PEIR Non-Technical Summary Part3

Section 15: Chelsea Embankment Foreshore 15.8.
5 To mitigate the effect on the river wall, the structure would be recorded and photographed in line with accepted standards to form preservation by record. The desk-based study of the site suggests that no buried heritage assets of very high significance are anticipated that might merit a mitigation strategy of permanent preservation in situ. The adverse effects could be successfully mitigated by a suitable programme of archaeological investigation before and/or during construction, drawing on a range of techniques. This would include subsequent dissemination of the results and so achieve preservation by record. Effects on the historic environment arising from the operation of the Thames Tunnel infrastructure at Chelsea Embankment Foreshore, on assets including the Thames Conservation Area, the Chelsea Embankment, and the historic setting of the Chelsea and Ranelagh Gardens and nearby listed structures, will be assessed and presented in the Environmental Statement. Effects could also include effects on buried heritage assets in the foreshore from scouring due to changes in river flows due to new infrastructure in the channel. Any mitigation requirements for operational effects will also be presented.
15.8.6
15.9
15.9.1
Land quality
A search of historical and environmental data identified no potentially contaminative activities in the area. Previous ground investigations close to the site have recorded no significant soil or groundwater contamination. Part of the ongoing ground investigations includes the assessment of foreshore sediment contamination. Desk based surveys have identified a medium/high risk from unexploded ordnance. Preliminary assessment findings indicate that there may be a slight adverse effect on construction workers due to the potential for exposure to contaminated soils or other materials if they are present, although any exposure risk would be short-term. There would be a negligible effect on the built environment as it is considered unlikely that contaminants contained in subsurface materials would affect buried structures. This preliminary assessment therefore identified no need for mitigation during the construction phase although this will be clarified subject to further investigations and reported in the Environmental Statement. During operation there would be negligible effect on future users and the built environment. The assessment identified no need for mitigation during the operational phase.
15.9.2
15.9.3
15.10
15.10.1
Noise and vibration

A noise survey has been carried out around the site (Figure 15.7). The site is dominated by road traffic noise. The nearest locations to the site which are sensitive to noise and vibration are residential dwellings at Pavilion Court and Chelsea Gardens (to the east of the site) and at Embankment Gardens (to the west of the site). No significant noise or vibration effects as a result of construction activities are predicted. Also, no significant effects as a result of the operation of the site are predicted.
15.10.2
Preliminary environmental information report
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Non technical summary
Section 15: Chelsea Embankment Foreshore 15.10.3 During construction, the contractor would be required to follow best practice (as described in the Code of Construction Practice) at all times to reduce noise and vibration effects upon the local community for example through suitable siting of equipment on site. Beyond best practice measures it is anticipated that no additional mitigation would be required to address noise and vibration effects. Figure 15.7 Noise monitoring looking west along Chelsea Embankment
15.10.4
15.11
15.11.1
Socio-economics
The site comprises a stretch of pavement that forms part of the Thames Path and a national cycle route, and an area of foreshore on the River Thames. Residential dwellings and institutions (the Lister Hospital and Royal Chelsea Hospital), and two open spaces (Ranelagh Gardens and Royal Hospital Chelsea South Grounds) are located to the north of the site. The site and surrounding area is moderately well used for a range of purposes including walking, cycling, and passive recreation. During construction, there are considered to be minor adverse effects on the amenity of residents of nearby dwellings and institutions and users of the two open spaces. Disruption to sections of the Thames Path and national cycle route and amenity impacts on users of these routes are considered to have negligible effects. Once operational, there would be a minor beneficial effect resulting from the gain in publicly accessible space associated with the extension of the Thames Path into the foreshore.
15.11.2
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Section 15: Chelsea Embankment Foreshore 15.11.3 In completing the assessment, there is scope for further construction phase mitigation measures to be incorporated in the design with the aim of seeking to reduce significant adverse amenity effects which have been identified in this preliminary assessment. For the operational phase, there are not expected to be any socioeconomic effects at Chelsea Embankment which require mitigation.
15.11.4
15.12
15.12.1
Townscape and visual

The site is located within the Thames Conservation Area, on the foreshore of the River Thames adjacent to Chelsea Embankment, the Grade II registered Royal Hospital Chelsea South Grounds and Ranelagh Gardens. The surrounding townscape is dominated by the Royal Hospital Gardens on the north bank, and Battersea Park and Battersea Power Station on the south bank. Based on preliminary assessment findings, during construction the presence of cranes, the site cofferdam and the intensity of construction activity in a linear stretch of the river is anticipated to have a major adverse townscape effect on the site, River Thames Royal Hospital and Battersea Park Reach and Battersea Park Conservation Area. There is likely to be a moderate adverse townscape effect on the Ranelagh Gardens character area and the Royal Hospital Conservation Area. Once operational there would be moderate to major adverse townscape effects on the site and the River Thames Royal Hospital and Battersea Park Reach. Minor to moderate adverse townscape effects are anticipated on Battersea Park Conservation Area and the adjacent residential area. Due to a slight change in setting arising from the foreshore structure in the river there would be minor adverse effects on Chelsea Residential, the Royal Hospital Conservation Area Grounds and adjacent residential area. There would be a negligible to minor adverse effect on the River Thames Nine Elms Reach. Preliminary assessment findings indicate that in terms of visual amenity, during the construction phase there would be major adverse effects on views from Queenstown Road, Chelsea Bridge and the Royal Hospital. This is due to the visibility of construction activity, cranes and the cofferdam in a strong linear stretch of the river. There would be moderate adverse effects on views from West Road and the Royal Hospital Gardens. Due to background visibility of construction activity there would be minor adverse effects on views from Embankment Gardens and the Thames Path. Once operational there is likely to be a moderate adverse visual effect on the view from Chelsea Bridge and minor to moderate adverse effects on viewpoints from Queenstown Road, Chelsea Bridge and North Carriage Drive. This is due to visibility of the foreshore structure in the river and the above ground structures. At this stage of the assessment, there are expected to be minor adverse effects on views from Embankment Gardens, West Road and the Royal Hospital Gardens and negligible to minor adverse effects on views from the Thames Path due to background visibility of the protrusion into the river and above ground structures. The above levels of assessed significance are dependent on the final design and will be reported in the Environmental Statement.
15.12.2
15.12.3
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Section 15: Chelsea Embankment Foreshore 15.12.4 Mitigation measures to be employed during the construction phase are being incorporated into the proposals, for example, through the protection of trees. In terms of operation, a process of iterative design and assessment has been employed to reduce adverse effects and improve beneficial effects, which will continue until the design is finalised and be reported in the Environmental Statement.
15.13
15.13.1
Transport
The Chelsea Embankment site has moderate public transport accessibility with numerous bus routes within the local area. The closest London Underground station is Sloane Square, approximately 1km away. Vehicle access is proposed from the Chelsea Embankment (A3212) using a left in, left out access arrangement. During construction, the number of heavy goods vehicle movements would be comparatively low. Due to the location of the construction site it is considered likely to result in a moderate adverse effect on road network operation and delay. Effects on pedestrian and cyclist amenity and safety are expected to be moderate adverse due to footway closures and local diversions resulting in delays to journey time. A moderate adverse effect is expected on the operation of one bus service within the area, primarily as a consequence of the construction site layout proposals requiring a bus stop close to the site entrance to be relocated, and a negligible effect is expected on rail and river passenger services. During the operational phase there would be very occasional vehicle trips to and from the site for maintenance activities but these would have a negligible effect on the surrounding transport networks. The project is being designed to limit the effects on the transport networks as far as possible. At this location, mitigation measures during the construction phase are likely to be required and would take the form of the provision of safe crossing points for pedestrians and cyclists along the diversion routes on the north and south sides of the river and traffic signal optimisation to improved pedestrian crossing times and junction capacity. Mitigation is not required for the operational phase.
15.13.2
15.13.3
15.14
15.14.1
Water resources - ground water

The proposed shaft and connection tunnel would pass through the upper aquifer and into the lower aquifer. Associated interception infrastructure would penetrate the upper aquifer. The main receptors are the upper aquifer which is defined as being of medium value and the lower aquifer which is defined as being high value.
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Section 15: Chelsea Embankment Foreshore 15.14.2 Construction effects on the upper aquifer would be limited to physical obstruction to groundwater flow and the introduction of contaminants and creation of a pathway for pollution. Of these effects those on groundwater flow are anticipated to be negligible. The site contains low levels of contamination in groundwater and soil, this would be dealt with using a risk based approach and appropriate remediation ahead of construction. Construction effects on the lower aquifer would relate to dewatering which could impact groundwater resources and induce groundwater movement. The effect of dewatering in the lower aquifer is considered to be minor adverse on water resources but has the potential to have a major adverse effect on quality and requires further assessment and will be reported in the Environmental Statement. Once operational the potential effects would be obstruction to groundwater flow and the seepage to and from the shaft. These are considered to be negligible at this stage. Monitoring of groundwater levels and quality would continue throughout construction and operation.
15.14.3
15.14.4
15.15
15.15.1
Water resources surface water

The site is located in the River Thames foreshore within the Thames Middle waterbody, as classified under the Thames River Basin Management Plan. There is also the possibility for effects on the upstream Thames Upper waterbody, which has also been considered in the assessment. The Thames Upper and Middle waterbodies are currently classified under the Water Framework Directive as being at moderate potential status, with a status objective of good potential by 2027. The Battersea Park Local Nature Reserve is located within the vicinity of Chelsea Embankment and is water dependent. There is the potential for effects on surface water resources from the proposed construction works through surface water runoff and exposure of the drainage system to contaminants. After taking into account the measures incorporated into the design and Code of Construction Practice, such effects are expected to be manageable and not significant. No mitigation would therefore be required. There is also potential for the loss in river bed from the construction to change the river flows, which could lead to scour at the flood defences. The effects would be largely temporary during construction as some natural foreshore restoration would occur after temporary construction structures are removed. Some additional mitigation may be required for the effects of the permanent works within the foreshore. Any mitigation measures required will be identified in the Environmental Statement. Once operational the scheme would reduce the number of spills to a predicted level of two spills each year. This would have a beneficial effect on water quality. The number of risk days for river users being exposed to pathogens would be reduced by up to 100 days of risk of exposure annually. In addition, the tonnage of sewage derived litter arising from the Ranelagh combined sewer overflow can be expected to be reduced by from approximately 71 tonnes to 4 tonnes per year.
15.15.2
15.15.3
15.15.4
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Section 15: Chelsea Embankment Foreshore
15.16
15.16.1 15.16.2
Flood risk
Due to its location within the foreshore, the main source of flood risk to the site during construction and operation is the tidal River Thames. The site may also be at risk of surface water flooding in the future due to runoff generated from land to the north of the site. The presence of structures within the foreshore could impact flow within the River Thames and the works required to construct the tunnel beneath the site could potentially affect the local flood defences. Further studies are being completed to assess these potential impacts and will be reported in the Environmental Statement. To protect the site from flooding, defences would be constructed during both the construction and operational phases, which would provide a level of protection equal to the existing defences along the Chelsea Embankment. The effects of changes in scour and the way sediments are deposited would be reduced through good practice design of the temporary and permanent structures, which would also be designed to ensure stable tidal water flows.
15.16.3
15.17
15.17.1
Further information
Further information regarding preliminary assessment findings for Chelsea Embankment Foreshore can be found in Volume 16 of the Preliminary Environmental Information Report.
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Section 16: Kirtling Street
16 16.1
16.1.1
Kirtling Street Introduction

