Environmental Planning
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT
Client: The Bristol Port Company
Background: Landmark was commissioned to undertake an Environmental Impact Assessment and prepare information to inform an Appropriate Assessment under the Habitats Regulations for the proposed installation of three wind turbines at Avonmouth Docks. The scheme, which was designed to address Government targets for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, will provide combined generation sufficient to meet up to 75% of the Port’s electricity demand.
Description: The port operates immediately adjacent to the Severn Estuary, an internationally and nationally designated site of nature conservation value. In accordance with best practice, an initial assessment of alternative sites for the proposed development was carried out, taking into account environmental, technical and financial considerations. The application site selected from this process lies just to the north of the confluence of the River Avon with the Severn Estuary.
EIA scoping identified a wide variety of potentially significant environmental effects, including impacts on the local community, navigation, air safety and telecommunications, ecological and archaeological features. Landmark Environmental Planners managed the EIA consultant team, liaised with statutory and non-statutory consultees and drew up the environmental action plan required for deliver the development and for long term management and monitoring of the turbines. Intensive research was undertaken by our ecologists and landscape architects to establish predicted effects on the environment and to devise practical measures to avoid or reduce them.
Client Benefits : The iterative process that is the cornerstone of EIA, informed by close liaison with consultees, and careful drafting of measures to ensure implementation of mitigation strategies, provided clarity to the client and statutory authorities that renewable energy could be generated at Avonmouth Docks with negligible adverse impacts. The scheme is recognised as a market leader and planning permission was granted by Bristol City Council in December 2005 by unanimous committee decision.
