26 Structural landscaping around the employment buildings will be used to minimise views into this part of the site from both the A6 and beyond and from the existing and proposed residential dwellings.

1.27 The provision of a 50m landscaping buffer between the built development and the Rothwell Gullet to the north will be incorporated as part of the Proposed Development.

Public Realm

1.28 The Proposed Development will include the provision of a number of public amenity and open spaces

between residential and employment parcels. There will be well connected public space with parkland, green spaces and tree-lined streets, with establishment of new focal points, landmarks and vistas.

1.29 Further details of the proposed public realm are contained in the Design and Access Statement, which

is a separate document submitted as part of the outline planning application for the Proposed Development.

Site Access

1.30 There will be three main vehicular access points into the Proposed Development, one emergency

vehicle access (plus another internal emergency access), and numerous footpath and cycleways connecting the Application Site with the existing town and surrounding countryside. These include:

• A traffic lighted crossroads will be created along the B576, to access the two halves of the Application Site, immediately north of the local centre;

• A strategic single carriage link road will connect the B576 and A6, with the aim of encouraging

commuters from Desborough and beyond to come through the Application Site, onto the A6, and continue south to the A14, rather than along the existing route through the town centre;

• Eastwards, a distributor road will be created from the junction with the B576, providing access into the local centre and residential estates in the eastern half of the Application Site;

• A third site access will be provided through the creation of a roundabout junction connecting the

new link road from the B576 to the A6, which will also serve as the access into the employment area from the A14, thus avoiding the need to travel through the centre of Rothwell;

• A pedestrian crossing with traffic lights will be located in the centre of the B576 towards the separate health centre development, to aid crossing of this road;

• A pedestrian crossing at the B576 crossroads to ensure easy crossing from the western half of the Application Site to the sports facilities and local centre in the east, and vice versa;

• Restricted access, for emergency vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists only, will be provided along Fanny Joyce’s Lane, a small track that leads off the B576 opposite Nunnery Avenue;

• A second emergency access includes the link between the residential dwellings in the southwest of the Application Site and the employment use, across the linear parkland;

• Other footpaths and cycleways linking the Proposed Development to the surrounding area

include a temporary pedestrian and cycle link between the site and Adams Drive as well as the existing rights of way

• A financial contribution will be made towards the improvement to the existing footpath into the town centre.

Infrastructure

1.31 A number of drainage ponds will be required across the Application Site, to achieve sustainable

drainage of rainwater from the Proposed Development, which will be designed to match current

Greenfield runoff rates from the Site. A near continuous strip of drainage ponds will be provided along

the northern edge of the Site adjacent to the Rothwell Gullet, and another located between the

proposed employment and Residential Parcel 3 (see Figure NTS-3). Further individual ponds are located in the centre, southwest and southeast parts of the Application Site.

1.32 The Proposed Development will be served by two gravity foul drainage networks with terminal

pumping stations. The pumping stations will deliver flow offsite to a point east of Desborough identified by Anglian Water as having capacity for the flows to receive the water.

1.33 An assessment of the electricity, gas, telecommunications, and water supply has also been

undertaken and is presented in a separate document to the ES. Minor diversions of underground lines

and some upstream reinforcement of services will be required as part of the Proposed Development, to be carried out in liaison with the utility companies and KBC.


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Figure NTS-3 Indicative Site Layout


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Construction and Phasing

Program of Works

1.34 The construction programme will span up to 8 years, with the residential dwellings to be built at an

anticipated rate of approximately 80-100 dwellings per year (once the infrastructure is in place) and built out over a series of 5 phases.

1.35 It is estimated that the earliest site preparation could begin would be January 2014, meaning that the Proposed Development should be completed and fully occupied by 2021.

1.36 Pedestrian and cycle linkages may be provided earlier in the development process in order to ensure

that non-car modes of travel are encouraged between the site and the town centre from as early as possible.

1.37 The junction on Desborough road is seen as a key part of the development, being build prior to Phase

1. Phase 1 entails the residential parcels in the eastern section of the Application Site, followed by the link road between the A6 and the B576.

1.38 At the same time, Phase 2 will probably be commenced in order to allow parts of the local centre to

come forward. Phase 3 continues from the local centre eastwards as far as the hedgerow bounding

the Cricket Ground, while the final phase completes the development up to the school playing fields near to the town centre.

1.39 It is noted that Phase 5 is made up of entirely employment buildings, and is not dependant on previous phases, therefore there is a possibility that the order of phasing may change.

Enabling and Site Clearance Works

1.40 Site clearance works includes the environmental works that must be repeated or completed prior to construction, which are likely to include:

• Archaeological investigations;

• Ground conditions;

• Ecological works;

• Arboriculture works; and

• Service diversions.

Hours of Work

1.41 It is anticipated that the core working hours for construction will be set out as follows (though this will be subject to agreement with KBC):

• 0700 – 1800 hours Weekdays;

• 0700 – 1300 hours Saturday; and

• Working on Sunday will be subject to reasonable notice.

1.42 All work outside these hours will be subject to prior agreement, and/or reasonable notice to the

Council, who may impose certain restrictions. Night time working will be restricted to exceptional circumstances.