This section of the non-technical summary presents the preliminary environmental assessment for the Thames Tunnel proposal at Kirtling Street (Figure 16.1) At this site it is proposed that the main Thames Tunnel would be tunnelled east to Chambers Wharf and west to Carnwath Road Riverside, with access to the tunnel for construction machinery and workers provided via a shaft. In the following section a description of the existing site is given. This is followed by a description of the development proposed at this site. The environmental topics which have been assessed for this site are listed in the Assessment section. Preliminary assessment findings are then presented topic by topic.
16.1.2
16.1.3 16.1.4
16.2
16.2.1 16.2.2
Site context
The site is shown as site number 11 on Figure 28.1. The site is located within the London Borough of Wandsworth (Figure 16.1). It is also close to the London Borough of Lambeth and the City of Westminster. Figure 16.1 Kirtling Street site location
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Section 16: Kirtling Street 16.2.3 The site is located to the east of Battersea Power Station, in an area of mixed industrial, commercial and residential uses. The site lies partially within the southern foreshore of the River Thames, and is bounded by a waste transfer station to the west, Nine Elms Lane to the south and the Tideway Walk (Riverlight) development to the east. The site includes a mix of existing uses, including a concrete batching works, industrial warehouse, depot and office buildings. The site is indicated by the red line shown on Figure 16.2. Access to the site is from Nine Elms Lane or Battersea Park Road via Cringle Street and Kirtling Street. The Thames Path runs adjacent to and through the site. Figure 16.2 Aerial photograph of Kirtling Street*
16.2.4
*Note: The red line boundary is approximate in this image
16.3
16.3.1
Proposed development
The proposal is to use Kirtling Street as a site for tunnelling in two directions: east to Chambers Wharf and west to Carnwath Road. The site would be for tunnel construction and access purposes only and would not intercept any combined sewer overflows. In order to tunnel from Kirtling Street, access to the tunnel for construction machinery and workers would be provided via a shaft. The shaft would also provide access to the tunnel for maintenance purposes once operational. Construction works would last for approximately six years. Due to the space requirements of a tunnelling site, most of the buildings on the site would be demolished. A jetty would be constructed to allow barges to access the site.
16.3.2
16.3.3
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Section 16: Kirtling Street 16.3.4 The shaft would have an internal diameter of approximately 30m, and 48m deep. Once completed, it would provide access for tunnelling, with the remainder of the construction site used for storage of materials and equipment. A structure would be constructed over the shaft to minimise noise from tunnelling activity. The tunnel would have an internal diameter of 7.2m, constructed by a tunnel boring machine. The initial construction works at the site, including site set up and shaft construction, would take place from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday with some limited works beyond these hours. The tunnelling works would take place 24 hours a day. In order to manage and mitigate the effects on the environment during construction, a Code of Construction Practice has been drafted. This sets out measures to be adhered to during the construction works. Figure 16.3 shows an indicative plan of the construction works. Figure 16.3 Indicative plan of construction works for Kirtling Street
16.3.5 16.3.6
16.3.7
16.3.8
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Section 16: Kirtling Street 16.3.9 Once the works at this site have been built, a number of permanent features would remain (Figure 16.4). There would be an area provided to enable access into the shaft and the tunnel for inspection and maintenance purposes. Access for maintenance purposes would be required every three to six months. Once every ten years more substantial maintenance work would be required. The shaft would be finished at ground level, with covers to allow access and inspection. There would be a kiosk approximately 1.3m high housing control equipment, and there would be a ventilation column up to 5m high. Most of the time, air would be drawn into the tunnel via this column to ensure that the air within the main tunnel is continuously circulated. From time to time when the main tunnel is filling up air may be released from the tunnel, through below ground filters (to remove odours) and out through the ventilation column at Kirtling Street (and at other sites along the route of the tunnel). The area around the shaft would be finished with hardstanding to allow crane access to the covers on top of the shaft for maintenance purposes. Figure 16.4 Kirtling Street indicative plan built development
16.3.10 16.3.11
16.3.12
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16.4
16.4.1
Assessment
Based on the existing site and the works proposed, the following environmental topics have been included in the scope of this preliminary environmental assessment: a. Air quality and odour b. Ecology aquatic and terrestrial c. Historic environment d. Land quality e. Noise and vibration f. Socio-economics g. Townscape and visual h. Transport i. j. Water resources (ground and surface) Flood risk
16.4.2 16.4.3 16.4.4
In the following sections, information about the preliminary assessment of each of these topics is presented. In the following sections, information about the preliminary assessment of each of these topics is presented. As part of the assessment process, consideration has been given to known major developments that may change future environmental conditions. Kirtling Street includes a number of developments: the Battersea Power Station Redevelopment, which would include the demolition of the Grade II Battersea Pumping Station, and the Nine Elms Parkside mixed use redevelopment of the Royal Mail sorting office (if planning permission is granted) would be ongoing during the construction of Thames Tunnel. Development of the Tideway Walk (Riverlight) development and the American Embassy would be almost complete by the time Thames Tunnel construction starts. Redevelopment of the St James and Nine Elms Pier (if planning permission is granted) would be complete by the time construction starts. Further information on the topic specific methodology for conducting the assessment is given in section 4 of this non-technical summary.
16.4.5
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16.5
16.5.1
Air quality and odour

The Kirtling Street site is located within the London Borough of Wandsworth Air Quality Management Area. Local monitoring data indicates that there are currently exceedences of the air quality standards in the vicinity of the site. The nearest people who may be sensitive to the development are occupiers of nearby residential dwellings including the existing houseboats and proposed new residential developments adjacent to the site. There are also the occupiers of the offices along the riverside in Nine Elms Lane and commercial / industrial premises to the east, west and south of the site. Based on this preliminary assessment, it is considered that the overall effect on local air quality from construction road traffic, river barges and construction plant is likely to be minor adverse at the residential properties (existing and proposed) and negligible at the office, commercial and industrial premises. In term of construction dust, this is likely to have a minor adverse effect at the closest residential properties and office/commercial premises within 50m of the site boundary, and a negligible effect elsewhere, taking account of the dust control measures in the Code of Construction Practice. Preliminary assessment findings indicate that the effects of odours released from the ventilation structure is likely to be negligible. Based on this assessment, it is considered that mitigation measures are not required.
16.5.2
16.5.3 16.5.4
16.6
16.6.1
Ecology aquatic
The site extends into the designated River Thames and Tidal Tributaries Site of Metropolitan Importance (Figure 16.5). There is no marginal vegetation and relatively little intertidal habitat. The vertical river wall does not appear to support communities of macro or microalgae. The site has a relatively high diversity of freshwater and estuarine fish species. It supports mainly pollution-tolerant invertebrates. Construction effects would be managed in accordance with the Code of Construction Practice. With the Code in place and based on assessment findings at this stage, the loss and disturbance of river habitat would have a minor adverse effect on habitats. There would also be minor adverse effects on fish as a result of the loss of habitat, disturbance due to lighting of the river, death or disturbance from noise and vibration and effects from increased suspended sediment. All other effects on fish, mammals and invertebrates are considered to be negligible. There is no combined sewer overflow outfall discharge at this site, and so there would be no operational effects on aquatic ecology. Measures are included within the Code of Construction practice to manage construction effects on aquatic ecology, and no further mitigation during construction is considered to be possible as the extent of the works in the river have been reduced as far as practicable.
16.6.2
16.6.3 16.6.4
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Section 16: Kirtling Street Figure 16.5 Kirtling Street aquatic ecology survey site on the River Thames downstream from the Combined Sewer Overflow outfall.
16.7
16.7.1
Ecology terrestrial
The site comprises buildings, hardstanding, foreshore habitat, a small area of short perennial vegetation, spoil piles and introduced shrubs. The site has the potential to provide a foraging and commuting resource for bats, and a nesting and foraging resource for black redstarts and notable wintering birds. Invasive plants may also be present and these would be removed prior to construction where required. Surveys are ongoing will be reported in the Environmental Statement. Battersea Power Station Site of Importance to Nature Conservation, 20m to the east of the site is of local importance. No significant effects on designated sites are anticipated (aquatic ecology effects are considered in section 16.6). The loss of a small area of vegetation on site would have a site level adverse effect. Effects on bats, black redstarts and wintering birds will be assessed and reported in the Environmental Statement. Operational activity would be limited to occasional maintenance work, which is considered unlikely to have significant effects on terrestrial ecology. In addition to measures in the Code of Construction Practice, measures to address adverse effects during construction may include replacement of habitat plus species specific measures for wintering birds, black redstarts and bats may be required subject to survey results.
16.7.2
16.7.3
16.7.4
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16.8
16.8.1
Historic environment
The site does not contain any nationally designated heritage assets. The closest statutorily listed buildings to the site comprise the Grade II* listed Battersea Power Station, approximately 160m to the west (an asset of very high asset significance), and the Grade II listed mid-19th century Battersea water pumping station approximately 100m to the west (of high heritage asset significance). The site is occupied by industrial units and yards, including late 19th century/early 20th century buildings of medium heritage asset significance (Figure 16.6). The northern part of the site is located on the southern foreshore of the Thames and includes a pier structure dating to the 1950s. The site is located within a locally designated Archaeological Priority Area and the main potential in terms of buried heritage is for palaeoenvironmental remains e.g. organic remains such as pollens or plant fossils, of low or medium heritage asset significance, and for the remains of post-medieval 19th century docks and a lead works (of low or medium heritage asset significance). There is also a moderate to high potential for prehistoric remains and for Saxon fish traps, of medium or high heritage asset significance, and moderate potential for isolated, redeposited prehistoric remains of low asset significance. Based on preliminary assessment findings, demolition of late 19th/early 20th century buildings are likely to give rise to a moderate adverse effect. Construction works would entail deep excavations which would entirely remove the predicted assets within the footprint of each excavation. If such assets were present, this would comprise a high magnitude of impact and lead to a minor adverse effect on palaeoenvironmental remains and prehistoric artefacts, a minor or moderate adverse effect for post-medieval remains, and a moderate or major adverse effect on prehistoric settlement evidence and Saxon fish traps. Figure 16.6 View from Battersea Power Station looking east towards area of Kirtling Street site
16.8.2
16.8.3
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Section 16: Kirtling Street 16.8.4 To mitigate the effect on the buildings to be demolished, the structures would be recorded and photographed in line with accepted standards to form preservation by record. The desk-based study of the site suggests that no heritage assets of very high significance are anticipated that might merit a mitigation strategy of permanent preservation in situ. The adverse effects could be successfully mitigated by a suitable programme of archaeological investigation before and/or during construction, drawing on a range of techniques. This would include subsequent dissemination of the results and so achieve preservation by record. Effects on the historic environment arising from the operation of the Thames Tunnel infrastructure at Kirtling Street will be assessed and presented in the Environmental Statement. Effects could include effects on the historic setting of above ground heritage assets, and effects on buried heritage assets in the foreshore from scouring due to changes in river flows due to new infrastructure in the channel. Any mitigation requirements for operational effects will also be assessed and reported in the Environmental Statement.
16.8.5
16.9
16.9.1
Land quality
A search of historical and environmental data has identified contaminative on site uses, notably two paint and colour works, various other engineering works, depots and a concrete batching works. Historical information has identified numerous industrial and commercial activities including Battersea Power station and a sizable gas works immediately to the south. Historic industrial activities both on and adjacent to the site may have, to some degree, impacted the soils beneath the site. This is supported by previous ground investigations close to the site which have recorded localised soil and groundwater contamination. Desk based surveys have identified a medium-high risk from unexploded ordnance. There may be a slight adverse effect on construction workers due to the potential for exposure to contaminated soils or other materials if they are present, although any exposure risk would be short-term. Preliminary assessment findings indicate that is likely to be a negligible effect on the built environment as it is considered unlikely that contaminants contained in subsurface materials would affect buried structures. Based on the preliminary assessment findings, mitigation measures during the construction phase are not considered necessary. During operation there would be negligible effect on future users and the built environment. The assessment identified no need for mitigation during the operation phase.
16.9.2
16.9.3
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16.10
16.10.1
Noise and vibration

