Creating the environment for business - IEMA · Creating the environment for business Figure 1 Site...

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Transcript of Creating the environment for business - IEMA · Creating the environment for business Figure 1 Site...

Page 1: Creating the environment for business - IEMA · Creating the environment for business Figure 1 Site location A railway line carrying the Docklands Light Railway and Southern train
Page 2: Creating the environment for business - IEMA · Creating the environment for business Figure 1 Site location A railway line carrying the Docklands Light Railway and Southern train

C r e a t i n g t h e e n v i r o n m e n t f o r b u s i n e s s

© Entec UK Limited

Doc Reg No. 26770 Page ii

January 2011

Copyright and Non-Disclosure Notice The contents and layout of this report are subject to copyright owned by Entec (© Entec UK Limited 2011) save to the extent that copyright has been legally assigned by us to another party or is used by Entec under licence. To the extent that we own the copyright in this report, it may not be copied or used without our prior written agreement for any purpose other than the purpose indicated in this report.

The methodology (if any) contained in this report is provided to you in confidence and must not be disclosed or copied to third parties without the prior written agreement of Entec. Disclosure of that information may constitute an actionable breach of confidence or may otherwise prejudice our commercial interests. Any third party who obtains access to this report by any means will, in any event, be subject to the Third Party Disclaimer set out below.

Third-Party Disclaimer Any disclosure of this report to a third-party is subject to this disclaimer. The report was prepared by Entec at the instruction of, and for use by, our client named on the front of the report. It does not in any way constitute advice to any third-party who is able to access it by any means. Entec excludes to the fullest extent lawfully permitted all liability whatsoever for any loss or damage howsoever arising from reliance on the contents of this report. We do not however exclude our liability (if any) for personal injury or death resulting from our negligence, for fraud or any other matter in relation to which we cannot legally exclude liability.

Page 3: Creating the environment for business - IEMA · Creating the environment for business Figure 1 Site location A railway line carrying the Docklands Light Railway and Southern train
Page 4: Creating the environment for business - IEMA · Creating the environment for business Figure 1 Site location A railway line carrying the Docklands Light Railway and Southern train

C r e a t i n g t h e e n v i r o n m e n t f o r b u s i n e s s

© Entec UK Limited

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January 2011

Contents

1. What is proposed and what is the purpose of the Environmental Statement? 1

Site location and context 1

2. Why is the proposed development required and what does it comprise? 3

Alternatives considered 3

Scheme description 3

3. What does the Environmental Impact Assessment process involve? 5

4. What are the likely predicted significant effects of the proposed development? 6

Effects assessed 6

5. What happens next? 14

6. Where can more information be found? 14

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1. What is proposed and what is the purpose of the Environmental Statement?

Cathedral (Movement, Greenwich) LLP is seeking detailed planning permission for the re-development of the vacant Greenwich Industrial Estate. The scheme proposes a mixed use development providing 181 residential units, 358 student residential units, 1,332sqm of education/office floorspace (B1/D1), 1,382sqm health club (leisure (D2)) floorspace, 11 incubator/start up business units totalling 635sqm, 200sqm extension to the rear of the Greenwich West Community Centre, a 360sqm nursery (D1), 480sqm of retail foodstore floorspace (A1) and 37sqm café/bike shop (A1/A3). A 104 bed 3 star hotel and a 30 room boutique hotel and associated restaurant (which includes external works to the existing North Pole public house) together with an onsite energy centre, improvements to the existing public realm at Waller Way and new public realm, public art and onsite landscaping. A total of 57 car parking spaces are proposed on site, and 418 cycle spaces

The planning application for this development is accompanied by an Environmental Statement (ES), as required under the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (England and Wales) Regulations 1999 (the ‘EIA Regulations’). The preparation of this ES, which has been undertaken by Entec UK Ltd (with contributions from Savills, Royal Haskoning and Peter Stewart Consultancy who have provided the Daylight Sunlight, Traffic & Transport and Townscape & Visual chapters respectively), forms part of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) with regard to the proposed development.

This report is the non-technical summary of the ES. It summarises the content and conclusions of the ES, to which readers should refer for further information. The following sections of the non-technical summary describe:

The reasons why the proposed development is required and what it comprises;

The EIA process;

The likely significant effects of the proposed development; and

The next steps and where the full ES can be viewed.