1.43 A Principal Contractor will be appointed to develop a Construction Method Statement, to identify all the

procedures to be adhered to and ensure that individual trade contracts will incorporate environmental

control, health and safety regulations, and good practice, as well as an Environmental Management

Plan (EMP), which will outline the commitments and protection measures intended to protect the local

environment. This will ensure that all contractors involved with the construction phases are committed

to agreed good practice. Matters concerning site activities during construction that relate to

environmental issues will be discussed and agreed with the local authority in advance of works commencing. As such, the site will be managed in accordance with industry-accepted practice.

Alternatives and Design Evolution

Alternatives

1.44 Under the EIA Regulations, an ES is required to provide “an outline of the main alternatives studied by

the applicant or appellant and an indication of the main reasons for the choice made, taking into

account the environmental effects”. Alternatives analysis is a key part of the EIA process and serves to

ensure that environmental considerations are built into the project design at the earliest possible

stage. The ES considers the ‘no development option’; ‘alternative sites’; and ‘alternative designs and design evolution.’

No Development Option

1.45 The ‘No Development’ alternative refers to the option of leaving the Site in its current state. Although

this option would avoid the potential adverse impacts associated with developing Greenfield land, it would also result in a number of negative impacts, including:

• The site remaining largely disused, providing none of the environmental or socio-economic benefits of the scheme, in particular the provision of jobs and the generation of local revenue;

• No improvement to leisure and local transport services within Rothwell; and

• Leaving a known demand for housing and employment in the area unmet.

Alternative Sites

1.46 KBC has previously considered a number of alternative sites for the Proposed Development. The

Application Site, described as Rothwell North, was identified as the Council’s Preferred Option (Ref. 4-

2) and states that: “The preferred option for Rothwell is Rothwell North…The site performed well in

terms of accessibility, ability to assimilate into the surrounding countryside and delivery of sustainable communities….”. The planning application is a direct response to this document.

Alternative Designs

1.47 There are two main alternatives for development of the Application Site:

• Wholly commercial and industrial land use; and

• Wholly residential development.

1.48 A wholly commercial and industrial development would not be a viable alternative because it would

introduce potentially noisy and dusty activities on a large scale affecting local biodiversity and existing

residents; it would increase vehicle travel to/from the site by workers; and finally, it wouldn’t provide the 700 residential dwellings identified by KBC as required in Rothwell.

1.49 A wholly residential development would not be considered sustainable as the development would not

contribute towards providing the existing local area and new residents with additional employment,

which would inevitably lead to the population having to commute to employment opportunities in Kettering and Corby.

Alternative Mix of Residential, Commercial and Industrial Use

1.50 The Application Site was identified in the ‘Rothwell and Desborough Urban Extension Area Action

Plan’ as the Council’s Preferred Option for the delivery of 700 residential dwellings and 11ha of

employment land. Subsequently the Council published the Proposed Submission version of the Area

Action Plan for consultation (7 December 2009 - 1 February 2010). This updated guidance proposes

that the site will accommodate 700 dwellings and 4ha of employment land, therefore no other alternative is considered.

Design Evolution

1.51 In response to comments received on the 2007 ES masterplan the project design has evolved in

parallel with the EIA to incorporate a series of mitigation measures. In particular, the 3ha of

employment land was eventually repositioned along the western edge of the Application Site, to better


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screen the employment buildings in this position and refrain from placing residents too near the noisy A6.

1.52 A green corridor has also been introduced between the employment area and the residential land to

better screen views from this part of the site, whilst a number of traffic calming measures including the junction on Desborough Road and a number of other highway improvements have also been included.

Planning Policy Context

1.53 The EIA has been undertaken and the ES prepared with regards to relevant national, regional and

local planning policy. At the national level, the key planning policy document is the National Planning

Policy Framework (NPPF) (2012) which broadly sets out the Government’s vision of sustainable development, which is to be interpreted and applied locally to meet local development aspirations.

1.54 In accordance with the new development plan system, a number of strategies and other policy

documents are currently being reviewed, including The Rothwell and Desborough Urban Extension

Area Action Plan Preferred Options Paper, which identifies the site, Rothwell North, as the preferred option for a mixed-use development of 700 dwellings and 3ha of employment land.

1.55 The Proposed Development accords with established strategic planning policy, which provides the

framework for the emerging development plan documents and, in particular, the allocation of the proposed urban extension at Rothwell North.

Potential Environmental Impacts

Socio-Economics

1.56 Chapter 6: Socio-Economics of the ES (Volume I) presents an analysis of the socio-economic impacts of the Proposed Development.

1.57 The assessment focuses on the principal changes to the socio-economic circumstances of Rothwell

that will arise from the Proposed Development and how these will be addressed through the

development proposals, including both direct new provision and directly supporting improvements to existing provision.

1.58 The baseline socio-economic conditions are established based on a review of available data sources

such as 2001 Census data and consider the existing site, population, skills and education, labour force and employment, occupational profile and tourism.