The site is dominated by traffic noise and noise from industrial units in the area. The nearest locations to the site which are sensitive to noise and vibration are the houseboats moored directly to the north and north east of the site and residential properties at Elm Quay. Preliminary assessment findings indicate that significant noise effects arising from construction activities are predicted at residential properties at Shelley House, River Lodge, Tideway Wharf (proposed development), Elm Quay and the houseboats at Nine Elms Pier. Significant vibration effects are predicted at residential properties at Tideway Wharf (proposed development). No significant effects as a result of the operation of the site are predicted. During construction activities, the contractor would be required to follow best practice (as described in the Code of Construction Practice) at all times to reduce noise and vibration effects on the local community for example through suitable siting of equipment on site. Beyond best practice measures it is anticipated that additional mitigation would be required to address significant noise effects. This could include the use of increased hoarding heights, localised screens and enclosures to reduce noise from particularly noisy, static operations. The next stage of the assessment will profile the variation in construction noise levels across the programme of work with the aim of refining mitigation design and seeking to reduce the significant effects of construction noise and vibration. Further details of mitigation measures will be provided in the Environmental Statement including the significance of residual effects once mitigation has been taken into account.
16.10.2
16.10.3
16.10.4
16.10.5
16.11
16.11.1
Socio-economics
The site comprises land accommodating a mix of vacant and occupied industrial premises, an office complex (Brooks Court) and a stretch of pavement that forms part of the Thames Path (which would be diverted as a consequence of other developments). Commercial and industrial uses surround the site. House boasts are moored to the north of the site (Figure 16.7). The Tideway Walk development is located to the east. The Thames Path is lightly used for walking and cycling. During construction, there are considered to be moderate adverse amenity effects on some nearby residents and moderate adverse effects arising from the displacement of the businesses at Brooks Court. There are also considered to be moderate or major adverse effects on the concrete batching works depending on the degree to which the proposed construction activity has an effect on the continued operation of the works. Amenity impacts on users of the Thames Path are considered to result in a negligible effect. In completing the assessment, there is scope for further construction phase mitigation measures to be incorporated in the design with the aim of seeking to reduce significant adverse amenity effects which have been identified in this preliminary assessment.
16.11.2
16.11.3
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Section 16: Kirtling Street Figure 16.7 House boats moored at Tideway Wharf
16.12
16.12.1

The site is located to the north of Nine Elms Lane and comprises a mix of industrial and commercial premises in a poor condition (Figure 16.8). The surrounding townscape is dominated by industrial and commercial land use which is undergoing transformation into mixed use developments. Preliminary assessment findings indicate that during the construction phase, the demolition of buildings and use of cofferdams is likely to have a moderate adverse townscape effect on the character of the site and a minor adverse townscape effect on the character of the surrounding area. Once the scheme is operational there are likely to be minor beneficial townscape effects on the character of the site and surrounding area due to the clearance of buildings and the creation of public access on the riverfront. In terms of visual amenity, during the construction phase there are likely to be moderate adverse effects on some views including from Grosvenor Road and Nine Elms Lane. There would be minor adverse visual effects from locations including Grosvenor Road and Vauxhall Bridge due to the intensity of construction activity, and the presence of cranes and river traffic. Once operational, due to the visibility of cleared buildings and the publicly accessible waterfront there would be moderate beneficial effects on views from Grosvenor Road, the Thames Path and Nine Elms Lane.
16.12.2
16.12.3
Figure 16.8 View south west from residences along Nine Elms Lane
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Section 16: Kirtling Street 16.12.4 Mitigation measures to be employed during the construction phase are being incorporated into the proposals, for example, through use of capped and directional lighting when required. In terms of operation, a process of iterative design and assessment has been employed to reduce adverse effects and maximise beneficial effects. It is likely that there would be no significant adverse effects during operation and therefore no further mitigation is proposed.
16.13
16.13.1
Transport
The Kirtling Street site has moderate public transport accessibility with local bus stops serving Marylebone Station, Waterloo Station, Vauxhall Bus Station and Clapham Junction Station. Vauxhall Underground and bus stations are located 1.1km from the site. The site is on the north side of Nine Elms Lane and construction vehicle access is proposed via Vauxhall Cross in the east and Battersea Park Road in the west with site accesses located on Cringle Street and Kirtling Street (Figure 16.9). Figure 16.9 Battersea Park Road
16.13.2
As with all main tunnel drive sites, it is assumed that 90% of excavated material would be transported by barge and all other materials would be transported by road. During construction, the number of heavy goods vehicle movements would be comparatively high. The nature of the construction site layout at this location means that junction modifications and traffic diversions would be required which is considered likely to result in a moderate adverse effect on road network operation and delay. Effects on pedestrian and cyclist amenity and safety are expected to be moderate adverse due to the loss of footways and local diversions which would increase journey times. A minor adverse effect is expected on bus services and commercial use of the river by neighbouring businesses and there would be a negligible effect on rail services. During the operational phase there would be very
16.13.3
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Section 16: Kirtling Street occasional vehicle trips to and from the site for maintenance activities but these would have a negligible effect on the surrounding transport networks. 16.13.4 The project is being designed to limit the effects on the transport networks as far as possible. At this location, mitigation measures during the construction phase are likely to be required and would involve the provision of safe crossing points for pedestrians and traffic signal optimisation to improve pedestrian crossing times and junction capacity. Mitigation is not required for the operational phase.
16.14
16.14.1

The proposed shaft would pass through the upper aquifer and penetrate the top of the lower aquifer beneath. Associated interception infrastructure would sit in the upper aquifer. The main receptors are the upper aquifer defined as being of medium value, the lower aquifer defined as being of high value and the nearby public abstractions, is defined as being of very high value. Construction effects on the upper aquifer would be limited to physical obstruction to groundwater flow and this is anticipated to be negligible. The site contains low levels of contamination in groundwater, this would be dealt with using a risk based approach and appropriate remediation ahead of construction. No soil contamination has been identified. Dewatering of the lower aquifer during construction would impact groundwater availability and could induce groundwater movement. This effect is subject to further assessment and is yet to be quantified but has the potential to result in significant adverse effects. Once operational the potential effects would be obstruction to groundwater flow and the seepage to and from the shaft. These effects are considered to be negligible at this stage. Monitoring of groundwater levels and quality would continue throughout construction and operation.
16.14.2
16.14.3
16.14.4
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16.15
16.15.1

Part of the construction site is located in the River Thames foreshore within the Thames Middle waterbody, as classified under the Thames River Basin Management Plan. There is also the possibility for effects on the upstream Thames Upper waterbody, which has also been considered in the assessment. The Thames Upper and Middle waterbodies are currently classified under the Water Framework Directive as being at moderate potential status, with a status objective of good potential by 2027. Battersea Park Local Nature Reserve is located within 2 kilometres of the site and is water dependent. There is the potential for effects on surface water resources from the proposed construction works through surface water runoff and exposure of the drainage system to contaminants. After taking into account the measures incorporated into the design and code of construction practice, such effects are expected to be manageable and not significant. No mitigation would therefore be required. There is also potential for the loss in river bed from the construction to change the river flows, which could lead to scour at the flood defences. The effects would be largely temporary during construction as some natural foreshore restoration would occur after temporary construction structures are removed. Any mitigation that is required will be identified in the Environmental Statement.
16.15.2
16.15.3
16.16
16.16.1
Flood risk
The main source of flood risk to the site is the tidal River Thames and the site is located within the high probability flood zone, although it is protected by flood defences which run along the river bank. The site may be at risk of localised surface water flooding due to runoff generated by land to the south of the site. The presence of structures within the foreshore could impact flow within the River Thames and the works required to construct the tunnel could affect the local flood defences, and further studies are being completed to assess potential impacts. The existing level of protection afforded by the defences would be maintained. The effects of changes in scour and deposition as a result of the temporary structures in the river would be reduced through good practice design. No changes are proposed to the percentage of hard standing on the site and this area would continue to be served by the local drainage system.
16.16.2
16.16.3
16.17
16.17.1
Further information
Further information regarding preliminary assessment findings for Kirtling Street can be found in Volume 17 of the Preliminary Environmental Information Report.
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Section 17: Heathwall Pumping Station
17 17.1
17.1.1
Heathwall Pumping Station Introduction

This section of the non-technical summary presents the preliminary environmental assessment for the Thames Tunnel project at Heathwall Pumping Station. At this site it is proposed that the existing Heathwall Pumping Station combined sewer overflow and the South West Storm Relief combined sewer overflow would be linked to the proposed Thames Tunnel through a drop shaft. The two combined sewer overflows together currently discharge approximately 46 times a year at approximately 882,800m3 per year. 227,900m3 from the South West Storm Relief and 654,900m3 per year from Heathwall Pumping Station, 12 and 34 times respectively. In the following section a description of the existing site is given. This is followed by a description of the development proposed at this site. The environmental topics which have been assessed for this site are listed in the Assessment section (17.4). Preliminary assessment findings are then presented topic by topic.
17.1.2
17.1.3 17.1.4
17.2
17.2.1 17.2.2
Site context
The site is shown as site number 12 on Figure 28.1. The site is located within the London Borough of Wandsworth (Figure 17.1). It is also close to the London Borough of Lambeth, to the east, and the City of Westminster, opposite the river. Figure 17.1 Heathwall Pumping Station site location
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Section 17: Heathwall Pumping Station 17.2.3 The site is located in Thames Waters Heathwall Pumping Station and adjacent Middle Wharf, which is a safeguarded wharf by the River Thames and was formerly occupied by a concrete batching works. Approximately 0.9 hectares is required for the temporary construction works. This is indicated by the red line shown on Figure 17.1. The area of land required for the permanent works would be substantially smaller than that required for construction. The site is bounded to the north by the River Thames, to the south by Nine Elms Lane, the west by the Tideway Industrial estate (now a redevelopment site) and to the east by open space. Access to the site is from Nine Elms Lane. The Thames Path Public Right of Way runs around the site along its southern boundary before re-joining the Thames. Figure 17.2 Aerial photograph of Heathwall Pumping Station*
17.2.4
17.2.5
*Note: The red line boundary is approximate in this image. Part of the neighbouring Kirtling site is also shown at the bottom of the photo
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17.3
17.3.1
The proposal is to intercept two existing combined sewer overflows. With the Thames Tunnel in place, instead of untreated sewage discharging at current volumes directly into the River Thames, flows would be diverted into the proposed Thames Tunnel. For a typical year, this would reduce combined flows from the combined sewer overflows at this site to an average of approximately 66,400m3 in five overflow events a year. In order for this interception to be achieved, construction works at this site would take approximately three years. The boundary wall between the Thames Water compound and Middle Wharf would be demolished and the Middle Wharf site levelled. Interception of the existing outfalls would require the river wall to be permanently realigned and a temporary dry construction working area would be constructed through the foreshore in front of Heathwall Pumping Station, using a cofferdam structure. A shaft with an internal diameter of approximately 16m and approximately 46m deep would be constructed in Middle Wharf. From the base of this shaft there would be a short underground connection tunnel which would join up with the main tunnel. Through two separate interception chambers (one intercepting each overflow), flows would be diverted down the shaft and into the connection tunnel and then into the main tunnel, located deep underneath the River Thames. The interception chamber for the Heathwall Pumping Station overflow would be located within the realigned river wall in what is currently foreshore. The South West Storm Relief would be intercepted onshore to the west of the shaft. For engineering purposes, the Heathwall interception chamber would have an intermediate shaft which would then feed into the main shaft via an underground culvert. Most of the construction work would take place from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. Limited works may be required beyond these hours may be required. In order to manage and mitigate effects on the environment during construction, a Code of Construction Practice has been drafted. This sets out measures to be adhered to during the construction works. Figure 17.3 shows an indicative plan of the construction works.
17.3.2 17.3.3
17.3.4
17.3.5
17.3.6
17.3.7
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Section 17: Heathwall Pumping Station Figure 17.3 Indicative plan of construction works for Heathwall Pumping Station
17.3.8
Once the works at this site have been built, a number of permanent features would remain (Figure 17.4). There would be a permanent area of new land created within the foreshore and there would be an area provided to enable access into the shaft and the tunnel for inspection and maintenance purposes. Access for maintenance purposes would be required every three to six months. Once every ten years more substantial maintenance work would be required. The line of the existing river wall would be built out around a new raised structure in the foreshore in front of Heathwall Pumping Station, which would form a new area of public realm. The Thames Path would be rerouted along the riverside through Middle Wharf and in front of Heathwall Pumping Station. The shaft in Middle Wharf would be finished off at existing ground level and there would be covers on the top of the shaft to allow access for inspection and maintenance. The interception chamber for the South West Storm relief would be finished off at approximately 0.8 metres above the existing ground level, with covers for access. The other interception chamber would be raised above ground level to ensure it would not be at risk of flooding. Two ventilation columns, approximately 4m high, would be located close to the shaft in Middle Wharf. Most of the time, air would be drawn into the tunnel via these columns to ensure that the air within the main tunnel is continuously circulated. From time to time when the main tunnel is filling
17.3.9
17.3.10
17.3.11
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Section 17: Heathwall Pumping Station up, air may be expelled via filters and out through the ventilation columns at Heathwall Pumping Station (and at other sites along the route of the tunnel). 17.3.12 Three ventilation columns, approximately 5m high, would be positioned on the river structure above the Heathwall interception chamber to vent different sections of the chamber. All control equipment would be housed inside the existing Heathwall Pumping Station building.
17.3.13
Figure 17.4 Heathwall Pumping Station indicative plan of built development
17.4
17.4.1
Assessment
Based on the existing site and the works proposed, the following environmental topics have been included in the scope of this preliminary environmental assessment: a. Air quality and odour b. Ecology aquatic and terrestrial c. Historic environment d. Land quality e. Noise and vibration f. Socio-economics g. Townscape and visual h. Transport
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Section 17: Heathwall Pumping Station i. j. 17.4.2 17.4.3 Water resources (ground and surface) Flood risk
In the following sections, information about the preliminary assessment of each of these topics is presented. As part of the assessment process, consideration has been given to known major developments that may change future environmental conditions. The site is located within an area of regeneration, and there are several known developments either underway or which would be under construction or complete by the time Thames Tunnel construction at this site commences. Developments include the Battersea Power Station redevelopment, development of Tideway Walk, the American Embassy, a redevelopment of Nine Elms Pier, and the Nine Elms Parkside mixed use redevelopment of the Royal Mail sorting office. Further information on the topic specific methodology for conducting the assessment is given in section 4 of this non-technical summary.
17.4.4
17.5
17.5.1