Site location and context

The site, which incorporates the unoccupied Greenwich Industrial Estate, is 1 hectare (ha) in area and is situated between Norman Road to the west, Waller Way to the east and Greenwich High Road to the south; approximately 0.5 miles from Greenwich Town Centre. Greenwich Industrial Estate currently comprises 20 vacant industrial and warehouse buildings (up to 2 storeys in height). Greenwich West Community Centre located on Greenwich High Road to the east of the industrial estate is also within the site boundary.

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Figure 1 Site location

A railway line carrying the Docklands Light Railway and Southern train services is located 200m to the north of the site and Greenwich railway station is within 500m walking distance to the east of the site. A busy bus route operates along Greenwich High Road.

The site borders the Ashburnham Triangle Conservation Area as well as being located close to other locally listed buildings including the pumping station on Norman Road.

The area on the north side of Greenwich High Road is dominated by light industrial and warehousing facilities around Deptford Creek. The North Pole public house is located on the corner of Greenwich Road and Norman Road immediately adjacent to the site boundary. On the opposite side of Greenwich High Road, to the south of the site, are various residential buildings of up to 3 storeys in height.

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2. Why is the proposed development required and what does it comprise?

Alternatives considered

The Greenwich Industrial Estate site was allocated for mixed use development in the 2006 Greenwich Unitary Development Plan (UDP) and retains this designation within the Core Strategy element of the Local Development Framework that will supersede the UDP. The site is described as having the potential for ‘various commercial

mixed use development and interchange enhancement including a significant proportion of B1 office/business space, active uses including retail at street level, and residential as part”.

Cathedral (Movement, Greenwich) LLP have chosen to take this project forward with an understanding of this allocation. The site makes reference to the Deptford Creekside Charrette work undertaken at a masterplan level for the area in 2008. The Charrette approach was not taken forward as it was not felt that it best utilised the potential of the site. The design also reflects a number of iterations which have responded to design pressures through the process including environmental issues identified during the collection of baseline information.

Scheme description

Cathedral (Movement, Greenwich) LLP proposes a development of approximately 38,549 square metres (sqm) of mixed use development, focused around the provision of purpose built student accommodation for the University of Greenwich and will comprise the following elements:

Podium (designed as a 2 storey base to the main residential and student village towers in the northern area of the site, forming a continuous frontage to the north side of the Street which runs through the site connecting Norman Road to the DLR entrance Plaza to the east and comprising:

- Lower ground floor Food Retail Unit of approximately 480sqm, with provision for a setting down point on Norman Road close to the main entrance on the Street;

- Lower ground and upper ground floor Health and Fitness Facility of approximately 1,382sqm

again with provision for a setting down point on Norman Road and accessed from the Street;

- Lower ground floor Nursery of approximately 360sqm with access to an under 5’s courtyard playspace located on the roof above and use of 3 setting down points adjacent to the crèche entrance and accessed from the main vehicular circulation route from Norman Road;

- Lower ground floor Commercial/Education unit providing approximately 1,332sqm of ancillary space to the proposed student village;

- Lower ground floor Bike Café sited below the eastern student accommodation block and fronting the new DLR Plaza and the Street.

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- Basement level Energy Centre located below the Podium (in the basement of the student block) with access provided for deliveries, operation and maintenance via Norman Road. This will provide energy for all uses proposed for the scheme. This is proposed to comprise three 1KW biomass boilers using wood chip as the fuel. A flue will extend from the top of the highest student residential building;

Student Village comprising 2 main blocks above the Podium and 1 block overlooking the DLR Plaza. Between 4 and 8 rooms are provided in ‘clusters’ of self contained accommodation with ensuite bathrooms and shared living and kitchen space. There will also be 678sqm common rooms on the first floor of the student residential block;

- Block 1 is 11 storeys (41.7m) and has 200 rooms

- Block 2 is 9 storeys (35.7m) and has 118 rooms

- Block 3 is 5 storeys (24.5m) and has 30 rooms

Residential Development providing 120 private and 61 (35%) affordable housing units in approximately 18,000 ft2 of development, plus 50 car parking spaces. 35% will be family units. All apartments will meet lifetime homes standards and be at least Code for Sustainable Homes Level 3. The main entrance is at lower ground level from the Street.

