Waterbeach Barracks & Airfield Environmental Statement Non-Technical Summary Outline ...

17 Pages·2017·0.09 MB·English

by  Andrew Wintersgill

Waterbeach Barracks & Airfield Environmental Statement Non-Technical Summary
Outline Planning Application Secretary of State for Defence and Urban&Civic

CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................ 2
2. THE APPLICATION SITE AND THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT ........................... 4
3. POLICY CONTEXT ........................................................................................................ 6
4. SOCIO-ECONOMIC EFFECTS ...................................................................................... 7
5. LANDSCAPE .................................................................................................................. 8
6. ECOLOGY ...................................................................................................................... 9
7. CULTURAL HERITAGE ............................................................................................... 10
8. AGRICULTURAL CIRCUMSTANCES......................................................................... 11
9. TRANSPORT ................................................................................................................ 12
10. AIR QUALITY ............................................................................................................... 14
11. NOISE AND VIBRATION ............................................................................................. 15
12. HYDROLOGY, FLOOD RISK AND DRAINAGE ......................................................... 16
13. GROUND CONDITIONS .............................................................................................. 17

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Waterbeach Barracks & Airfield Environmental Statement Non-Technical Summary
Outline Planning Application Secretary of State for Defence and Urban&Civic

1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 This Non-Technical Summary has been prepared on behalf of the Secretary of State
for Defence and Urban&Civic (U&C) to outline the main findings of an Environmental
Impact Assessment (EIA) of the Proposed Development at Waterbeach Barracks and
Airfield, Cambridgeshire. An Outline Planning Application is submitted to South
Cambridgeshire District Council (SCDC) for up to 6,500 dwellings and a mix of
commercial and community uses, green open spaces and supporting infrastructure.
1.2 Figure 1.1 attached shows the strategic location of the site approximately 5 km north
of the Cambridge urban area, immediately north of Waterbeach village and west of
the A10 (Ely Road).
1.3 The purpose of an EIA is to assess the likely significant environmental effects of
Proposed Development. The EIA has been rigorous, systematic, objective and
iterative. The direct and indirect effects of the Proposed Development have been
assessed during construction and built-out (referred to as the post-completion or
operational stage). The cumulative effects of the Proposed Development and other
nearby development proposals have also been assessed, including land immediately
to the east forming the remainder of the proposed strategic allocation of the
Proposed Submission South Cambridgeshire Local Plan, as proposed to be modified
(the emerging Local Plan) in Policy SS/5.
1.4 Effects have been assessed as adverse or beneficial and of major, moderate, minor
or negligible significance, in accordance with recognised EIA methodology. This
requires the application of professional judgement, considering the magnitude of
predicted changes to baseline conditions and the sensitivity of particular receptors to
those changes (receptors being features which is likely to be impacted, such as a
nearby residential property or heritage asset). For example, a change of high
magnitude affecting a receptor of high sensitivity would generally result in an effect of
major significance. Conversely, a change of low magnitude affecting a receptor of
low sensitivity would generally result in an effect of minor significance.
1.5 The full findings of the Waterbeach Barracks and Airfield EIA are reported in an
Environmental Statement (ES). This document is a non-technical summary of the ES.
1.6 The programme for formal consultation on the Waterbeach Barracks and Airfield
Outline Planning Application and ES will be determined by SCDC. Further
information on this programme can be obtained from SCDC. During the formal
consultation, a full copy of the ES will be available to view at SCDC offices at South
Cambridgeshire Hall, Cambourne Business Park, Cambourne, Cambridgeshire,
CB23 6EA. The ES will also be available to view on SCDC website at:
www.scambs.gov.uk.