Impacts and Mitigation

Construction Phase

1.59 The construction phase of the Proposed Development is estimated to create many new construction

jobs within the local economy and is expected to result in a short term moderate beneficial impact on

local employment. Although these jobs are short-term they represent an economic impact that can be

estimated as a function of the scale and type of construction. The direct expenditure involved in constructing the development could lead to increased output generated in the U.K. economy.

1.60 Every home built creates 1.5 full time construction jobs and potentially twice as many again in the

supply chain. It has been estimated by the Applicant that there will be 100 full-time workers on site

during construction of the development, which equates to an estimated temporary employment impact

of approximately 800 person-years worth of jobs in the construction sector during the construction phase. A person-year is defined as a job opportunity for one person for one year.

1.61 In addition to the direct construction employment generated by the project itself, there will be an

increase in local employment arising from indirect and induced effects of the construction activity.

Employment growth will arise locally through manufacturing services and suppliers to the construction

process. Part of the income of the construction workers and suppliers will be spent locally, generating further employment.

Occupied Development

1.62 The Proposed Development will house in the order of 1,680 persons (assuming average occupancy of

2.4 persons per dwelling), although the final figure will be dependent upon the housing mix of the

development. This will result in an increase in the population of Rothwell of some 22.3% to around 9,188, although this will be a gradual increase over several years.

1.63 It is estimated that the Proposed Development will result in a minor beneficial effect on education

facilities through the direct provision of 2.13ha of land to Montsaye Academy. The Proposed

Development is also expected to create additional demand for about 224 primary school and 99

secondary school places which will help sustain the two primary schools, both of which are currently operating with significant space capacity. .

1.64 In terms of health infrastructure, the existing medical centre on Desborough Road was previously

planned to cater for the extra needs of the Proposed Development and the increased population should therefore result in a negligible effect on health infrastructure.

1.65 The increased provision of housing, including affordable and rented housing, is anticipated to have a

major beneficial and permanent impact on the local community. The development will provide 700

units of high quality residential accommodation, of which up to 140 will be affordable. This will contribute towards the targets for housing provision within Kettering Borough.

1.66 The provision of employment land is also expected to have a major beneficial and permanent effect

on the local community, as there will be a large increase in commercial floor space in Rothwell with

3ha of land to be developed for business, general industrial and warehousing/distribution use. It is

estimated that the Proposed Development could generate approximately 538 jobs on the 3ha of

employment land. This will ensure that the additional housing growth is balanced by new employment opportunities, thereby achieving a sustainable form of development.

1.67 In terms of local spending, it is estimated that the Proposed Development will lead to a net increase of

about £6 million per annum spent locally, whilst there will be also be increased indirect local spending

arising from local businesses requiring more services and supplies, which will have a major beneficial impact on the local and regional economies.

1.68 The Proposed Development would have an overall positive economic impact on the local and regional

economy in terms of housing provision, employment opportunities and local spending. Socially, the

development will provide a positive step towards meeting the housing targets for Kettering Borough

contained within the North Northamptonshire Core Spatial Strategy. Overall, the Proposed

Development is considered to be a positive step toward meeting a number of the strategic objectives

of local and regional policy, in particular the demand for high quality affordable accommodation and employment provision.

Traffic and Transport

1.69 Chapter 7: Traffic and Transport of the ES (Volume 1) assesses the potential impact of the Proposed

Development on the surrounding highway network, based on an assessment of the interaction

between future development related movements and existing patterns of vehicular movement. The

impact upon the public transport, cycle, and pedestrian networks has also been considered, with mitigation measures recommended to minimise or remove adverse impacts, where applicable.

1.70 The Transport Assessment (TA) focuses on trip generation and the potential impacts on all transport

modes. Changes to highway traffic volumes, flows and capacity and the impacts on public transport

accessibility and capacity are addressed, together with consideration of the temporary impacts arising from construction activities.


Construction Phase

1.71 During construction, the Proposed Development is expected to create up to 18 HGV two-way

movements daily, with up to 92 light vehicle two-way movements. This is a modest amount of traffic

compared with the capacity of the existing network and should be satisfactorily accommodated on the


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local highway network. Additional mitigation measures, such as limiting the hours of HGV movement,

wherever possible, would ensure that construction traffic would have the minimum impact on the

surrounding highway network. Therefore, the impact of construction traffic is anticipated to be of minor adverse significance.


1.72 Pedestrians and cyclists would access the Proposed Development via the proposed site access

junctions on the B576 Desborough Road or via the pedestrian and cycle links with the surrounding infrastructure.

1.73 Once completed the Proposed Development is expected to have a negligible impact on journey

length and travel time, amenity and severance, as well as a negligible impact on pedestrians, cyclists, and the community, with new pedestrian and cycle facilities being provided onsite.

1.74 In terms of the impact on the view from the road on vehicle travellers, the Proposed Development would have an impact of minor adverse significance.

1.75 Driver stress is the adverse mental and physiological impacts experienced by a driver traversing

through a road network. It is considered that the Proposed Development would lead to an impact of moderate adverse significance on driver stress.