The Heathwall Pumping Station site is located within the London Borough of Wandsworth Air Quality Management Area. Local monitoring data indicates there are currently exceedences of air quality standards in the vicinity of the site. The nearest people who may be sensitive to the development are occupiers of residential dwellings, the nearest of which are the houseboats moored close to the site as well as the future dwellings in the new Tideway Walk and Nine Elms Parkside developments, all adjacent to the site. There are also occupiers of offices along the riverside in Nine Elms Lane and to the south of the site and the industrial premises to the west of the site who may be sensitive to the development. Based on this preliminary assessment, it is considered that the overall effect on local air quality from construction road traffic, river barges and construction plant is likely to be minor adverse at the residential properties (existing and proposed) and negligible at the commercial and industrial premises. In terms of construction dust, this is likely to have a minor adverse effect on residential dwellings within 10m of the site and a negligible effect elsewhere, taking account of the dust control measures in the Code of Construction Practice. Preliminary assessment findings indicate that the effects of odour from air released from the ventilation column, which might occur from time to time when the tunnel is filling, is likely to be negligible. Based on this assessment, it is considered that mitigation measures are not required.
17.5.2
17.5.3
17.5.4
17.6
17.6.1
Ecology aquatic
The site is located within the designated River Thames and Tidal Tributaries Site of Metropolitan Importance. There is a large area of gravel foreshore exposed at low tide, which is underlain mostly by pebbles. There is a vertical river wall. The site is of medium value for fish species (Figure
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Section 17: Heathwall Pumping Station 17.5), but has limited pollution-tolerant invertebrate diversity of low to medium value. 17.6.2 Construction effects would be managed in accordance with the Code of Construction Practice. With the Code in place and based on assessment findings at this stage, it is anticipated that during construction the loss and disturbance of river habitat would have minor adverse effects. The loss of habitat for fish, because of disturbance and compaction, is also considered to be a minor adverse effect. All other construction effects on mammals, fish and invertebrates would be negligible. It is anticipated that during operation, the permanent loss of habitat would be a minor adverse effect. The reduction in nutrient levels entering the river would have a moderate beneficial effect on fish through reduced mortality. Increased diversity and abundance of invertebrates would be a minor beneficial effect. In the longer term of operation an increased distribution of pollution-sensitive fish would be a moderate beneficial effect and there would be a minor beneficial effect through an increased distribution of invertebrates. Effects on mammals would be negligible. The presence of structures, both during construction and operation, within the river may have an effect on migrating fish through altered river flows. This will be assessed and reported in the Environmental Statement. No measures beyond those identified in the Code of Construction Practice are viable for the construction phase as the extent of the physical works in the river have been reduced as far as practicable. For the operational phase consideration will be given to compensation for the loss of habitat, for example through habitat creation elsewhere, and reported in the Environmental Statement. Figure 17.5 A single European perch found at a survey site approximately 1km downstream from Heathwall Pumping Station
17.6.3
17.6.4
17.6.5
17.7
17.7.1
Ecology terrestrial
The site mainly comprises buildings and hardstanding with foreshore habitat and trees adjacent to the site. The foreshore has potential for
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Section 17: Heathwall Pumping Station foraging and resting wintering birds, and foraging and commuting bats, while there is potential for nesting black redstart on the buildings. Surveys are ongoing and will be reported in the Environmental Statement. 17.7.2 Based on preliminary assessment findings, no significant effects on designated sites are anticipated during construction (aquatic ecology effects are considered in section 17.6). The effects on bats, black redstart and wintering birds will be assessed and reported in the Environmental Statement. It is anticipated that operational activity would be limited to occasional maintenance works, which are considered unlikely to have significant effects on terrestrial ecology. In addition to measures in the Code of Construction Practice, measures to address adverse effects during construction are likely to include replacement of habitat. In addition species specific measures for wintering birds, black redstarts and bats may be required subject to survey results. This will be reported in the Environmental Statement.
17.7.3
17.7.4
17.8
17.8.1
The site does not contain any nationally designated heritage assets, nor are there any in the immediate vicinity. The site has no historic value in terms of above ground structures. The site is located within a locally designated Archaeological Priority Area and the main potential in terms of buried heritage is for palaeoenvironmental remains (e.g. organic remains, such as pollens or plant fossils) and remains of post-medieval 18th19th industrial buildings and docks, which would be of low or medium heritage asset significance. There is also a moderate to high potential for prehistoric remains and for Saxon fish traps, of medium or high heritage asset significance. Construction works would entail deep excavations which would entirely remove any assets within the footprint of each excavation. If such assets were present, this would comprise a high magnitude of impact and would give rise to a minor adverse effect on palaeoenvironmental and prehistoric remains, a minor or moderate adverse effect for post-medieval remains, and a moderate or major adverse effect for prehistoric settlement evidence and Saxon fish traps. The desk-based study of the site suggests that no heritage assets of very high significance are anticipated that might merit a mitigation strategy of permanent preservation in situ. The adverse effects could be successfully mitigated by a suitable programme of archaeological investigation before and/or during construction, drawing on a range of techniques. This would include subsequent dissemination of the results and so achieve preservation by record.
17.8.2
17.8.3
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Section 17: Heathwall Pumping Station 17.8.4 Effects on the historic environment arising from the operation of the Thames Tunnel infrastructure at Heathwall Pumping Station, will be assessed and presented in the Environmental Statement. Effects could include effects on the historic setting of above ground heritage assets and effects on buried heritage assets in the foreshore from scouring due to changes in river flows due to new infrastructure in the channel. Any mitigation requirements for operational effects will also be presented in the Environmental Statement.
17.9
17.9.1
Land quality
A search of historical and environmental data indicates contaminative on site uses including an unidentified industrial works and the presence of a tank with unknown contents. In addition to the Heathwall Pumping Station, the site also comprises a wharf and jetty. The wharf at Heathwall is Middle Wharf and was formerly a concrete batching works but since being purchased by Thames Water has been cleared. It is still though, a designated safeguarded wharf. A waste transfer station at Cringle Dock is located 350m to the west. Historically the surrounding area has been, and still is, predominantly industrial with pockets of commercial properties. Notably, there was an extensive gas works located approximately 25m south of the site. Historic industrial activities both on and adjacent to the site could have affected the soils beneath the site. Although previous ground investigations do not show the presence of significant soil or groundwater contamination at the site. Some contamination of groundwater has been identified to the west (near Kirtling Street). Desk based surveys have identified a medium to high risk from unexploded ordnance. Based on preliminary assessment findings, there could be a slight adverse effect on construction workers due to the potential for exposure to contaminated soils or other materials, although any exposure risk would be short-term limited to the construction period. There would be a negligible effect on built structures within or close to the site, such as the existing Pumping Station, as it is considered unlikely that contaminants contained in subsurface materials would affect buried structures. During operation there would be a negligible effect on future users and on built structures, including the new Thames Tunnel infrastructure from contamination. Therefore no mitigation is proposed during the construction or operational phases.
17.9.2
17.9.3
17.9.4
17.9.5
17.10
17.10.1
Noise and vibration

The site is subject to distant road traffic noise along Nine Elms Lane to the south. The nearest locations to the site which are sensitive to noise and vibration are Elm Quay, an apartment complex to the east, the proposed Tideway Wharf residential units to the west and residential houseboats to the north west.
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Section 17: Heathwall Pumping Station 17.10.2 Based on preliminary assessment findings, significant noise effects arising from construction activities are predicted at residential properties at Elm Quay and Tideway Wharf (proposed development). No significant effects from vibration during construction of the site are predicted. During construction, the contractor would be required to follow best practice (as described in the Code of Construction Practice) at all times to reduce noise and vibration effects upon the local community, for example, through suitable siting of equipment on site. To address the significant noise effects predicted at this site, further measures might include the use of localised screens and enclosures to reduce noise from particularly noisy, static operations. The next stage of the assessment will profile the variation in construction noise levels across the programme of work with the aim of refining mitigation design and seeking to reduce the significant effects of construction noise and vibration. Further details of mitigation measures will be provided in the Environmental Statement including the significance of residual effects once mitigation has been taken into account. There would be no significant effects from noise or vibration during operation.
17.10.3
17.10.4
17.10.5
17.11
17.11.1 17.11.2
Socio-economics
The Thames Path, open space and residential properties surround the site (Figure 17.5) and are used for walking, cycling, and passive recreation. During construction there would be moderate adverse effects on the amenity of nearby residents. Amenity impacts on users of the Thames Path and open space would result in negligible effects. Once operational, there would be a minor beneficial effect resulting from the gain in publicly accessible space associated with the re-routing of the Thames Path and creation of a new area of public realm adjacent to the path in the foreshore. In completing the assessment, there is scope for further construction phase mitigation measures to be incorporated in the design with the aim of seeking to reduce significant adverse amenity effects which have been identified in this preliminary assessment. No mitigation is required for operational effects on socio-economics.
17.11.3
17.11.4
17.11.5
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Section 17: Heathwall Pumping Station Figure 17.6 View looking west to Heathwall Pumping Station, the house boats at Nine Elms Pier and Battersea Power Station in the background
17.12
17.12.1