- The Western Residential Block is 11 storeys and contains the affordable housing core. The building steps down towards the south overlooking the Street to 8 storeys.

- The Eastern Residential Block is 12 storeys. The building steps down towards the south overlooking the Street to 8 storeys.

Hotel situated on Greenwich High Road with frontage and main entrance located on Waller Way, forming the south-eastern gateway to the site, providing 104 rooms with a café bar and social space on the ground floor. The hotel comprises 6 storeys of accommodation, stepping back from Greenwich High Road with a 2 storey recess at Ground and 1st floor and a single storey set back at the top floor.

Boutique Hotel forming an extension to the existing North Pole Pub and comprising 30 rooms, 27 of which will be located in the new build part of the building. The new building will be one storey higher than the pub and the top floor will be aligned to the flat roof of the pub to form a garden terrace.

Incubator Units located on the Street providing rentable space for local small start-up businesses (typically creative or internet enterprises) totalling 635sqm, 5 of which are located at ground level with a further 6 at upper level. Four of the units are on 2 levels.

Community Centre Extension 200sqm of additional community centre extension floorspace; comprising a relocated café and kitchen with the possibility of external seating and an exhibition space which can covert to a lecture space at ground level, and a training room and meeting room on the level above.

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The anticipated development period is to commence in 2011 with completion by 2013. At present the desire of the project team is to build the hotel as the first element for completion in time for the 2012 Olympic Games. The rest of the development would be built as a continuation of the work on the hotel in one single phase.

3. What does the Environmental Impact Assessment process involve?

The ES includes an impartial assessment of the predicted environmental effects of the proposed development. To meet the requirements of the EIA Regulations, the assessment focuses on those effects that are potentially significant, with a comparison being made between the likely environmental conditions in the presence of the proposed development and in its absence (i.e. the baseline situation).

As the construction phase will be over a period of 2 years, and then the development operated indefinitely, it cannot be assumed that the baseline conditions in the absence of the proposed development would be the same as present. This reflects changes resulting from human influences, such as other new developments or natural processes which have the potential to modify current environmental conditions. Therefore where baseline conditions are likely to change over these 2 years (e.g. as with traffic flows), the assessment has predicted these future baseline conditions and the effects of the proposed development have been assessed against these. Where baseline conditions are unlikely to change, the effects of the proposed development are assessed against the existing baseline.

Reaching a conclusion on which effects, if any, are likely to be significant is the result of an iterative process that involves the following stages:

1. identifying those effects that may be significant;

2. assessing environmental changes and any consequent effects on people, animal/plant species or other ‘receptors’ (for example archaeological remains); and

3. determining whether or not these effects are likely to be significant.

The findings of the assessment are designed to assist London Borough of Greenwich, the statutory consultees (The Environment Agency, English Nature, English Heritage), and other key stakeholders in coming to a view about whether or not, and of appropriate, how the proposed development should proceed. The decision-making is also part of the EIA process.

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4. What are the likely predicted significant effects of the proposed development?

Effects assessed

The Environmental Impact Assessment, presented in the Environmental Statement, has considered whether there are likely to be potentially significant effects, whether positive or negative, as a result of the proposed development on population (including visual effects and effects on the local community, including from traffic), flora and fauna, soil, water, air, climatic factors, material assets (including archaeology and cultural heritage), landscape and the interrelationship between all of these factors. The results of the assessment are summarised below.

Townscape and Visual

National, London-wide and local planning policy state in essence that new development should be well designed in its own right and appropriate to its context.

With regard to the visual assessment, the study area is centred on the site and is limited to 14 locations (viewpoints, which were agreed with London Borough Greenwich) from which the site can be seen, or from which new buildings on the site will be or might be seen at the height proposed.

Townscape effects were considered by dividing the townscape around the site into broad brush character areas; as well as specifically considering heritage assets such as listed buildings, conservation areas and the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site.

The existing condition of the site is very poor and there is considerable scope for improvement. The site’s setting is very varied, much of it nondescript and of poor quality. Sensitive aspects of the setting that have the potential to be affected by the redevelopment of the site include local conservation areas and listed buildings, the nearby Maritime Greenwich World Heritage site, and protected views designated by the Mayor of London.