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Waterbeach Barracks & Airfield Environmental Statement Non-Technical Summary
Outline Planning Application Secretary of State for Defence and Urban&Civic

1.7 Digital copies of the full ES can be provided at no charge. Paper copies of the ES
can also be purchased from U&C at the address below:
c/o: Rebecca Britton
Urban&Civic
The Club
Alconbury Weald
Huntingdon
PE28 4WX
Email: [email protected]
Tel: [phone]

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Waterbeach Barracks & Airfield Environmental Statement Non-Technical Summary
Outline Planning Application Secretary of State for Defence and Urban&Civic

2. THE APPLICATION SITE AND THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT
2.1 The Application Site area is approximately 293 hectares and is located immediately
north of Waterbeach village. It is approximately 5km north of the Cambridge urban
area but within the district of South Cambridgeshire. The Application Site is mostly
previously developed land (brownfield) comprising a mixture of buildings and
structures associated with its former military use, both as a barracks and as an
airfield. The Site includes disused residential blocks, offices, hangars, workshops
and other structures. Areas of hardstanding also exist, including what remains of the
runways, taxiways and an internal road network.
2.2 The Outline Planning Application seeks permission for
‘Up to 6,500 dwellings (including up to 600 residential institutional units),
business, retail, community, leisure and sports uses; a hotel; new primary and
secondary schools; green open spaces including parks, ecological areas and
woodlands; principal new accesses from the A10 and other points of access;
associated infrastructure, groundworks and demolition; with all matters reserved
accept for the first primary junction from the A10’.
2.3 A Development Specification and a Parameter Plan provided the basis for the EIA of
the Proposed Development. As its name suggests, the Parameter Plan sets the
broad parameters for the Proposed Development, showing the broad location of
proposed land uses, accesses, strategic open space, schools and centres. An inset
plan on the Parameter Plan defines maximum building heights across the Proposed
Development. The Development Specification contains a full description of
development, land use schedule and a set of Spatial Principles for the layout and
disposition of land uses and the inter-relationships between them. The EIA takes
account of all this information in assessing the effects of the Proposed Development.
A wide range of measures to avoid, reduce or remedy potential significant adverse
environmental effects has been incorporated into the Proposed Development. The
EIA takes account of those mitigation measures in assessing the effects of the
Proposed Development.
2.4 No detailed phasing of the scheme is provided at this stage save for the proposed
first phase of new build development, north of the lake, with primary access from the
existing Cambridge Research Park roundabout on the A10 (Key Phase One); and a
defined area for potential reuse and refurbishment of existing barracks buildings
(Barracks R&R) with provision to make the necessary pedestrian, cycle and public
transport connections between the two areas. Some buildings have already been
brought back into use within the barracks area including an indoor sports hall, squash
court, tennis court, museum room and site office. There is also a separate planning
application to convert existing accommodation blocks to residential accommodation

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Waterbeach Barracks & Airfield Environmental Statement Non-Technical Summary
Outline Planning Application Secretary of State for Defence and Urban&Civic

for 235 units for Papworth Hospital medical staff (still to be determined). These uses
will count towards the overall level of development applied for in this Outline Planning
Application.
2.5 The EIA assumes that the construction of the Proposed Development would take
place over a 16 to 20 year period from 2017-18 until 2033/4 to 2037/8.
2.6 Construction activities are assumed to include: the creation of lit compounds, the
demolition of buildings and structures, the breaking up of runways and taxiways, the
crushing and re-use of concrete within the Site, the erection of hoardings, the control
of dust and the avoidance of other unnecessary environmental impacts.
2.7 Construction would be regulated by a Construction Environmental Management Plan
(CEMP) at each Key Phase. Many mitigation measures relating to the construction
stage will be addressed by CEMPs.
2.8 No alternative sites have been considered for the Proposed Development because of
the nature of the Application Site as a largely brownfield development opportunity (in
public ownership); the onus on redeveloping such sites in planning policy; and the
identification of the site as a strategic allocation in the emerging South
Cambridgeshire Local Plan.
2.9 Alternative design options have been considered although are limited by key fixes
including the site topography, position of the lake, the need for primary access from
the A10 and the location of Waterbeach village to the south and Denny Abbey to the
north. Alternative access arrangements have been considered, including opening-up
the existing barracks access as a primary access point, but this was dismissed due to
the potential effects on village amenity, reinforced by policy to avoid such effects.
2.10 Other sites in the immediate area which either have planning permission or are
allocated for development Local Plan allocation have been considered in terms of
‘cumulative impacts’ (which means combined impacts as a result of the Proposed
Development and other schemes). The potential cumulative impact of developing
land to the east of the Application Site has been considered as this land is identified
in the emerging South Cambridgeshire Local Plan as part of the same strategic
allocation, under policy SS/5. Cumulative effects, where noteworthy, are included in
this summary.