The townscape within the site is poor with good potential for enhancement. Townscape components within the site include a complex of cabins, a stretch of river wall, a jetty, and an electrical substation. The surrounding townscape of the south bank of the river is dominated by industrial and commercial buildings, undergoing transformation into residential-led mixed use schemes. In contrast the north bank is generally made up of established residential areas. At this stage of the assessment, it is considered that the intensity of construction activity and the presence of the cofferdam (the structure required to create a dry working area in the foreshore) would have a moderate adverse effect on the character of the site and a minor adverse effect on four character areas, including the River Thames Nine Elms Reach, St. Georges Wharf and Pimlico Residential, opposite the river. Once operational, preliminary assessment findings indicate minor beneficial townscape effects including The River Thames Nine Elms Reach, Battersea Industrial and Pimlico Residential, and a negligible to minor beneficial effect on the character of the site itself due to the creation of riverside public realm and the screening of some existing structures. In terms of visual amenity, during the construction phase preliminary assessment findings indicate minor adverse effects on viewpoints, including views from Grosvenor Road, Vauxhall Bridge and the Thames Path due to the visibility of the cofferdam, cranes and construction activity. Once operational, there would be a minor beneficial visual effect on four viewpoints due to the integrated design of the new river wall and above ground structures, the high quality public realm area proposed, and the screening of the existing pumping station.
17.12.2
17.12.3
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Section 17: Heathwall Pumping Station 17.12.4 Mitigation measures to be employed during the construction phase are being incorporated into the proposals, for example, through use of capped and directional lighting when required. In terms of operation, a process of iterative design and assessment has been employed to reduce adverse effects and maximise beneficial effects. It is likely that there would be beneficial effects during operation and therefore no mitigation is required.
17.13
17.13.1
Transport
The Heathwall Pumping Station site has moderate public transport accessibility, being located within close proximity of local bus stops along Nine Elms Lane, and Vauxhall Underground, Rail and bus station just over 1km from the site. The site is on the north side of Nine Elms Lane from which there would be two site access points. During construction, the number of heavy goods vehicle movements would be comparatively low. However, construction activity is considered likely to result in a minor adverse effect on road network operation and delay. Effects on pedestrian and cyclist amenity and safety are considered to be minor adverse and a negligible effect is expected on public transport and river passenger services. During the operational phase there would be very occasional vehicle trips to and from the site for maintenance activities and these would have a negligible effect on the surrounding transport networks. The project is being designed to limit the effects on the transport networks as far as possible. At this location, mitigation measures would be required during the construction phase which would involve providing safe crossing points for pedestrians and undertaking a safety audit of the site access points. Mitigation is not required for the operational phase.
17.13.2
17.13.3
17.14
17.14.1

The shaft and connection tunnel would pass through the upper aquifer, which is of medium value, through the underlying London Clay (which is not an aquifer) and into the top of the lower chalk aquifer beneath, which is of high value. Associated interception infrastructure would sit in the upper aquifer and extend into the London Clay. There are a number of nearby public abstractions, which are of very high value. Construction and operational effects on the upper aquifer would be limited to physical obstruction to groundwater flow. This is anticipated to have a negligible. Dewatering of the lower aquifer during construction could impact on groundwater availability and induce groundwater movement. This is subject to further assessment and will be reported in the Environmental Statement. Monitoring of groundwater levels and quality would be undertaken during construction.
17.14.2
17.14.3
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17.15
17.15.1

The site is partially located within the River Thames foreshore. The River Thames at this point is classified as being of moderate quality status, with a status objective of good by 2027. Battersea Park Local Nature Reserve is located within 2km of the site and is water dependent. Construction effects would be controlled via the Code of Construction Practice. With this in place it is anticipated that effects on water resources from surface water runoff and contaminants entering the drainage system would not be significant. No further mitigation would therefore be required to address effects on surface water quality. There is also potential for changes in river flows due to the presence of structures in the foreshore. This could lead to scour of the flood defences. Once the temporary cofferdam is removed, some natural foreshore restoration would occur, thus reducing the degree of scour. Studies on this effect are underway and the need for mitigation during construction and operation will be considered and reported in the Environmental Statement. Once operational, the scheme would reduce the number of discharges from the Southwest Storm Relief Sewer combined sewer overflow to a predicted level of one spill per year once the tunnel is in place. The scheme would also reduce the number of discharges from the Heathwall Pumping Station combined sewer overflow to a predicted level of approximately 66,400m3 in five spills a year once the tunnel is in place. This reduction would have a beneficial effect on water quality. The number of risk days for river users being exposed to pathogens would be reduced by up to 164 days per year. In addition, the tonnage of sewage derived litter could be expected to be reduced from 200 tonnes to 16 tonnes per year.
17.15.2
17.15.3
17.15.4
17.15.5
17.16
17.16.1
Flood risk
The main source of flood risk to site is from the tidal River Thames. The part of the site located within the foreshore is designated as the functional floodplain' which currently floods twice a day with the rising tide. The eastern part of the site is located within the high probability flood zone, although it is protected by existing flood defences. The eastern part of the site may also be at risk from localised surface water flooding due to runoff generated by the land to the south of the site. The presence of structures within the foreshore could impact on flows within the River Thames and the works required to construct the tunnel beneath the site have the potential to affect local flood defences. Further studies are being completed to assess these potential effects.
17.16.2 17.16.3
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Section 17: Heathwall Pumping Station 17.16.4 In order to protect the site from flooding, defences would be constructed during both the construction and operational phases to provide a level of protection equal to the existing defences along the river frontage. The effects of changes in scour and deposition as a result of the construction of the foreshore structure would be reduced through careful design of this structure.
17.17
17.17.1
Further information
Further information regarding preliminary assessment findings for Heathwall Pumping Station can be found in Volume 18 of the Preliminary Environmental Information Report.
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Section 18: Albert Embankment Foreshore
18 18.1
18.1.1
Albert Embankment Foreshore Introduction

This section of the non-technical summary presents the preliminary environmental assessment for the Thames Tunnel proposal at Albert Embankment Foreshore. At this site it is proposed that the existing Brixton and Clapham Storm Relief sewers would be linked to the proposed Thames Tunnel through a shaft and an underground connection tunnel. Currently, the existing combined sewer overflows discharges approximately 33 times a year. The total volume of this discharge is approximately 277,300m3 each year. In the following section a description of the existing site is given. This is followed by a description of the development proposed at this site. The environmental topics which have been assessed for this site are listed in the Assessment section. Preliminary assessment findings are then presented topic by topic.
18.1.2
18.1.3 18.1.4
18.2
18.2.1 18.2.2
Site context
The site is shown as site number 13 Figure 28.1. The site is located within the London Borough of Lambeth (Figure 18.1). It is also close to the London Borough of Wandsworth. Figure 18.1 Albert Embankment Foreshore site location
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Section 18: Albert Embankment Foreshore 18.2.3 The site is located on the foreshore of the River Thames and includes sections of the riverside footpath of Albert Embankment, and Lacks Dock which is a slipway used by a tour operator to launch amphibious vehicles. Approximately two hectares is required for both the temporary construction works as well as the permanent works. This is indicated by the red line shown on Figure 18.2. Vehicular access to the site would be off Albert Embankment (A3036) onto an access road leading to Lacks Dock slipway. The Thames Path is a public right of way and runs along the river bank and through the site. The east of the site is bordered by commercial office buildings and the west is bordered by the River Thames. Residential buildings are located north and south of the site. Figure 18.2 Aerial photograph of Albert Embankment Foreshore*
18.2.4
18.2.5
18.3
18.3.1
The proposal is to intercept the two existing combined sewer overflows. With the Thames Tunnel in place, instead of untreated sewage discharging at current volumes directly into the River Thames, flows would be diverted into the proposed Thames Tunnel. For a typical year, this would reduce discharges from the Clapham Storm Relief Sewer to five times year at approximately 7,900m3 /year and from the Brixton Storm Relief Sewer to once a year at approximately 5,700m3/year. In order for this interception to be achieved, construction works at this site would take approximately 3 years.
18.3.2
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Section 18: Albert Embankment Foreshore 18.3.3 A shaft with an internal diameter of approximately 16m and approximately 47m deep would be constructed. From the base of this shaft there would be an underground connection tunnel which would join up with the main tunnel. Through an interception chamber, flows from the existing Clapham and Brixton Storm Relief Sewer would be diverted into the connection tunnel and into the main tunnel, located deep underneath the River Thames. Most of the construction would take place from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. Limited works may be required beyond these hours. In order to manage and mitigate effects on the environment during construction, a code of construction practice has been drafted. This sets out measures to be adhered to during the construction works. Figure 18.3 shows an indicative plan of the construction works. Figure 18.3 Indicative plan of construction works for Albert Embankment Foreshore
18.3.4 18.3.5
18.3.6
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Section 18: Albert Embankment Foreshore 18.3.7 Once the works at this site have been built, a number of features would remain (Figure 18.4 and Figure 18.5). There would be two areas built out onto the foreshore. Access to these would be required periodically for the purposes of inspecting and maintaining the shaft and the tunnel. Access for maintenance purposes would be required every three to six months. Once every ten years more substantial maintenance work would be required. In addition, there would be two kiosks to control equipment located in the below ground chambers. There would also be one larger diameter ventilation column approximately 4m high and two smaller diameter columns 6m in height. Most of the time, air would be drawn into the tunnel via these two larger diameter columns to ensure that the air within the main tunnel is continuously circulated. From time to time when the tunnel is filling up, air may be expelled via filters and out through these two ventilation columns. In the case of Albert Embankment, one large and one small control kiosk and the two 6m high ventilation column would be located on the new area of land created within the foreshore adjacent to Vauxhall Bridge. The second control kiosk and the 4.5m high ventilation columns would be located on the new area of land created within the foreshore to the north of the Lacks Dock slipway. The existing river wall would be extended around the edge of the new foreshore structures to maintain river defences
18.3.8
18.3.9
18.3.10
Figure 18.4 Albert Embankment Foreshore indicative plan of built development image 1 of 2
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Section 18: Albert Embankment Foreshore Figure 18.5 Albert Embankment Foreshore indicative plan of built development image 2 of 2
18.4
18.4.1
Assessment
18.4.2
In the following sections, information about the preliminary assessment of each of these topics is presented.
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Section 18: Albert Embankment Foreshore 18.4.3 As part of the assessment process, consideration has been given to known major developments that may change future environmental conditions. There are a number of developments around the site that have been taken into consideration. These include: the final phase of the St George Wharf residential development to the south of the site; a commuter pier associated with St Georges Wharf; a residential and hotel development at Hampton House to the north of the site; and a residential and hotel development near Vauxhall bus station. Further information on the topic specific methodology for conducting the assessment is given in section 4 of this non-technical summary.
18.4.4
18.5
18.5.1