Landscape, Townscape and Visual Amenity

1.76 Chapter 8: Landscape, Townscape and Visual Amenity of the ES (Volume I) considers the landscape

and visual impacts of the proposals during construction (commencing in 2014 and lasting for an

estimated 8 years), upon completion (estimated to be 2021), and 15 years after completion (estimated to be 2036) when the proposed mitigation planting will have matured.

1.77 The assessment method adopted for the Proposed Development has been devised to address the

specific impacts raised by a development of this scale and nature. The methodology adopted for the Proposed Development draws upon the following best practice:

• Guidelines for Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (Landscape Institute and Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment, 2002); and

• Landscape Character Assessment: Guidance for England and Scotland (Countryside Agency and SNH, 2002).

1.78 As part of the Landscape and Visual assessment a number of Landscape Character Areas, along with

10 viewpoints within the Study Area, have been used to inform the assessment and to assess the likely impact of the Proposed Development.


1.79 Though the Proposed Development will result in changes to the landscape character of the immediate

area, the design incorporates and protects existing landscape features within the masterplan and will

create a new high quality townscape character in keeping with national, regional and local landscape character area designations.

1.80 Mitigation will be incorporated into the landscape strategy for the development, and this will include:

• A network of open spaces throughout the development, linking into the wider network of strategic green infrastructure;

• A substantial landscape buffer (50m wide) along the northern edge of the development to separate the built development from Rothwell Gullet and Stantion Plantation;

• Retention and enhancement of the existing hedgerow network and mature hedgerow trees in keeping with the landscape character typical of this part of Northamptonshire; and

• Avenues of street trees, enhancing the approaches to Rothwell and providing a landscape structure for internal site routes.

Construction Phase

1.81 During the construction phase, the majority of Landscape Character Areas and visual receptors

assessed would experience negligible impacts, due to the relatively contained nature of the Site. All

construction impacts are relatively short-term and are likely to be outweighed by the long-term negligible or minor beneficial impacts of the proposal.

1.82 However, three of the visual receptors in the immediate vicinity of the Proposed Development Site are

likely to experience visual impacts of moderate adverse significance during construction. These

include the pastoral farmland landscape character area, as well as residents along the north and north

western edge of Rothwell, including those on Desborough Road. Although intervening vegetation and

structures would assist to filter these glimpsed views of construction, the nature of construction equipment and activity would create a visual intrusion for these receptors.


1.83 The Application Site is relatively well contained visually, particularly by the woodland belt to the north.

In views from the south, east and west, the Application Site is generally seen within the urban context

of Rothwell. The majority of visual impacts on completion are expected to be negligible. However, at

four viewpoints, all of which are located in residential areas, there are receptors on whom the

Proposed Development will have a minor adverse impact on completion, including existing houses along the northern edge of Rothwell, and existing houses along Desborough Road.

1.84 Mitigation options including retention of existing vegetation and extensive planting would assist to

reduce visual intrusion of the completed development, which would be strengthened as the planting matures potentially enhancing views.

Occupied Development – 15 Years

1.85 After 15 years the provision of a strong landscape framework including open space, sport pitches,

avenues, trees and shrubs and the strengthening of existing vegetation will enable the Proposed

Development to become fully integrated into the existing landscape and offer protection to a number of important landscape features such as Rothwell Gullet and the ridgeline.

1.86 With the landscape strategy set out for the Proposed Development, this assessment considers that 15

years post completion, integration with the surrounding townscape and landscape should be improved and it is considered that the effects would be of negligible or minor beneficial significance.

Ecology and Nature Conservation

1.87 Chapter 9: Ecology and Nature Conservation of the ES (Volume I) presents an assessment of the

potential impacts on ecological resources associated with the Proposed Development. It provides an

overview of the habitats present on the Site and the likelihood of any impacts on other species that are

protected by legislation. In addition, details of the methodology used to carry out the surveys have

been outlined and recommendations made for appropriate mitigation to minimise or remove any potential impacts.

1.88 The Application Site comprises open countryside on a ridge immediately north of the town of Rothwell,

situated either side of the B576 Desborough Road, between Rothwell and Desborough, and consists

of arable and pasture fields bordered by mature hedgerows with some old trees. There had been a

single pond, in Field 19 but this has been dry for over seven years and which is located in the

northwest part of the eastern half of the Application Site. In addition, there is a small brook running

eastwards along the southern boundaries. There are no areas of ancient or long-established

woodland, though the adjacent Gullets (cuts in the landscape due to historical mining activities) do

contain species associations similar to those found in local woodlands with a long history of woodland continuity.

1.89 There are no statutory wildlife designations either within the Application Site or adjacent to it, though

the Rothwell Gullet County Wildlife Site and Wildlife Trust Reserve is situated immediately adjacent to

the northern boundary of the western half of the Application Site, with a second gullet of lesser importance forming the northern boundary of most of the eastern half of the Site (Stanton Plantation).


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1.90 Twelve trees were identified as being suitable for bat roosting, of which nine showed signs of probable

bat usage. Suitable habitat was not found for dormouse or harvest mice and these species were not

present during subsequent searches of the Application Site. No specially protected species of bird was

found living within the Application Site, though it is possible that barn owl forages across the pastures.