The nature and scale of development proposed are comparable with other recent redevelopments in the area. The proposed development will have significant beneficial townscape effects in its immediate setting, but there are no significant visual effects.

Cultural Heritage

Data was collected and assessed for features within a study area extending up to a 500m radius from the application area boundary. In addition a site inspection was undertaken by an Entec archaeologist to confirm the presence, condition and extent of previously recorded heritage assets and general ground conditions.

There are a number of designated heritage assets in the vicinity of the site, the most important of which (both in policy and designation terms) is the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site, which lies (at its nearest)

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approximately 400 m to the west. World Heritage Sites have a buffer zone associated with them which is intended to protect their setting. The Buffer zone from Maritime Greenwich extends to within c. 120 m to the west of the site boundary. Other designated heritage assets include the conservation areas of Ashburnham Triangle (within 20 m of the site), West Greenwich (within 100 m of the site) and Greenwich Park (within 600 m), the registered park and garden of Greenwich Park (within 600 m) and (within 500 m) 75 listed buildings including two Grade I listed churches; St Alfega’s, Greenwich (LBUID 200365) and St Paul’s, Deptford (LBUID 203270).

The site itself is adjacent to buildings that connect with its former role, for example the building established as the Town Hall in the late 19th century survives as a community theatre. The site is located on former marshy ground that may have the potential to contain buried soils of palaeoenvironmental significance.

Previous archaeological work in the Greenwich and Deptford area indicates that the Thames margins in this area and Deptford Creek were not significantly exploited in the periods up to the Saxon establishment of Greenwich in around the 10th century. It is considered that few archaeological remains are likely to be present on the site and any that were present are likely to have been removed or truncated by later development.

Heritage assets are significant for their evidential value and archaeological interest and as such will not be significantly effected by the proposed development provided that an appropriate range of environmental measures that allow their evidential value to be realised are incorporated into the scheme. The proposed scheme is not of a scale inconsistent with the industrial heritage of the character area which;

reinforces historic patterns in the local urban area;

strengthens the boundary to the Ashburnham Conservation area, creating an awareness of the wider urban context in which the 19th century residential estate sits; and

further contributes to a cluster of higher buildings set around Deptford Creek, avoiding the impact that might arise if individual tall buildings were located in closer proximity to the sensitive World Heritage Site.

No significant effects on any designated cultural heritage features are anticipated as a result of the proposed development.

Traffic and Transport

The Traffic and Transport chapter of the ES has been prepared to assess development traffic effects on the highway adjacent to the development site. Specific consideration is given to Greenwich High Road and Norman Road.

The methodology adopted in the assessment is as defined in the ‘Guidelines of the Environmental Assessment of Road Traffic’, published by the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment.

The Movement, Greenwich, is a low car development which will provide 57 car parking spaces. The majority of these (51) will be allocated to the site’s residential development, 3 will be associated with the development’s

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Incubator business units and the remainder will be blue badge (disabled) car parking spaces associated with the site’s non-residential (commercial) land uses. These spaces will also be available for parents associated with the site’s Nursery, who will be permitted to drop-off and pick-up children in the morning at specified times of day.

The development maintains a ‘very good’ level of accessibility by sustainable modes of travel and in combination with the low car nature of the development, and the existing on-street car parking controls, the development will generate fewer traffic movements than we might expect for the site’s existing industrial use, should it become occupied in the future.

Initiatives proposed to support the low car development include the implementation of a Travel Plan, which incorporates a commitment to the initiation of a Car Club.

In terms of a percentage impact on the local highway, no location on the public highway will experience a 10% increase in traffic volume, following the full occupation of the development site. Therefore, based on guidance published within the document ‘Guidelines for the Environmental Assessment of Road Traffic’, no formal assessment of development traffic impact is required.

In terms of HGV movement, the development will result in a 27% impact on HGV movements, during the development’s construction phase and a nominal impact at times when the development is fully constructed and operational. Norman Road is not considered to be a ‘sensitive receptor’ and the development will not therefore result in a material environmental impact on the operation of the highway.