The Albert Embankment Foreshore site is located within the London Borough of Lambeth Air Quality Management Area. Local monitoring data indicates that there are currently exceedences of the air quality standards in the vicinity of the site. The nearest people who may be sensitive to the development are occupiers of nearby residential dwellings (the closest are located in Bridge House to the south east of the site), commercial/office premises (including the SIS building, Camelford House and Tintagel House) and users of Albert Embankment Gardens and Spring Gardens Park. Based on this preliminary assessment, it is considered that the overall effect on local air quality from construction road traffic, river barges and construction plant is likely to be minor adverse at residential properties and negligible at the commercial/offices premises and at the parks (Albert Embankment Gardens and Spring Gardens Park). In terms of construction dust, this is likely to have a minor adverse effect on the closest residential properties and commercial/office premises and a negligible effect at the parks, taking account of the dust control measures in the Code of Construction Practice. Preliminary assessment findings indicate that the effects of odours released from the ventilation columns is likely to be negligible. Based on this assessment, it is considered that mitigation measures are not required.
18.5.2
18.5.3 18.5.4
18.6
18.6.1
Ecology aquatic
The site is located within the designated River Thames and Tidal Tributaries Site of Metropolitan Importance. It comprises an area of foreshore dominated by pebbles, with some sand, shingle and large stones. The river in this location is confined by a constructed vertical river wall with no marginal vegetation and limited intertidal habitat, and it is on the boundary of the freshwater and brackish zones. Surveys and data searches indicate low diversity of fish and invertebrates present (Figure 18.6). Based on preliminary assessment findings, during construction there would be a loss of habitat due to the presence of a retaining wall to create a dry working area within the river and also a levelled and filled river bed area, termed a campshed. The purpose of a campshed is to provide an
18.6.2
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Section 18: Albert Embankment Foreshore area on the river bed adjacent to the land for barges to rest on during low tide. This ensures that barges do not get stuck to the river bed with a potential risk of flooding to the barge during high tide. It is anticipated that these works would have a moderate adverse effect on habitats whilst disturbance and compaction would have a minor adverse effect on habitats. For fish and invertebrates the loss of habitat from landtake would be minor adverse. All other effects on mammals, fish and invertebrates would be negligible. 18.6.3 During operation, the permanent loss of inter-tidal habitat would have a moderate adverse effect on habitats, and minor adverse effects on fish and invertebrate species. The reduction in nutrient levels entering the river would have a minor beneficial effect on fish. Improved local invertebrate diversity and abundance would also be of minor beneficial effect. In the longer term, an increase in pollution sensitive fish and invertebrates would be of minor beneficial effect. Other effects on invertebrates and mammals are considered to be negligible. The presence of structures, both during construction and operation, within the river may have an effect on migrating fish through altered river flows. This will be assessed and reported in the Environmental Statement. Measures are included within the Code of Construction practice to manage construction effects, and no further mitigation during construction is considered to be possible at this stage as the extent of the physical works in the river have been reduced as far as practicable. For the operational phase consideration will be given to providing compensation for the loss of habitat, for example through creating habitat elsewhere, and reported in the Environmental Statement. Figure 18.6 Measuring and recording fish species near Albert Embankment Foreshore
18.6.4
18.6.5
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18.7
18.7.1
Ecology terrestrial
The site comprises hardstanding, semi-mature and ornamental scattered trees and foreshore habitat. A small number of common bats are known to pass through the site along the River Thames. The foreshore habitat has the potential to support wintering bird species and surveys are ongoing. The trees support small numbers of common nesting birds. No significant terrestrial ecology effects on designated sites are anticipated during construction (aquatic ecology effects are considered in section 18.6). The site lies within the River Thames Tidal Tributaries Site of Nature Conservation which is considered under the assessment of aquatic ecology. Based on the preliminary assessment, site clearance would result in the loss of a small number of trees. This would have a site level adverse effect. Foraging and commuting bats are likely to be displaced from the site during construction resulting in a local adverse effect. Disturbance to bats passing through the site from lighting, noise and vibration would result in a site level adverse effect. Such disturbance to bats adjacent to the site is unlikely to be significant. Tree loss is likely to reduce the resource for nesting and breeding birds at the site, which would result in a site level adverse effect. Disturbance during construction to breeding birds on site or adjacent to the site is likely to be negligible. The significance of the loss of foreshore habitat and disturbance on wintering birds will be assessed and reported in the Environmental Statement. It is anticipated that operational activity would be limited to occasional maintenance visits, which would be unlikely to have significant effects on terrestrial ecology. In addition to measures in the Code of Construction Practice, measures to address adverse effects during construction on bats and birds may include reinstatement and replacement of habitat. Subject to survey results, mitigation for the loss of foreshore habitat and potential effects on wintering birds may be required and will be assessed and reported in the Environmental Statement.
18.7.2
18.7.3
18.7.4
18.7.5
18.7.6
18.8
18.8.1
The southern part of the site is located beneath the Grade II* listed Vauxhall Bridge (of very high heritage asset significance - Figure 18.7). There are no further nationally designated assets within the site or its immediate vicinity. The majority of the site is located within the locally designated Albert Embankment Conservation Area (of high heritage asset significance). The site includes the 19th century embankment river wall and Lacks Dock slipway (both of medium heritage asset significance).
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Section 18: Albert Embankment Foreshore 18.8.2 The eastern part of the site lies within the North Lambeth and Lambeth Palace Archaeological Priority Area. The main potential for the site in terms of buried heritage is for prehistoric remains on the foreshore. A prehistoric Mesolithic timber structure (of high heritage asset significance) was recently exposed by river scour. There is also potential for remains associated with a medieval jetty or wharf (of low or medium heritage asset significance), and for post-medieval industrial remains, which may include waste material, jetties or anchor points (of low heritage asset significance). Figure 18.7 One of the sculptures on Vauxhall Bridge
18.8.3
Based on preliminary assessment findings, removal of part of the river wall and the slipway is likely to have a high magnitude of impact and give rise to a moderate adverse effect. Construction works would entail deep excavations which would entirely remove the assets within the footprint of each excavation. If heritage assets are present, this would comprise a high magnitude of impact and would give rise to a potentially major adverse effect on any prehistoric structures (minor or moderate adverse on isolated artefacts). A minor or moderate adverse effect would be anticipated for medieval and post-medieval structural remains. To mitigate the effect on the river wall and slipway, the structures would be recorded and photographed in line with accepted standards to form preservation by record. The desk-based study of the site suggests that no buried heritage assets of very high significance are anticipated that might merit a mitigation strategy of permanent preservation in situ. The adverse effects could be successfully mitigated by a suitable programme of archaeological investigation before and/or during construction, drawing on a range of techniques. This would include subsequent dissemination of the
18.8.4
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Section 18: Albert Embankment Foreshore results and so achieve preservation by record (through advancing public understanding and appreciation of the assets). 18.8.5 Effects on the historic environment arising from the operation of the Thames Tunnel infrastructure at Albert Embankment Foreshore will be assessed and presented in the Environmental Statement. Effects could include effects on the historic setting of heritage assets in the surrounding area such as the Albert Embankment Conservation Area and nearby listed structures, and effects on buried heritage assets in the foreshore from scouring due to changes in river flows due to new infrastructure in the channel. Any mitigation requirements for operational effects will also be presented.
18.9
18.9.1
Land quality
A search of historical and environmental data indicates a number of contaminative industrial on site uses. Uses include gas works, wharves and the Lacks Dock which has been situated within the site boundary from 1896 to present day. Historically the area around the site has been used for the location of a number of industrial activities, particularly oil and gas works located to the south and south west of the site and a current fuel filling station to the north east. There is the potential for these activities to have impacted upon the foreshore, however given the time since most of these processes were active and processes associated with the river flow, these risks are considered to be low. Part of the ongoing ground investigations includes the assessment of foreshore sediment contamination. Desk based surveys have identified a high risk from unexploded ordnance. Based on preliminary assessment findings, there may be a slight adverse effect on construction workers due to the potential for exposure to contaminated soils or other materials if they are present, although any exposure risk would be short-term. There would be a negligible effect on the built environment as it is considered unlikely that contaminants contained in subsurface materials would affect buried structures. This preliminary assessment therefore identified no need for mitigation during the construction phase although this will be clarified subject to further investigations and reported in the Environmental Statement. During operation there would be negligible effect on future users and the built environment. The assessment identified no need for mitigation during the operation phase.
18.9.2
18.9.3
18.10
18.10.1
Noise and vibration

A noise survey has been carried out around the site (Figure 18.8). The site is dominated by road and rail traffic noise. The nearest locations to the site which are sensitive to noise and vibration are the residential dwellings at Peninsula Heights (north east of the site) and Bridge House (south east of the site) and offices at Camelford House and the Secret Intelligence Service headquarters (east of the site).
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Section 18: Albert Embankment Foreshore 18.10.2 Preliminary assessment findings indicate that significant noise effects arising from construction activities are predicted at residential properties at Peninsula Heights and Bridge House, and offices at Camelford House and the Secret Intelligence Service headquarters. Significant vibration effects arising from construction are predicted at residential properties at Bridge House and offices at Camelford House and the Secret Intelligence Service headquarters. No significant noise or vibration effects as a result of the operation of the site are predicted. During construction, the contractor would be required to follow best practice (as described in the Code of Construction Practice) at all times to reduce the noise and vibration effects upon the local community for example through suitable siting of equipment on site. Beyond best practice measures it is anticipated that additional mitigation would be required to address significant noise and vibration effects during construction. This could include the use of localised screens and enclosures to reduce noise from particularly noisy, static operations. The next stage of the assessment will profile the variation in construction noise levels across the programme of work with the aim of refining mitigation design and seeking to reduce the significant effects of construction noise and vibration. Further details of mitigation measures will be provided in the Environmental Statement including the significance of residual effects once mitigation has been taken into account. Figure 18.8 Noise measurements being taken at Albert Embankment
18.10.3
18.10.4
18.10.5
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18.11
18.11.1
Socio-economics
The site comprises a privately used slipway (Lacks Dock), a stretch of pavement that forms part of the Thames Path, and an area of foreshore on the River Thames. Residential and commercial uses, including offices, surround the site. The site and surrounding area is moderately well used for a range of purposes including walking, cycling and passive recreation, and a tour operator launches and recovers amphibious vehicles from Lacks Dock all year round (Figure 18.9). During construction, there are considered to be moderate adverse effects on the amenity of nearby residents and minor adverse effects arising from disturbance to the tour operator and disruption to a section of the Thames Path. Amenity impacts on users of the Thames Path and offices are also considered to be minor adverse. Once operational, there would be a minor beneficial effect on recreational opportunities resulting from the gain in publicly accessible space associated with the extension to the pavement comprising the Thames Path. In completing the assessment, there is scope for further construction phase mitigation measures to be incorporated in the design with the aim of seeking to reduce significant adverse amenity effects which have been identified in this preliminary assessment. For the operational phase, there are not expected to be any socioeconomic effects at Albert Embankment which require mitigation. Figure 18.9 The London Duck Tours amphibious vehicle using the Lacks Dock access road
18.11.2
18.11.3
18.11.4
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18.12
18.12.1