There were eight ‘red listed’ bird species spotted onsite, all of which were found breeding within or

immediately adjacent to the Study Area. Great crested newts were not found within any waterbodies onsite, or within 500m of the Application Site.

1.91 The following potential ecological impacts have been identified during the construction and operational phases of the Proposed Development.


Construction Phase

1.92 Badgers are known to travel across and forage within the Application Site. No relocation of setts will

be necessary, but care will be needed when landscaping areas close to setts on the southern edge of

Rothwell Gullet and this will be taken into account in the Environmental Management Plans that will be prepared and agreed with KBC prior to commencing construction onsite.

1.93 None of the trees with potential for bats are proposed to be felled due to the Proposed Development,

though modern lighting will be selected for the Site which has lanterns to illuminate only the areas

requiring to be lit and limiting unnecessary light scatter which could otherwise adversely affect these bats..

1.94 Most hedgerows on the Application Site will be retained, in particular one along the eastern boundary

of the Site which is protected under the hedgerow regulations. In addition, two hedges along the

western edge of the proposed employment land will be re-laid to thicken up the bases and provide nesting habitat for farmland birds, with native trees planted at intervals along the hedge lines.

1.95 Any clearance of hedgerows and trees during the bird-breeding season (March to August) may impact

on breeding birds. The primary means of avoiding this impact is to undertake site clearance works

outside of the bird breeding season. If this is not possible, then all clearance works will be carried out

under a watching brief by a professional ecologist, with any areas in use by breeding birds being

protected from construction for their period of occupation. The loss of nest sites in tree holes will be

mitigated by provision of artificial nest boxes. Overall, as only common and widespread species occur

in the area, the impact of the Proposed Development will be considered negligible except in that some reduction in total number of birds breeding within the Site can be expected.


1.96 The Gullets provide important local habitat and therefore mitigation measures will be incorporated into

Environmental Management Plans to avoid either Gullet becoming a dumping ground for household

waste, by restricting access and planting a thorny protective screen on the south sides between the

Proposed Development and Gullets. The southern edges of these gullets will also be improved using mown grassland to provide foraging areas for badgers in these borders.

1.97 There will be provision of new wildflower rich grasslands managed in a graded way, with a wide band

between developments and Gullets to help prevent rubbish dumping. Overall the public open space

grasslands being created amounts to 12.38ha. At present, this area is nearly all arable. The increase

in grassland to the east of the road, B576 (which will be mostly managed) will be exactly the kind of

habitat which badgers prefer to find their food. More grassland will be provided west of the main road and closer to the badger main sett and will help prevent badgers needing to cross the road.

1.98 Provision of bird and bat boxes will replace any loss of nest and roost sites for those trees where

limited crown work or felling is necessary for safety reasons. These will be provided on the edge of

the Application Site Exact numbers will depend on the amount of nest and roost removal which

becomes necessary and will be agreed with KBC. It is likely approximately 24 or 25 of each will be needed based on the principal of providing three artificial sites for each one to be lost.

1.99 Following implementation of the above mitigation measures, the following residual impact on animal

species is considered of minor adverse. Impacts associated with the loss of habitat are considered

negligible to minor adverse, with exception of veteran tress due to health and safety concerns, which is anticipated to be minor to moderate adverse.

1.100 The impacts associated with the Rothwell Gullet County Wildlife Site and to the Eastern Gullet (Stanton Plantation) are considered negligible.

Archaeology and Cultural Heritage

1.101 Chapter 10: Archaeology and Cultural Heritage of the ES (Volume I) assesses the impacts of the

Proposed Development on the known or likely cultural heritage assets and their setting. The

assessment has been undertaken in accordance with the standards specified by the Institute of Archaeologists Codes, Standards and Guidelines.

1.102 The Application Site lies in an area of archaeological interest, though there has been little previous

work of general synthesis. The preparation of the Resource Assessment and Research Agenda and

Strategy for the East Midlands has established a research framework for further archaeological work,

whilst the earlier Extensive Urban Survey (EUS) of Rothwell, funded by English Heritage, has provided an historic summary of development focused on the urban areas of this settlement.

1.103 The report illustrates the archaeological interventions in the town of Rothwell and shows them to be

concentrated in the centre of the urban area. The EUS concluded that the greatest potential for the town’s archaeology lay in its early Saxon past.

1.104 Beyond the urban area, archaeological material has previously been found during quarrying in the

vicinity of the former Rothwell Wood, within 100m of the Site. The county Sites and Monuments

Records (SMR) also lists finds of Bronze Age, Roman and Saxon approximately 500m southwest of

the Site, and the Archaeological Data Service has a record of several Saxon interments in the same general area.

1.105 Northamptonshire Archaeology had previously investigated the route of the A6, which runs in a north-

to-south direction along the western boundary of the Site. Geophysical surveys located a pair of

ditched enclosures approximately 250m northwest of the Site, which were shown by excavation to be of Iron Age date.


Construction Phase

1.106 The assessment has identified the likelihood of finds of regional importance to the study of heritage

and archaeology, however it is considered highly unlikely that the finds will require in-situ preservation.