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Waterbeach Barracks & Airfield Environmental Statement Non-Technical Summary
Outline Planning Application Secretary of State for Defence and Urban&Civic

3. POLICY CONTEXT
3.1 The planning policy context for the Proposed Development is set by the
Government’s National Planning Policy Framework (2012), Planning Practice
Guidance, the statutory Development Plan and documents including the emerging
Local Plan and Supplementary Planning Documents (SPD).
3.2 The statutory Development Plan consists of South Cambridgeshire Local
Development Framework including the Core Strategy Development Plan Document
(DPD) and Development Control Policies DPD (both 2007); Cambridgeshire &
Peterborough Minerals and Waste Plan (July 2011); and saved Policy CNF6
regarding to Gypsy and Traveller sites.
3.3 The emerging Local Plan consists of the Proposed Submission South
Cambridgeshire Local Plan 2014 (as proposed to be modified) which will replace the
development plan documents identified in paragraph 3.2. The emerging Local Plan
allocates the site for development as part of Policy SS/5 Waterbeach New Town.
South Cambridgeshire District Council is preparing a Supplementary Planning
Document in support of Policy SS/5.

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Waterbeach Barracks & Airfield Environmental Statement Non-Technical Summary
Outline Planning Application Secretary of State for Defence and Urban&Civic

4. SOCIO-ECONOMIC EFFECTS
4.1 The scope of the socio-economic assessment of the Proposed Development has
included its likely effects on population, housing, the labour market, education, social
and community infrastructure, retailing and community safety.
4.2 No significant adverse socio-economic effects are predicted, taking into account the
ability to secure the community timely provision of supporting facilities as the
Proposed Development is built out, assured through planning conditions and legal
obligations attached to any grant of planning permission.
4.3 The delivery of up to 6,500 new homes has been assessed as a major beneficial
effect of the Proposed Development, in making a substantial contribution to meeting
the housing needs arising in South Cambridgeshire and Cambridge, improving
housing affordability and addressing current labour market imbalances which in turn
will help to reduce the level of inward commuting and associated congestion. The
Proposed Development would also lead to increased expenditure in the area and
additional employment associated with the construction stage and post-completion.
4.4 The cumulative effects of other developments have been considered, including the
development of the remainder of Policy SS/5 area. No cumulative adverse impacts
are identified providing each development meets its own infrastructure requirements.
Potential beneficial effects are identified with increased ability to deliver strategic
infrastructure and with the development of the Cambridge Sporting Lakes
development.

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Waterbeach Barracks & Airfield Environmental Statement Non-Technical Summary
Outline Planning Application Secretary of State for Defence and Urban&Civic

5. LANDSCAPE
5.1 A Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) has been undertaken to
ascertain potential effects associated with changes to the physical landscape as a
result of the Proposed Development, including landscape character, and to identify
the visual impacts including general setting and views for local residents, walkers,
horse riders, visitors and vehicular traffic, collectively these are described as
receptors.
5.2 Local landscape character varies in the vicinity of the site, including that of low value
(e.g. business/industrial areas to the west) to that of high value (e.g. fenland edge).
Twenty-three viewpoints were chosen in consultation with SCDC. A lighting
assessment was also undertaken from fourteen of these viewpoints to understand
night-time change.
5.3 The greatest effect of the construction activities on views would be limited to
receptors near or adjacent to the Site, varying largely from negligible to moderate
adverse depending on the nature and location of the receptors. These effects would
be minimised through implementation of mitigation, such as preventing construction
traffic through villages, retaining and protecting existing vegetation (benefiting from
its screening value, where possible) and managing construction lighting. The effect of
construction activity on landscape character is considered to be negligible to minor
adverse for most parts of the landscape and moderate adverse at Denny Abbey
during works to the north of the site.
5.4 At the post-completion stage, the greatest effects of the Proposed Development
would remain to receptors in close proximity. The implementation and establishment
of the proposed green infrastructure and landscape measures would reduce most of
the effects to negligible or minor adverse, with many improving to minor or moderate
beneficial. At night-time, it is concluded that, provided lighting mitigation measures
are implemented, the impact would be no greater than the daytime effects.