Noise

An assessment of noise and vibration effects upon existing and proposed sensitive receptors as a result of the proposed development has been undertaken.

During construction, there is the potential for noise and vibration to be generated by construction plant and traffic. Once occupied, building services plant, notably the proposed energy centre, may also generate noise which could affect both existing receptors and future site occupants. The existing and future noise levels have been considered in determining the suitability of the site for residential and commercial development.

The scope and methodology of the assessment were agreed with the Environmental Health representatives of London Borough of Greenwich. As part of the agreed methodology, baseline noise monitoring was undertaken between Thursday 23rd and Friday 24th September 2010 and consisted of a combination of handheld attended measurements and unmanned monitoring.

During construction, contractors will be required to work to set limits which will help to control any excessive noise levels. Several other construction management measures will also be put in place which will minimise noise generated by construction activities. For example, construction work will be limited to standard daytime working hours. With these measures in place it is unlikely that noise from construction activities will result in significant effects.

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An assessment of construction traffic has identified that increases in road traffic noise at existing receptors is not significant. Noise from construction activities is recognised as being temporary, and therefore impacts of noise from construction traffic can be controlled by limiting deliveries/exports to less sensitive times of the day. In addition road traffic noise generated by the development is unlikely to be significant for existing receptors. An assessment has identified that road traffic noise is in the region of 0.1dB(A) and therefore unlikely to result in an audible increase in noise levels.

Noise from the proposed Energy Centre and building services plant may affect new and existing receptors. To control the noise effects, noise limits have been proposed in the form of an Environmental Noise Criteria (ENC). Compliance with the proposed ENC would result in no significant effects on new or existing dwellings. Entec’s experience of other similar developments has found that any effects can be mitigated easily with appropriate plant locations and selection of plant.

Noise modelling for the development has been undertaken and used along with a baseline noise survey in order to determine the suitability of the site for residential and student accommodation development. The outcome of the PPG24 assessment found that noise levels over much of the site need not be a determining factor in granting planning permission. Where higher noise levels have been identified, recommended internal noise levels have been achieved by way of suitable glazing and standard ventilation.

Air Quality

The proposed development site is within an Air Quality Management Area with the main source of pollutants in the Borough being from road traffic. The assessment of effects of the proposed development on air quality has considered likely effects on existing residential receptors and the effect of the existing air quality in the area on potential new receptors which form part of the development. It has considered the effect of pollutant emissions from traffic associated with the local road network at new residential receptor locations and the effect of dust associated with construction on existing residential receptors located close to the site boundary.

The effect of the proposed energy centre which will form part of the development has not been considered at this stage. This assessment includes recommendations for a future assessment of the biomass facility, should this be required and once the detailed technical information necessary is available. However, the London Borough of Greenwich is a ‘smoke control zone’, which restricts the appliances that can be used to burn solid fuel and will need to be taken into consideration when assessing the emissions from the energy centre.

Air quality effects associated with construction traffic were scoped out of the assessment as it is unlikely that the increase in traffic associated with the construction phase will be of significant volume and duration to affect the achievement of air quality objectives in Greenwich.

Air quality effects associated with the operational traffic from the development were also scoped out, as the increase in traffic volumes (given the development only has plans for 30 car parking spaces) will be small and not sufficient to have a significant detrimental effect on air quality in the local area.

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Mitigation measures employed during demolition and construction, in line with London Best Practice Guidance, will ensure that dust effects are minimised and will not have a significant effect on existing residents close to the development site.

The assessment has determined that future traffic emissions in the area are unlikely to have a significant adverse effect on air quality at new residential receptors as levels will be below the relevant air quality objectives.

Land Quality and Water Environment

Identified receptors included human receptors (future site users, neighbouring site users and construction workers), water (groundwater within the River Terrace Gravels and water quality in Deptford Creek) and Infrastructure (buildings and services).

The area surrounding the site has an extensive industrial history and the land uses have included a large gas works to the north of the site and several coal yards to the north-west. In order to inform the assessment, a Phase 2 Site Investigation was undertaken which involved:

drilling 3 hollow stem auger boreholes, to between 9 and 13.5m and installing groundwater monitoring to detect the presence/absence of groundwater and any associated contamination;

drilling seven window sample boreholes, to between 3 and 5m and installing ground-gas monitoring to characterise shallow site soils; and

three machine dug trial pits, excavated to 3m bgl to characterise the constituents of the shallow soils, notably in the vicinity of former site structures/activity zones.