Targeted trial trenching and field artefact collection, therefore, will be undertaken at the post-planning

stage, prior to any enabling works, to confirm the geo-physical findings. The final method of

investigation will be agreed in consultation with KBC and NCC and mitigation has been incorporated into the detailed design.

1.107 When the archaeological fieldwork and post-excavation work has been completed, preservation by

record will have been achieved. As the records and finds from this work will be archived at a suitable recipient museum, the residual impact will be at worse, of minor adverse significance.


1.108 The closest listed buildings to the site are located approximately 1km south of the Site, and therefore the impact on the local built heritage is also considered to be negligible.

Ground Conditions

1.109 Chapter 11: Ground Conditions of the ES (Volume I) evaluates the impact of the Proposed

Development on the existing ground conditions, geology and hydrogeology of the site and surrounding

area. Consideration has been made of potentially contaminated soils and groundwater in the context

of the existing site, during construction, and post-development. Where appropriate, suitable mitigation

measures have been described to minimise or remove any potential adverse impacts that have been identified.


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1.110 The Proposed Development involves significant changes to the land use of the site, with the current

existing agricultural land making way for large areas of residential, commercial, infrastructure, and

public open space development. Due to the highly variable geological conditions beneath the site, a

geotechnical site investigation will be required post-planning in order to aid foundation design, especially for larger structures proposed on the site.

1.111 The potential for contamination to ground conditions from historic land use is generally considered to

be low. Contamination from pesticides and herbicides may be found at higher concentrations in

farmyard areas used for agricultural chemical storage. The potential for contamination from former

ironstone quarries is also considered to be minor as most are disused, are not registered as landfills,

and have since been restored and re-vegetated. A former petrol filling station approximately 50m

south of the centre of the Application Site, along the B576 Desborough Road, could also be a potential

site of contamination; however, the significance is considered minor given the low permeability of soils in the area, and the fact that the petrol station is no longer operational.


Construction Phase

1.112 The majority of impacts related to ground conditions during the construction of the Proposed

Development can be mitigated to an acceptable level of significance through industry recognised

standards and best practice measures which will be managed through the Environmental Management Plan, which will be prepared after receipt of planning consent and agreed with KBC.

1.113 During construction, there are a number of potential impacts that may have direct or indirect impacts

on the identified potential receptors. The potential impacts will generally relate only to the construction

period itself and are considered to be negligible following the implementation of the mitigation measures outlined above.

1.114 Sources of oils and hydrocarbons on construction sites tend to include storage tanks, plant and

machinery, spillage and leakage at refuelling areas and vandalism. The spillage of these would

present a short-term moderate adverse impact on identified receptors during the construction phase

prior to mitigation. Therefore measures will be taken to protect controlled waters from the release of oils and hydrocarbons. These measures will include:

• Oils and hydrocarbons will be stored in designated locations with specific measures to prevent leakage and release of their contents;

• Wherever possible, construction plant and machinery will have drip trays beneath oil tanks, engines and gearboxes;

• An emergency spillage action plan will be produced, which site staff will be required to have read and understood; and

• All construction works will be carried out in accordance with a site specific Method Statement which will be agreed in advance with KBC.

1.115 It is anticipated that the implementation of the above, as well as a site specific Method Statement and Environmental Management Plan, will render the potential impacts to be of negligible significance.

1.116 The potential for contamination on the Application Site is considered to be low, though the extensive

construction of foundations and potential construction of basements at some locations may result in

the identification of isolated hotspots of contaminated soil. In the unlikely event that significant areas of

contamination be identified during any site investigation works, mitigation measures such as the

remediation or removal of soils, off-site treatment (where practicable) and/or off-site disposal will be undertaken to keep the level of risk within acceptable limits (i.e. negligible).


1.117 Once the Proposed Development is built and occupied, potential risks from any identified

contamination in the surface soils (e.g. pesticides) will be mitigated using appropriate techniques that

would be finalised as part of the groundworks plan. This would represent a permanent moderate beneficial impact to the local environment.

1.118 Consideration of the chemical characteristics of the ground conditions on site will be made during the

selection of appropriate building materials to prevent degradation from aggressive ground conditions. This will render the impact of ground conditions on building materials negligible.

1.119 No significant impacts to the ground conditions are expected during the construction or operational

phase of the Proposed Development provided standard, good practice mitigation measures are

applied as discussed above. As such, the residual impacts are considered to be of negligible significance.

Soils and Agriculture

1.120 Chapter 13: Soils and Agriculture of the ES (Volume I) considers the potential impact of the Proposed

Development on land quality as a national resource and on the viability of the individual farm businesses affected.

1.121 The total application area extends to 41.5ha (extending east to Shotwell Mill Lane), of which 7.43ha is Subgrade 3A (i.e. Best and Most Versatile land), and 34.57ha (moderate quality).


Construction

1.122 On completion of the Proposed Development there are two impacts that cannot be mitigated: the loss

of agricultural land as a national/regional resource; and the impact that the loss of land will have on existing farm businesses.

