Ferry Farm Solar Scheme Extension Environmental … · Report prepared by: Ecus Ltd. Brook Holt . 3 Blackburn Road . Sheffield . S61 2DW . 0114 266 9292 . November 2014 Ferry Farm

Report prepared by:

Ecus Ltd. Brook Holt

3 Blackburn Road Sheffield S61 2DW

0114 266 9292

November 2014

Ferry Farm Solar Scheme Extension Environmental Statement: Non-Technical Summary BNRG Renewables Ltd

Ferry Farm Solar Scheme Extension Environmental Statement: Non-Technical Summary

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Introduction

BNRG Renewables Ltd proposes to develop an approximately 6MW extension to the consented Ferry Farm Solar Park at Chichester Road, Selsey, West Sussex, PO20 9DZ The proposed extension lies to the south of the location of the consented (but to date un-built) Ferry Farm Solar Park (Chichester District Council Planning Reference: 11/02483/FUL) The location of the application site is shown in Figure 1 below.

Figure 1: Site Location (not to scale) [© Crown copyright, All rights reserved. 2014 Licence number 0100031673]

The proposed solar farm extension covers an area of approximately 11.3 hectares (ha) and falls within Schedule 2 of the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2011 (the EIA Regulations) and an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the proposed scheme has been undertaken by Ecus Ltd on behalf of BNRG Renewables Ltd. The EIA seeks to identify the likely significant environmental effects of the proposals during construction, operation and decommissioning. Measures to avoid or reduce negative effects (known as mitigation) have been proposed where feasible.

This Non-Technical Summary (NTS) describes the proposed development, and any mitigation, and presents the main findings of the technical environmental studies carried out as part of the EIA. The technical studies have also been published in full within the Environmental Statement (ES) accompanying the planning application submitted by BNGR Renewables Ltd to Chichester District Council (CDC). Chichester District Council is the Local Planning Authority which will determine the planning application.


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Environmental Impact Assessment

The proposed solar extension was ‘screened’ under the EIA Regulations by CDC on the 15th July 2014 (reference: SY/14/01139/EIA). The proposed scheme was considered to require an EIA in respect of the potential for significant cumulative landscape and visual impacts and impacts on ecology. As a result, the Environmental Statement covers these issues only. The application is also informed by non-EIA assessments for archaeology and flood risk which accompany the planning application.

BNRG Renewables Ltd has undertaken active engagement with members of the local community prior to the submission of the planning application. A number of stakeholders were contacted directly in April 2014, to introduce BNRG's work and to provide them with a meaningful opportunity to express views, both on the proposed development and the suitability of the site to support a solar power scheme. Consultees included:

• Selsey Town Council;

• Siddlesham Parish Council;

• Selsey North ward and Siddlesham ward councillors (Chichester District Council);

• Several neighbouring businesses; and

• A number of local residents.

An update was sent to these stakeholders in June 2014. The applicant will continue to engage with local residents and councillors throughout the planning, development and construction processes.

The Site and Proposed Development

The Site The proposed extension is located between the B2145 Chichester Road and the Southern Water Works and lies to the south of the location of the consented (but as yet unbuilt) Ferry Farm Solar Park, approximately 2km to the north-west of the town of Selsey (see Figure 1 above).

The site comprises two arable fields, separated by a shallow ditch with a Public Right of Way (PRoW) footpath 76 running next to it and a large ditch known as the Broad Rife flows adjacent to the eastern site boundary. The site is essentially flat.

The coastal areas around the proposed extension are important wildlife sites and are protected at a national and international level. They include the Bracklesham Bay Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) to the south-west, and Pagham Harbour SSSI and Special Protection Area (SPA) to the north-east. The SPA has been designated because of the important bird populations that it supports. The Medmerry Realignment lies approximately 100m from the south-west corner of the proposed development site and is also protected as if it was a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) because of the replacement wildlife habitats it will support over time which have been lost elsewhere along the Solent coast.