The surface of the site predominantly comprises reinforced concrete hardstanding (0.2-0.3m thickness). Below the concrete is 1.3-3.1m of made ground. The site is situated on River Terrace Gravels (8-15m in depth) overlying London Clay (over 60m deep beneath the site), Lambeth Group, Thanet Sands and Chalk. The London Clay is of significant thickness to prevent vertical migration between shallow groundwater in the River Terrace Gravels and deeper strata.

No significantly elevated concentrations of methane or carbon dioxide have been detected in the monitoring wells. No significantly elevated concentrations of contaminants have been identified in groundwater samples; consequently the results to date indicate that groundwater has not been significantly impacted by any contamination. Furthermore, no major soil contamination has been detected on the site and therefore no mitigation measures are deemed necessary.

The nearest surface watercourse is Deptford Creek (50m west of the site) which is tidally influenced by the River Thames (located around 400m north of the site). The site lies entirely within Flood Zone 3 and is at risk from fluvial and residual tidal flooding from the Deptford Creek and the River Thames. This means that the site has up to a 0.5% chance of flooding in any given year from a tidal event and up to a 1% chance of flooding from a fluvial

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event. A Flood Risk Assessment has been undertaken in accordance with Planning Policy Statement 25 and is included as Appendix M to the full ES.

Very few potential contamination sources have been identified that could affect human receptors. A proactive approach will also be adopted to manage risks to human health and ensure effects can be avoided; including additional gas monitoring and vapour sampling and the provision of appropriate Personal Protective Equipment and Respiratory Protective Equipment to construction workers.

There are limited potential contamination sources that have been identified that could affect groundwater or surface water, however there is the potential for activities which form a part of the construction process to introduce contaminants to the water environment through the spillage of chemicals such as fuels or thorough the release of sediment entrained run-off. Providing environmental measures such as appropriate dust control/suppression measures and undertaking all construction, drilling and piling works in accordance with Environment Agency and CIRIA guidance are implemented, surface and groundwaters in hydraulic continuity with the site should not be significantly affected by the development.

Ecology

An Ecological Impact Assessment of the proposed development was undertaken. This comprised a desk study of readily available biological information along side an extended Phase 1 Habitat Survey of the site in order to establish the current ecological baseline conditions. The desk study and site visit identified that the site is largely dominated by hard standing and disused buildings with the only vegetation present comprising a few scattered mature and semi-mature trees and opportunistic growth of scrub and ruderal species that has grown through the hard standing. One statutory site and 6 non-statutory sites have been identified within 500m of the development site and additionally, records of two notable urban bird species have been confirmed within the same search area. The site is considered unlikely to provide habitats that support any protected or notable species other than common urban bird species. No significant adverse effects are considered likely to arise from the proposed development proposals on the receptors identified within the study area. This is primarily a consequence of the distance that the designated sites are located away from the application site, within a heavily urbanised landscape. Additionally, the on-site habitats are not deemed to be of sufficient value or quality to result in significant effects to occur as a result of their loss. Furthermore, the urban bird species likely to be present on site are unlikely to be present in high numbers and particular species of note are unlikely to occur. Notwithstanding this, all breeding birds are afforded protection during the breeding season and as such, there is a requirement for vegetation to be removed outside the bird breeding season or for vegetation to be checked by an ecologist prior to removal. Additionally, in line with national planning policy, the development scheme includes for enhancement within the design that allows for the provision of landscaping that offers biodiversity benefits as well as the inclusion of bird boxes across the site.

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Community

An assessment has been undertaken of the likely effect of the proposed development on identified community receptors (local residents and the local economy). The following effects were scoped in as being potentially significant and requiring further assessment:

An increase in local employment opportunities during the operation of the development – the proposed mixture of uses of the development may generate a range of employment opportunities.

Regeneration effects of development on the local area – the proposed development will provide new housing and community facilities which have the potential to enhance the local area, as well as increasing the local population and therefore increasing pressure on existing education and health care facilities.