1.123 The loss of 7.43ha of Best and Most Versatile land, together with a further 34.57ha of Subgrade 3B, is

considered to be of negligible impact on national and regional resources, though this loss would be permanent.

1.124 None of the agricultural businesses affected will lose land that is part of their main land-holding close

or convenient to their farm buildings and dwellings. In all cases the land to be lost is some distance

from the main land holding, and a number of agricultural occupiers have confirmed that this, together

with the proximity of the Application Site to existing development, makes day-to-day management of

the land difficult due to problems of low-level vandalism. Given that the chosen Application Site

extends only as far eastwards as the Rothwell Town Football Club, the percentage of land to be lost to

development is 3.3% or less for any one of the landholders, and therefore the impact on the respective businesses will be negligible.

1.125 The loss of 7.43ha of Best and Most Versatile land is considered to be of negligible impact on

national and regional resources, though this loss would be permanent, whilst the impact that this loss of land will have on existing farm businesses is also considered to be negligible.

Noise and Vibration

1.126 Chapter 14: Noise and Vibration of the ES (Volume I) assesses the likely significant effects of the

Proposed Development with respect to noise and vibration. Impacts are considered during the

construction phase and on completion and operation of the Proposed Development. In particular, it considers potential impacts on identified receptors, in terms of:

• Predicted noise levels from construction works;

• Any increases to road traffic attributed to the Proposed Development; and

• Operational plant noise associated with the development.

1.127 A desk based assessment and subsequent site investigations were carried out in order to establish the

baseline conditions and identity any potential likely sources of noise contamination. It was noted that the noise environment is dominated by traffic noise from the A6.


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Construction Phase

1.128 During the construction phase, noise mitigation has been included to ensure that noise emissions from the site meet relevant noise limit guidelines and do not breach any of the design criteria. This includes:

• Maximising the distance between noisy equipment items and sensitive local receptors;

• Avoiding the coincidence of noisy equipment working simultaneously close together when near to sensitive receptors;

• Minimising consecutive works in the same locality;

• Orientating equipment away from noise sensitive receptors.

1.129 Following the implementation of an Environmental Management Plan (which will be prepared following

receipt of any planning consent an agreed with KBC), noise from construction activities are considered

to have a minor adverse impact on the noise and vibration environment, and to be of short and intermittent duration.


1.130 Noise from commercial buildings will be controlled to meet statutory targets of noise levels emitted from each facility, therefore leading to a negligible impact on new and existing residential dwellings.

1.131 The noise impact from changes in road traffic flows associated with the Proposed Development has also been assessed as negligible.

1.132 The main external noise impact on the Proposed Development will originate from road traffic on

existing roads and the proposed link road in the Application Site. Noise mitigation measures have

been specified for each Development Phase which would allow suitable internal noise levels for proposed buildings to be achievable.

1.133 The noise impact from the new playing pitches will be within the criterion proposed and is rated as minor adverse.

Air Quality

1.134 Chapter 15: Air Quality of the ES (Volume I) presents an assessment of the air quality impacts resulting from the Proposed Development and the suitability of the Application Site for development.

1.135 URS conducted a month long survey in October 2012 and the monitoring campaign included two

roadside sites on Desborough Road and Greening Road, and one background site located on

Shotwell Mill Lane, supplemented by annual monitoring carried out by KBC in the area. The baseline

conditions on the Application Site show that existing concentrations of pollutants comply with the current and future Air Quality Objectives.


Construction

1.136 It is anticipated that emissions to air during the construction phase will be associated with:

• Construction equipment and vehicles (vehicle exhaust emissions); and

• Earth moving and demolition operations (construction dust).

1.137 Emissions from vehicles and equipment during construction works are expected to have a negligible

impact on the local air quality. It is anticipated that there will be relatively few construction items

operational on-site at any one time and these will be distributed over a relatively large area. Therefore

the resultant vehicle emissions are highly unlikely to lead to a significant deterioration in local air quality.

1.138 In addition, a number of mitigation measures have been proposed, which will form part of the

Environmental Management Plan, to be agreed with KBC prior to commencement of site works. These

will limit the potential for generation of construction dust to a negligible to minor adverse significance at those receptors within close vicinity (approximately 30m or less) of the Application Site boundary.

1.139 The impact of additional traffic movements during the construction phase was considered to be of negligible significance.


1.140 An air quality dispersion model was used to identify the change in pollutant concentrations at existing

receptors affected by the Proposed Development, based on predicted emissions data from the change in traffic flow numbers.

1.141 The increase in traffic flows due to the Proposed Development in the opening year (2021) is predicted

to result in an impact of at worse, a minor significance, as existing pollutant concentrations are well below the annual mean objective.).

Arboriculture

1.142 Chapter 16: Arboriculture of the ES (Volume I) presents an assessment of the trees and hedgerows

within the Application Site and on adjoining land, to identify individual trees, groups of trees, or

hedgerows, that might pose a constraint on the Proposed Development, and to clearly identify those that are of particular value with respect to long-term retention within a development context.