The Proposed Development The proposed scheme will generate electricity by converting sunlight into electrical current using solar (photovoltaic) panels with the electricity exported from the site to the electricity distribution network via underground cables and a substation. The substation and access to the public highway are features of the consented Ferry Farm scheme.

The layout of the proposed development is shown on Figure 2, below, and would comprise the following elements:


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• Solar PV panel arrays over an area of approximately 8.4ha.

• Four inverter transformer stations which will convert the electricity generated from direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC).

• A new access and maintenance track linked to the consented scheme to the north.

• New security fence approximately 2.4m high which will be fitted with security cameras, and security gates where the new access track enters/exits the fenced interior of the solar scheme.

Other points to note about the nature of the proposals, and how they will be integrated within the existing site are:

• Footpath 76 will be retained without obstruction and will be located within a grassed landscaped corridor approximately 31m wide with new native hedgerows against the site fencing.

• Access into the site, for both construction, and maintenance once operational, will use the access to the consented solar site via an existing private farm road off the B2145.

• The electricity generated by the solar arrays will be exported to the electricity distribution network via the grid connection infrastructure, including a substation, created as part of the consented scheme adjoining the site.

• The oversail of solar PV panels would cover less than one third of the proposed development (approximately 3.3ha) leaving scope for the ground under and between the panels to be retained in agricultural usage for grazing or hay / silage cropping.

In order to minimise impacts to landscape character, visual amenity, and ecology and nature conservation – as well as to maximise potential benefits to nature conservation – the following mitigation and enhancements are proposed:

• New native hedgerow planting at the southern and eastern boundaries and north and south of the PRoW, and management of existing and new hedgerows to 3-3.5m height to screen the development.

• Native broadleaved trees will be planted to the south of the PRoW to filter views from the PRoW.

• The areas around the solar panels will be seeded with a suitable conservation grassland seed mix or mixes, which will benefit wildlife (particularly insect pollinators) and provide visual interest.

The rows of solar panels will stand up to approximately 2.4 m above ground level, with an approximately 1m ground clearance at the bottom edge. They will be inclined at an angle of approximately 25 degrees to the horizontal, and will face south. A steel frame mounting system will be used to support the panels and will be buried to a depth of between 1-2m depending on ground conditions (see Figure 3 below).

Four inverter-transformer stations will be located throughout the site each with approximate dimensions of up to 10m width x 3m height x 3m depth and located on precast concrete foundations.


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Figure 2: General Scheme Layout (not to scale) [© Crown copyright, All rights reserved. 2014 Licence number 0100031673]

Figure 3: Indicative Racking System and PV Panels (not to scale; all measurements in millimetres unless otherwise stated)

Access for vehicles delivering construction components and materials will be via the B2145 Chichester Road. It is anticipated that there will be approximately 60 HGV visits (120 trips) over a 2-4 month period. It is therefore unlikely that, even at the most intense period for delivery of materials; there would be more the 10 HGV deliveries (20 HGV trips) per day. Vehicles would use the access route constructed as part of the consented Ferry Farm


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scheme to get to the proposed development. The new access track constructed as part of the proposed scheme, (see Figure 2 above) will be approximately 3m wide, 450m in total length, and constructed of crushed stone approximately 50mm in depth.

The solar park extension would be made secure by a mesh fence approximately 2.4m high, which will be located at least 8m from the tops of the ditches, in accordance with Environment Agency guidelines. The security fence will contain security cameras. No security lighting is proposed, and all cameras will be of the passive infra-red or thermal imaging type. The line of the fence will not obstruct footpath 76.

Construction The construction period for the proposed scheme would involve the following:

• spoil heaps and topsoil/subsoil storage;

• new temporary services and utilities;

• construction activity and operation of machinery; and

• transportation of the solar panels and stands in heavy goods vehicles (HGV) and movement of materials and plant..