The proposed development will generate significant local employment opportunities on-site (estimated to be 155 jobs, compared with the baseline situation of no employment opportunities) as well as increased trade for local businesses; by facilitating an increase in tourist numbers and providing new residential and student accommodation. This may in turn indirectly result in the creation of further employment opportunities to service an increase in demand for local retailers, restaurants, hotels and property related servicing businesses (a further minor increase of 15 jobs off-site is predicted according to the English Partnerships average local level multiplier). It is therefore considered that the proposed development will have a positive effect on increasing local employment opportunities.

Housing policy objectives contained within the London Plan (2008) promote the need for 20,100 new homes in Greenwich by 2016/17. The provision of new residential accommodation as part of the proposed development will contribute to meeting this recognised demand in the Borough. The residential element of the proposed development will comprise 173 units of which 35% will be affordable. The provision of affordable housing will have a positive effect on levels of deprivation in the Borough and this also accords with London Plan Policy 3A.9, which seeks to secure affordable housing through mixed use development.

The potential influx of 107 school aged children as a result of the proposed development would place a considerable additional demand on both primary and secondary school places in the area. The Greenwich Borough Council School Planning Statement indicates that primary school admissions capacity is not planned to increase before 2016, and by 2011 there will be a deficit of 128 places in the relevant local area. By 2014 there will also be a deficit of 596 places for 11 to 16 year olds in the Borough, and the limited availability of secondary schools in the immediate vicinity of the site also means that any increase in demand is more likely to be focused on the John Roam and St Ursula’s Convent schools. It is considered that in the context of the projected lack of available school places, the proposed development will have a negative effect on existing school aged residents in the Borough by increasing competition for available school places, especially primary school places within the ward. However, Cathedral (Movement, Greenwich) LLP will come to an agreement with London Borough Greenwich regarding an appropriate Section 106 contribution that will mitigate the effect of the development on demand for local school places.

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13 January 2011

Daylight Sunlight

The proposed development has been assessed, using standard methodology (BRE guidelines1). In assessing the development we have considered Daylight, Sunlight, Glare and Overshadowing to the Sensitive Receptors we are satisfied that no significant negative will occur and that no mitigation measures will be required as a result. In addition there will be no residual effects or cumulative impacts.

Wind Microclimate

Prevailing winds will blow from the south west throughout the year and wind from this sector accounts for around 45% of wind for the site. There is a secondary prevailing wind from the north-east, which is most prevalent during the late spring and early summer, and this is generally a cold wind. These two wind directions account for the strongest and most frequent winds for this site.

Wind microclimate receptors were identified as existing pedestrian receptors along Norman Road, Greenwich High Road and on the access to Greenwich DLR and Rail station.

The highest point of the development will be 41.95m. However the height of the buildings on site will not be uniform as the heights of the different floors are graduated. As such the majority of the development will be below 41.95m high. The height of the buildings will therefore be close to or less than twice the height of the buildings immediately surrounding the site; including the North Pole pub which is 20.5m high and the 3 storey Norman House located opposite the site on Norman Road. It is therefore anticipated that the development will not result in wind/microclimate changes that would have a significant effect on pedestrian receptors.

Conclusions

In conclusion no significant adverse environmental effects have been identified in relation to the proposed development. A range of environmental measures have been built into the scheme to ensure that all adverse environmental effects are minimised. In addition to this a number of beneficial environmental effects have been identified relating to community effects on the labour market. Furthermore a significant positive effect is identified in relation to the townscape of the site and immediate surroundings.

1 Building Research Establishment (BRE) Guide “Site layout Planning for Daylight & Sunlight. A Guide to Good Practice” BR 209, PJ Littlefair, 1991 (the BRE Guide)

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C r e a t i n g t h e e n v i r o n m e n t f o r b u s i n e s s

Doc Reg No. 26770

14 January 2011

5. What happens next?

Prior to determining the planning application, London Borough of Greenwich will seek advice from the statutory consultees and other relevant organisations. Members of the public will also be able to comment on the planning application.

6. Where can more information be found?

The full Environmental Statement can be viewed on the Greenwich Planning website.

Page 19: Creating the environment for business - IEMA · Creating the environment for business Figure 1 Site location A railway line carrying the Docklands Light Railway and Southern train