1.143 The predominant tree species throughout the study site is common Ash, which range from young to

over-mature. Most of these are hedgerow trees. Other species include common Oak, Field Maple, and

occasional Sycamore, Willow and Lime, ranging in age from young to mature. The predominant

hedgerow species is Hawthorn, with those hedgerows that are mostly mature containing other minority

species such as Blackthorn, Elder, Field Maple, Hazel, Goat Willow, and Elm. There are currently no Tree preservation Orders (TPOs) in, or near, the Application Site.


Construction

1.144 In the western half of the Application Site (west of the B576 Desborough Road) the overall impact on

the treescape is anticipated to be negligible. This is largely due to the lack of significant trees or

hedgerows of moderate or high quality, but also due to sympathetic planning and design, which will

effectively protect and enhance the prominent woodland Gullet adjoining the site to the north by the inclusion of a large area of communal green space.

1.145 In the eastern half of the Application Site (east of the B576) the overall impact on the treescape is

predicted to range between negligible and minor adverse. Whereas there is a much greater density

of trees and hedgerows of varying quality throughout this area, sympathetic planning and design has

effectively afforded protection to the prominent woodland Gullet to the north as well as to the majority of trees and hedgerows.

1.146 Mitigation measures to be implemented at the construction phase include appropriate tree protection

measures, such as robust temporary protective fencing and observance of all relevant Root Protection

Area conditions, as well as careful planning and installation of underground service routes to avoid tree root protection areas. This will be incorporated in the Environmental Management Plan.

Operation

1.147 The overall impact on arboriculture during operation is predicted to be negligible. However, where

predominantly residential development co-exists with trees and mature hedgerows there will always be

a potential threat to their long term retention, since many will be located on or adjoining privately owned land, and consequently the following mitigation measures are to be implemented:

• Considerate design, whereby residential properties are not generally located within the falling distance of mature trees (or young trees, taking into account their mature height).

• Supplementary planting of trees, particularly in areas where existing trees have to be removed, but in locations where they will not impact on the development.

• The creation of covenants to certain property ownership, whereby trees and/or hedgerows are protected against indiscriminate removal.


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1.148 Following implementation of the mitigation measures, the remaining impact during the construction

and associated with the occupied development is anticipated to be negligible. Although some trees

and hedgerows will be lost, the current design proposal makes good provision for retention of many

existing trees and some hedgerows, whilst also incorporating much new planting, which will, in the long term, enhance and supplement the general amenity value of the development.

Cumulative Effects

1.149 In accordance with the EIA regulations, the ES has given consideration to cumulative effects. For the

cumulative effects assessment, two types of impacts have been considered, which are described further below:

• Impact Interactions - The combined effect of individual impacts, for example noise, airborne dust or traffic on a single receptor; and

• Cumulative Effects with other Developments - The combined impacts of several schemes which may, on an individual basis be insignificant but, cumulatively, have a significant effect.

1.150 The cumulative impacts of the Proposed Development together with other surrounding schemes have

been assessed, for both the construction and operational phases of the project. No major or moderate

cumulative impacts have been identified during the course of this EIA, predominantly due to the

reasonable distance between sites and the ability to adequately mitigate any potentially adverse impacts through contractor liaison and appropriate master planning design.

Conclusions

1.151 The EIA for the Proposed Development has been undertaken in parallel with the design process.

Hence, many mitigation measures have already been incorporated to eliminate adverse environmental

and social impacts prior to the design freeze and planning submission. These include, for example, ensuring that the project design is sensitive to the local environment and is durable to local conditions.

1.152 With respect to the construction process, a Principal Contractor will be appointed to develop an

Environmental Management Plan that will incorporate all of the commitments within the ES. This plan

will address all relevant environmental issues including noise and vibration, waste management, air emissions, hours of working, and amenity.

1.153 Subject to the implementation of the Environmental Management Plan, the Proposed Development is

not anticipated to have any detrimental and significant (major or moderate adverse) environmental

impacts on the Application Site or surrounding area, with the exception of some moderate adverse

impacts on local visual amenity through the presence of a construction site. There are also a number

of temporary minor adverse impacts associated with the construction phase, namely noise and dust,

all are anticipated to be of a short-term duration. In addition, a minor to moderate adverse ecological

impact is anticipated to be associated with the completed Proposed Development if there is required to be any crowning work or removal of veteran trees required.

1.154 The Proposed Development will also lead to a number of beneficial impacts, particularly in relation to

the provision of employment and local spending, cleanup of any contaminated soils and groundwater,

if found during site excavations, along with the delivery of a housing and employment need in the

area. In particular, the Proposed Development is estimated to create approximately 800 person-years

worth of construction jobs within the local economy and is expected to result in a short term moderate

beneficial impact on local employment. In addition to the direct construction employment generated by

the project itself, there will be an increase in local employment arising from indirect and induced effects of the construction activity.

1.155 The Proposed Development will also result in a minor beneficial impact on education facilities through

the direct provision of 2.13ha of land to Montsaye Academy. The increased provision of housing,

including affordable and rented housing, and employment land is also anticipated to have a major beneficial and permanent impact on the local community.

non technical summary - iema copleston natalie williams and ... 1.11 the significance of impacts has...

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