The site is located within the Albert Embankment Conservation Area and partly beneath the Grade II* listed Vauxhall Bridge. The townscape within the site is poor with good potential for enhancement. It comprises a stretch of pavement, an area of foreshore, several trees and a stretch of river wall. The site is located within a regionally valued stretch of the River Thames and provides the setting to a number of conservation areas. The surrounding townscape combines historic and contemporary styles, comprising commercial, administrative and residential premises (Figure 18.10). Based on preliminary assessment findings, during the construction phase, the presence of construction activity and the cofferdam would have a major adverse effect on six townscape character areas (from a total of 15), including the site, the River Thames - Vauxhall and Pimlico Reach and St. Georges Wharf. There would be a moderate adverse effect on the River Thames - Nine Elms Reach and Westminster Residential, due to the presence of cranes and construction activity. There would be a minor adverse effect on two character areas. Once the scheme is operational, it is anticipated that there would be minor to moderate adverse townscape effects on the River Thames - Vauxhall and Pimlico Reach, Residential Waterfront - West and Millbank Conservation Area, due to the introduction of built elements into a stretch of the river and in close proximity to the Grade II* listed Vauxhall Bridge. There would be minor adverse effects on the River Thames - Nine Elms Reach and St. Georges Wharf, and negligible to minor adverse effects on Westminster Residential. There would be minor to moderate beneficial effects on the character of the site itself and Albert Embankment Commercial due to the creation of an area of high quality public realm. The level of significance is dependent on the design. Figure 18.10 View northeast from southern end of Vauxhall Bridge
18.12.2
18.12.3
In terms of visual amenity, it is likely that during the construction phase there would be major adverse effects on five viewpoints (from a total of 13) including the view from the Thames Path, Vauxhall Bridge and entrance to Tate Britain due to the visibility of the cofferdam and construction activity. There would be moderate adverse effects on four viewpoints including
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Section 18: Albert Embankment Foreshore Lambeth Bridge, the Thames Path and Vauxhall Bridge and minor adverse effects on three viewpoints. Once operational there would be minor to moderate adverse visual effects on views from Vauxhall Bridge, Thames Path and Tate Britain due to the visibility of a new river wall, above ground structures and interception works under Vauxhall Bridge. There would be minor adverse effects on views from Nine Elms Lane and the Thames Path due to the visibility of interception works under Vauxhall Bridge and negligible to minor adverse effects on four viewpoints including from Lambeth Bridge and the Thames Path. There would be minor to moderate beneficial effects on views from the Thames path outside Peninsula Heights and from the southern end of Vauxhall Bridge due to the visibility of the newly created high quality public realm. The level of significance is dependent on the design and will be refined for the Environmental Statement. 18.12.4 Mitigation measures to be employed during the construction phase are being incorporated into the proposals, for example, through use of capped and directional lighting when required. In terms of operation, a process of iterative design and assessment has been employed to reduce adverse effects and improve beneficial effects, which will continue until the design is finalised. This will be assessed and reported in the Environmental Statement.
18.13
18.13.1
Transport
The Albert Embankment Foreshore site has excellent public transport accessibility being located within close proximity of Vauxhall Rail, Underground and Bus station. The site is on the west side of Albert Embankment (A3036), adjacent to Vauxhall Bridge Road and construction vehicle access is proposed via the A202 and A3036 via Vauxhall Cross. During construction, the number of heavy goods vehicle movements would be moderate. The nature of the construction site layout at this location is considered likely to result in a minor adverse effect on road network operation and delay. Effects on pedestrian and cyclist amenity and safety are expected to be moderate adverse due to local diversions and possible conflicts at the site access on Lacks Dock. A negligible effect is expected on public transport and a minor adverse effect on river passenger services. During the operational phase there would be very occasional vehicle trips to and from the site for maintenance activities but these would have a negligible effect on the surrounding transport networks. The project is being designed to limit the effects on the transport networks as far as possible. At this location, mitigation measures during the construction phase are likely to be required and would take the form of having a traffic marshal stationed at the site access entrance to manage potential conflicts between construction vehicles and Duck Tour vehicles as well as those vehicles accessing Camelford House. Mitigation is not required for the operational phase.
18.13.2
18.13.3
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18.14
18.14.1

The proposed shaft would pass through the upper aquifer with the base of the shaft founded in the lower aquifer. Associated interception infrastructure would penetrate the upper aquifer. Both the upper and lower aquifers are sensitive environmental receptors. The lower aquifer is of high value and abstractions from it of very high value, while the upper aquifer is considered to be of medium value. Construction effects on the upper aquifer would be limited to physical obstruction to groundwater flow and these are anticipated to be negligible. Construction effects on the lower aquifer could impact groundwater resources and induce groundwater movement. Due to the sensitivity of the lower aquifer effects have been assessed as moderate adverse on groundwater resources but major adverse on groundwater quality (as a result of induced groundwater flow). The effects of construction on groundwater quality require further assessment. The results of further assessment would inform the development of further design and mitigation measures. Once operational the potential effects would be obstruction to groundwater flow and the seepage to and from the shaft. These potential effects are considered to be negligible at this stage. Monitoring of groundwater levels and quality would continue throughout construction and operation.
18.14.2
18.14.3
18.14.4
18.15
18.15.1

The site is located in the River Thames foreshore within the Thames Middle waterbody, as classified under the Thames River Basin Management Plan. The Thames Middle waterbody is currently classified under the Water Framework Directive as being at moderate potential status, with a status objective of good potential by 2027. There are no nationally or locally designated water-dependent conservation sites within 2 kilometres of the site. There is the potential for effects on surface water resources from the proposed construction works through surface water runoff and exposure of the drainage system to contaminants. After taking into account the measures incorporated into the design and code of construction practice, such effects are expected to be manageable and not significant. No mitigation would therefore be required. There is also potential for the loss in river bed from the construction to change the river flows, which could lead to scour at the flood defences. The effects would be largely temporary during construction as some natural foreshore restoration would occur after temporary construction structures are removed. Some additional mitigation may be required for the effects of the permanent works within the foreshore. Any mitigation that is required will be identified in the Environmental Statement.
18.15.2
18.15.3
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Section 18: Albert Embankment Foreshore 18.15.4 Currently the Clapham Storm Relief and Brixton Storm Relief combined sewer overflows both discharge into the Thames at the site (Figure 18.11 and Figure 18.12). For the purposes of this assessment, they have been considered to operate as a single outfall. Once operational, the scheme would reduce the number to a predicted level of one spill a year once the tunnel is in place. This reduction would be a beneficial effect on water quality. The number of risk days for river users being exposed to pathogens would be reduced by up to 112 days of risk of exposure annually. In addition, the tonnage of sewage derived litter can be expected to be reduced from 70 tonnes to less than four tonnes per year. Figure 18.11 Clapham Storm Relief combined sewer overflow outlet
Figure 18.12 Brixton Storm Relief combined sewer overflow outlet
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18.16
18.16.1
Flood risk
Due to its location within the foreshore (Figure 18.13), the main source of flood risk to the site during construction and operation is the tidal River Thames. The proposed site may also be at risk of surface water flooding in the future due to runoff generated from land to the south and east. The presence of structures within the foreshore could impact flow within the River Thames and the work required to construct the tunnel beneath the site could potentially affect the local flood defences; further studies are being completed to assess these potential impacts. During construction, a temporary structure would be built to provide the equivalent level of flood protection as that provided by the current flood defences. During operation, the ground level at the northern part of the site would be set above the design flood level. In the southern part of the site, new flood defences would be constructed to provide the equivalent protection level as the existing defences. The effects of changes in scour and the rate sediments are deposited would be reduced through good practice design of the temporary and permanent structures. The terracing design of the southern section of the site has been designed to ensure stable tidal water flows. Figure 18.13 Foreshore at Albert Embankment
18.16.2
18.16.3
18.16.4
18.17
18.17.1
Further information
Further information regarding preliminary assessment findings for Albert Embankment Foreshore can be found in Volume 19 of the Preliminary Environmental Information Report.
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Section 19: Victoria Embankment Foreshore
19 19.1
19.1.1
Victoria Embankment Foreshore Introduction

This section of the non-technical summary presents the preliminary environmental assessment for the Thames Tunnel project at Victoria Embankment Foreshore (Figure 19.1). At this site it is proposed that the Regent Street sewer and the northern Low Level Sewer No.1 would be linked to the proposed main tunnel through a shaft and an underground connection tunnel. Currently, the existing combined sewer overflow discharges approximately 4 times a year. The total volume of this discharge is 22,200m3 each year. In the following section a description of the existing site is given. This is followed by a description of the development proposed at this site. The environmental topics which have been assessed for this site are listed in the Assessment section (19.4). Preliminary assessment findings are then presented topic by topic.
19.1.2
19.1.3 19.1.4
19.2
19.2.1
Site context
The site is shown as site number 14 on Figure 28.1. The site is located within the City of Westminster (Figure 19.1). It is also close to the City of London. Figure 19.1 Victoria Embankment Foreshore site location
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Section 19: Victoria Embankment Foreshore 19.2.2 The site is located on the foreshore on the River Thames and on a section of the pavement and roadway of Victoria Embankment (A3211). A permanently moored boat, the Tattershall Castle (floating bar and restaurant) is located within the site area. This would be permanently relocated before construction starts. Approximately one hectare is required for the temporary works. This is indicated by the red line shown on Figure 19.2. The area of land required for the permanent works would be substantially smaller than that required for construction. Vehicular access to the site would be directly off Victoria Embankment (A3211). The Thames Path is a public right of way and runs along the eastern pavement of Victoria Embankment through the western extent of the site. The River Thames borders the site to the north, east and south. Victoria Embankment (A3211) is to the west and beyond this is Victoria Embankment Gardens. Approximately 15m to the north of the site is the mooring for the restaurant ship Hispaniola. Figure 19.2 Aerial photograph of Victoria Embankment Foreshore*
19.2.3
19.2.4
19.3
19.3.1
The proposal is to intercept the existing combined sewer overflow. With the Thames Tunnel in place, instead of untreated sewage discharging at current volumes directly into the River Thames, flows would be diverted into the proposed main tunnel. For a typical year, this would reduce discharges at the Regent Street combined sewer overflow to zero.
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Section 19: Victoria Embankment Foreshore 19.3.2 19.3.3 19.3.4 In order for this interception to be achieved, construction works at this site would take approximately four and a half years. A shaft with an internal diameter of approximately 16m and approximately 50m deep would be constructed. From the base of this shaft there would be an underground connection tunnel which would join up with the main tunnel. Through an overflow weir constructed on the northern Low Level Sewer No. 1, flows from the existing Regent Street sewer would be diverted into the connection tunnel and into the main tunnel, located deep underneath the River Thames. Most of the construction would take place from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. Limited works may be required beyond these hours. In order to manage and mitigate the effects on the environment during construction, a Code of Construction Practice has been drafted. This sets out measures to be adhered to during the process of construction works. Figure 19.3 shows an indicative plan of the construction works. Figure 19.3 Indicative plan of construction works for Victoria Embankment Foreshore
19.3.5 19.3.6
19.3.7
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Section 19: Victoria Embankment Foreshore 19.3.8 Once the works at this site have been built, a number of permanent features would remain (Figure 9.4). There would be an area built out onto the foreshore. Periodic access onto this structure would be required to enable access into the shaft and the connection tunnel for inspection and maintenance purposes. Access for maintenance purposes would be required every three to six months. Once every ten years more substantial maintenance work would be required. There would be two kiosks to control equipment located in the below ground chambers. There would also be two ventilation columns approximately four metres and six metres in height. Most of the time, air would be drawn into the tunnel via these columns to ensure that the air within the main tunnel is continuously circulated. From time to time when the tunnel is filling up, air may be expelled via filters and out through the ventilation columns. In the case of Victoria Embankment, the control kiosks and the four metre high ventilation column would be located on the new area of land created within the foreshore and the 6m high ventilation column would be located at the edge of the Victoria Embankment south-side pavement. There would be no fencing around any part of the development once it is built, however the river wall would extend around the edge of the new foreshore structure to maintain flood defences. Figure 19.4 Victoria Embankment Foreshore indicative plan of built development
19.3.9
19.3.10
19.3.11
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19.4
19.4.1
Assessment
19.4.2 19.4.3
In the following sections, information about the preliminary assessment of each of these topics is presented. As part of the assessment process, consideration has been given to known major developments that may change future environmental conditions. There are no known developments in the vicinity of this site. Future environmental conditions are therefore not anticipated to change significantly from those which exist today as a result of other developments. Further information on the topic specific methodology for conducting the assessment is given in section 4 of this non-technical summary.
19.4.4
19.5
19.5.1