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Waterbeach Barracks & Airfield Environmental Statement Non-Technical Summary
Outline Planning Application Secretary of State for Defence and Urban&Civic

6. ECOLOGY
6.1 The Ecological Impact Assessment has considered the potential effects on local
wildlife sites in the area (including Site of Special Scientific Interest at Cam Washes
and the Special Area of Conservation at Wicken Fen), habitats on or adjoining the
Site and flora and fauna found on site (including protected species). There are no
statutory nature conservation sites on the Site or within 2 km of the site boundary.
The nearest site is Cam Washes SSSI which is 2.7 km from the boundary of the site.
6.2 The EA has identified potential for some minor adverse and indirect impacts on
Wicken Fen and Cam Washes during the construction phase as a result of pollution.
This can be effectively mitigated through good construction management practices.
6.3 On site, there are a range of habitats and species which will be impacted by
development during and post construction: grassland, wetlands, woodlands, trees,
lichens, reptiles, breeding birds, overwintering birds, bats, great crested newts, brown
hare, flora and invertebrates and badgers. Habitats also exist that are suitable for
other small mammals, such as water vole, though none were found during the
surveys.
6.4 Prior to mitigation, potential impacts associated with the construction stage of
development are all minor, except for a moderate impact upon grassland habitat.
Mitigation through careful environmental and construction management, supervised
by an Ecological Clerk of Works, will reduce these impacts to negligible or beneficial.
6.5 The EA determines that the completed development could, before mitigation, result in
only negligible or minor impacts on the habitats and species identified above.
Mitigation and measures to enhance the ecological resource would result in only
negligible or positive impacts.

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Waterbeach Barracks & Airfield Environmental Statement Non-Technical Summary
Outline Planning Application Secretary of State for Defence and Urban&Civic

7. CULTURAL HERITAGE
7.1 The assessment of cultural heritage addresses impacts upon archaeology and the
built environment, drawing upon desk based assessments, geophysical survey and a
programme of archaeological trial trenching, undertaken in Autumn 2016.
7.2 All designated and non-designated heritage assets within and near to the site have
been considered. Designated heritage assets include, within the near vicinity, the
scheduled complex of Grade I and II listed buildings at Denny Abbey; two scheduled
sections of Car Dyke (part of a Roman canal network); the Grade II* listed Church of
St John in Waterbeach; the scheduled site of Waterbeach Abbey with a large number
of listed buildings and the Waterbeach Conservation Area; and designated heritage
assets in neighbouring Landbeach including the scheduled shrunken medieval village
and Grade I listed Church of All Saints.
7.3 Within the site there are non-designated archaeological features of interest: a
remnant of the causeway that connected Waterbeach village to Denny Abbey; a
drain/ditch which follows the alignment of the Car Dyke; and Soldiers Hill (an
earthworks feature). The World War II structures and buildings are also assessed for
their historic and cultural association. The archaeological assessment has identified
three areas of dense Roman archaeology indicating Roman settlement activity on
site.
7.4 Slight and moderate adverse effects upon a number of heritage assets are
determined to be likely, prior to mitigation; with the likely effect on the setting of
Denny Abbey and archaeological deposits being moderate and adverse. Creation of
a buffer and screen planting will mitigate the impact upon Denny Abbey to a slight
effect upon completion, and recording and publishing of archaeological finds during
the construction phases will mitigate the impact upon archaeology. Impacts upon
other assets can also be mitigated to achieve only slight adverse or beneficial effects.

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