Any noise, dust and vehicle movements during the construction phase will be controlled through the implementation of appropriate method statements/management plans.

Operation The site would not be permanently manned but there would be a requirement for operations and maintenance personnel to visit the site on a regular basis using light vehicles.

Decommissioning

The expected operational life of the solar scheme is 30 years. When the development ceases operation, all major components and above ground structures would be removed from the site. Restoration would be completed by reinstating disturbed areas with stored subsoil and topsoil material and the site returned to agriculture.

Landscape and Visual Effects

The LVIA has identified and evaluated:

• Any changes to the fabric, character and quality of the landscape resource and how it is experienced – called landscape effects.

• The views, and visual amenity, available to viewers prior to the commencement of the development, and the range of users that may be affected by the proposed scheme – called visual effects.

This LVIA finds that the proposals would have no significant residual adverse landscape or visual effects beyond the immediate setting of the site. No residents would experience any significant adverse residual effects. Within the local context of the site, the setting and visual amenity of public footpaths 75 and 78 to the south and north of the site, and footpath 76 which passes through the site, would experience slight adverse effect in the immediate vicinity of the development. Although there would be localised affects on the visual amenity and tranquillity of public footpaths in the immediate setting of the site, this would not


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compromise the overall experience of these footpaths or sequential views along the length of these routes.

The proposals would change the character of the rural landscape in a medium-size part of the District Landscape Character Area (147 Broad Rife) by increasing the characteristic of renewable energy generation within the area. However any changes to key characteristics of the character area would be localised. This is due to the careful design of the development with limited height of the proposed panels, the level of existing vegetation screening, the proposed stand-off areas, the effectiveness of proposed screening and limited number of sensitive receptors.

The proposals would not adversely impact on any existing trees, hedges or other landscape features. The development does not involve substantial buildings or areas of hard-standing or high levels of activity. The development would not affect the visual amenity of any heritage designations.

Ecology and Nature Conservation Effects An ecological assessment of the proposed extension was undertaken with information gathered from consultation with biological data sources, and from the findings of a field survey. Signs of protected species were noted where found although specific surveys for protected species were not considered necessary. A review of records identified the potential use of the site by Dark-Bellied Brent Geese, a bird species known to use the Pagham Harbour SPA.

The application area comprises arable fields with narrow field margins, intersected by drainage ditches and species-poor hedgerows. The proposed solar farm will be largely constructed within the arable field with no direct impacts to ditches and minimal impacts to hedgerows. Appropriate stand-offs from the ditches will be maintained to avoid impacts to protected species with pre-construction checks undertaken if required. As such it is not anticipated that the proposed scheme will result in adverse impacts to nature conservation outwith the zone of immediate effects.

The low ecological value of the site in combination with the proposed ecological enhancements, such as additional hedgerow and tree planting, and the establishment of conservation grassland, means that the scheme has potential to have a net benefit to biodiversity during the operational phase.

The need for an ‘appropriate assessment’ under European legislation was considered and was discounted on the basis of there being no likely significant effect on SPA bird species.

Conclusions

This Non-Technical Summary has summarised the findings of the EIA undertaken for the proposed development by BNRG Renewables Ltd of Ferry Farm Solar Scheme Extension at Selsey, West Sussex. The EIA technical studies have also been published in full within the Environmental Statement accompanying the planning application submitted to Chichester District Council.

The assessment demonstrates that the proposed solar farm could be successfully integrated within the existing site features and could be assimilated into the surrounding landscape without causing wide-scale harm to landscape character and visual amenity. The assessment demonstrates that the solar farm offers the ability to provide biodiversity enhancements and improve the landscape structure of the site.

Documents

Ferry Farm Solar Scheme Extension Environmental … · Report prepared by: Ecus Ltd. Brook Holt . 3 Blackburn Road . Sheffield . S61 2DW . 0114 266 9292 . November 2014 Ferry Farm