The Victoria Embankment Foreshore site is located within the City of Westminster Air Quality Management Area. Local monitoring data indicates that there are currently exceedences of the air quality standards in the vicinity of the site. The nearest people who may be sensitive to the development are occupiers of the nearby residential dwellings (in Whitehall Court), commercial/office premises, two permanently moored vessels (the Hispaniola and relocated Tattershall Castle) and The Royal Horseguards Hotel, and users of the Whitehall Gardens / Victoria Embankment Gardens. Based on this preliminary assessment, it is considered that the overall effect on local air quality from construction road traffic, river barges and construction plant is likely to be minor adverse at the residential properties and negligible at the commercial/office premises, Hispaniola / Tattershall Castle vessels, The Royal Horseguards Hotel and Whitehall / Victoria Embankment Gardens. In terms of construction dust, this is likely to have a negligible effect at all locations, taking account of the dust control measures in the Code of Construction Practice.
19.5.2
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Section 19: Victoria Embankment Foreshore 19.5.3 19.5.4 Preliminary assessment findings indicate that the effects of odours released from the ventilation column is likely to be negligible. Based on this assessment, it is considered that mitigation measures are not required.
19.6
19.6.1
Ecology aquatic
The site is located within the designated River Thames and Tidal Tributaries Site of Metropolitan Importance. There is a thin area of sand and gravel foreshore exposed at low tide. The river in this location is confined by a man-made vertical river wall with no marginal vegetation and limited intertidal habitat. Aquatic ecology surveys have been undertaken at the site (Figure 19.5). Surveys and data searches indicate a low diversity of fish, whilst pollution-sensitive invertebrates are present. Construction effects would be managed in accordance with the Code of Construction Practice. With the Code in place and based on preliminary assessment findings, during construction there would be a loss of foreshore habitat. This is due to a retaining wall to create a dry working area within the river, termed a cofferdam, and also a levelled and filled river bed area, termed a campshed. The purpose of a campshed is to provide an area on the river bed adjacent to the site for barges to rest on during low tide. This ensures that barges sit on a stable loading platform and also do not become stuck in the river bed with a potential risk of flooding to the barge during high tide. It is anticipated that the cofferdam and campshed would have a moderate adverse effect on habitats, whilst disturbance and compaction would have a minor adverse effect on habitats. For fish and invertebrates the loss of habitat from landtake would be minor adverse. So too would death from landtake for invertebrates. All other effects on mammals, fish and invertebrates would be negligible. During operation, the permanent loss of river habitat is considered to be a moderate adverse effect on habitats and minor adverse effects on fish and invertebrates. The reduction in nutrient levels entering the river is considered to have a moderate beneficial effect on habitats. It would also have a minor beneficial effect on fish, through reduced fish kills and local improvement in invertebrate diversity and abundance. There would be a minor beneficial increase in pollution tolerant and/or rare fish and invertebrate species In the longer term of operation. Effects on mammals would be negligible. The presence of structures, both during construction and operation, within the river may have an effect on migrating fish through altered river flows. This will be assessed and reported in the Environmental Statement. Measures are included within the Code of Construction Practice to manage construction effects, and no further mitigation during construction is considered to be possible as the extent of the physical works in the river have been reduced as far as practicable. For the operational phase consideration will be given to providing compensation for the loss of habitat, for example through creating habitat elsewhere, and reported in the Environmental Statement.
19.6.2
19.6.3
19.6.4
19.6.5
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Section 19: Victoria Embankment Foreshore Figure 19.5 Repairing nets at Victoria Embankment during the aquatic ecology autumn 2010 surveys
19.7
19.7.1
Ecology terrestrial
The site comprises hardstanding and habitat is limited to eight semimature trees. No significant adverse effects on terrestrial ecology are anticipated for either construction or operation (aquatic ecology effects are considered in section 19.6).
19.8
19.8.1
The site lies within the locally designated Whitehall Conservation Area and comprises part of the north bank of the Thames and the Victoria Embankment river wall, which is Grade II listed, and a number of Grade II listed cast iron lamp standards (all of high heritage asset significance). The river wall forms part of Sir Joseph Bazalgettes grand embankment scheme, built in 186470. The permanently moored vessel, Tattershall Castle, which is on the National Historic Ships register also lies within the site and is of medium heritage asset significance. There are a number of heritage features in the vicinity, the closest of which are the Grade II listed Bazalgette Memorial of c. 1891 (of high heritage asset significance) 25m to the north and the Victoria Embankment Gardens, a Grade II* registered park and garden (of very high heritage asset significance), 15m to the west, on the opposite side of the carriageway. The World Heritage Site of Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey and St Margarets Church lies around 450m to the south of the site, and is also of very high asset significance.
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Section 19: Victoria Embankment Foreshore 19.8.2 Potential for archaeological remains in the channel is considered to be low due to probable dredging; although there is high potential for palaeoenvironmental remains (e.g. organic remains such as pollens and plant fossils) of low heritage asset significance within any surviving channel silt. The main potential in terms of buried heritage assets is on the landward side of the river wall, behind the embankment construction, where there is a moderate potential for post-medieval piled structures, barge beds and jetties, of low heritage asset significance. There would be a temporary major adverse effect from temporary removal of the Grade II lamp stands, prior to reinstatement. The parapet of the river wall would be locally dismantled, constituting a moderate adverse effect. There is anticipated to be a negligible effect on the relocation of the Tattershall Castle in terms of the historic environment. Construction works would entail deep excavations which would entirely remove the assets within the footprint of each excavation. If such assets were present, this would comprise a high magnitude of impact and would give rise to a minor adverse effect on palaeoenvironmental remains and post-medieval remains, if present. To mitigate the effect on the river wall, the structure would be recorded and photographed in line with accepted standards to form preservation by record. The desk-based study of the site suggests that no buried heritage assets of very high significance are anticipated that might merit a mitigation strategy of permanent preservation in situ. The adverse effects could be successfully mitigated by a suitable programme of archaeological investigation before and/or during construction, drawing on a range of techniques. This would include subsequent dissemination of the results and so achieve preservation by record. Effects on the historic environment arising from the operation of the Thames Tunnel infrastructure at Victoria Embankment Foreshore, on assets including the Whitehall Conservation Area and nearby listed structures and World Heritage Site, will be assessed and presented in the Environmental Statement. This could include effects on the historic setting of heritage assets in the surrounding area and effects on buried heritage assets in the foreshore from scouring due to changes in river flows due to new infrastructure in the channel. Any mitigation requirements for operational effects will also be presented.
19.8.3
19.8.4
19.8.5
19.9
19.9.1
Land quality
A search of historical and environmental data indicates no contaminative on site uses. The nearest identified potential contamination source relates to the railway land to the north which is not considered to be a significant ongoing pollution source that may affect the site. Previous ground investigations close to the site have recorded no significant soils and groundwater contamination. Part of the ongoing ground investigations includes the assessment of foreshore sediment contamination. Desk based surveys have identified a high risk from unexploded ordnance.
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Section 19: Victoria Embankment Foreshore 19.9.2 Preliminary assessment findings indicate that there may be a slight adverse effect on construction workers due to the potential for exposure to contaminated soils or other materials if they are present, although any exposure risk would be short-term. There is likely to be a negligible effect on the built environment as it is considered unlikely that contaminants contained in subsurface materials would affect buried structures. This preliminary assessment therefore identified no need for mitigation during the construction phase although this will be clarified subject to further investigations and reported in the Environmental Statement. During operation there would be negligible effect on future users and the built environment. The assessment identified no need for mitigation during the operational phase.
19.9.3
19.10
19.10.1
Noise and vibration

A noise survey has been carried out around the site (Figure 19.6). The site is dominated by road traffic and rail noise. The nearest locations to the site which are sensitive to noise and vibration are the residential dwellings at Whitehall Court, located to the west of the site. Based on the preliminary assessment findings, significant noise effects arising from construction activities are predicted at residential properties at Whitehall Court. No significant effects from vibration (during construction) or during the operation of the site are predicted. During construction activities, the contractor would be required to follow best practice (as described in the Code of Construction Practice) at all times to reduce noise and vibration effects on the local community for example through suitable siting of equipment on site. Beyond best practice measures it is anticipated that further measures would be required to address significant noise effects during construction. This could include the use of localised screens and enclosures to reduce noise from particularly noisy, static operations. The next stage of the assessment will profile the variation in construction noise levels across the programme of work with the aim of refining mitigation design and seeking to reduce the significant effects of construction noise and vibration. Further details of mitigation measures will be provided in the Environmental Statement including the significance of residual effects once mitigation has been taken into account.
19.10.2
19.10.3
19.10.4
19.10.5
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Section 19: Victoria Embankment Foreshore Figure 19.6 Noise monitoring in Jubilee Gardens, opposite the Victoria Embankment site
19.11
19.11.1
Socio-economics
The site comprises a stretch of pavement that forms part of the Thames Path and an area of foreshore on the River Thames accommodating a moored vessel containing a pub with bars and meeting rooms The Tattershall Castle. Open space (Whitehall Garden) and commercial uses, including The Hispaniola restaurant vessel, surround the site, and there are residential dwellings beyond the open space (Whitehall Court). The site and surrounding area is well used for a range of purposes including walking, cycling, sightseeing by tourists and passive recreation. During construction, there are considered to be minor adverse effects on amenity of users of the restaurant boats and on users of the Thames Path due to disruption to the path. Amenity effects on users of the Thames Path and users of Whitehall Garden and displacement of the Tattershall Castle are considered to be negligible. Once operational, there would be a minor beneficial effect resulting from the gain in publicly accessible space associated with the extension to the pavement comprising the Thames Path. In completing the assessment, there is scope for further construction phase mitigation measures to be incorporated in the design with the aim of seeking to reduce significant adverse amenity effects which have been identified in this preliminary assessment. For the operational phase, there are not expected to be socio-economic effects at Victoria Embankment which require mitigation.
19.11.2
19.11.3
19.11.4
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19.12
19.12.1

The site is located on the north bank of the river within the Whitehall Conservation Area. The townscape character of the site is in a good condition, characterised by Grade II listed lamp standards, an historic riverside stone wall, an avenue of mature London plane trees and two permanently moored vessels, one within the site that would be permanently relocated to the south, and one nearby. Based on preliminary assessment findings, during the construction phase the intensity of construction activity and the presence of cranes and the site cofferdam is likely to result in a major adverse townscape effect on the character of the site, the River Thames - Victoria Embankment Gardens and Jubilee Gardens Reach and the South Bank Conservation Area. There would be moderate adverse effects on the River Thames - Houses of Parliament Reach, Victoria Embankment Administrative character area and Westminster Abbey and Parliament Square. There would be minor adverse effects on the River Thames Central London Reach, Temples Conservation Area and Whitefriars Conservation Area due to the presence of cranes and the intensity of construction activity. Once operational, there would be minor to moderate adverse townscape effects including the site and the Victoria Embankment Administrative character area due to the introduction of above ground structures within the river corridor and a new stretch of river wall in front of the existing historic wall. There would be negligible to minor adverse effects on three character areas due to slight changes in their setting. The level of significance is dependent on the design and will be assessed and reported in the Environmental Statement. In terms of visual amenity, preliminary assessment findings indicate that during the construction phase there are likely to be major adverse effects on a number of viewpoints including from the Thames path, Golden Jubilee footbridge and Jubilee Gardens due to the visibility of construction activity, cranes and hoardings. There are likely to be moderate adverse effects on viewpoints from the Thames path, Waterloo Bridge and Royal Festival Hall due to the visibility of the same elements. Once operational there would be minor to moderate adverse visual effects on viewpoints including from Victoria Embankment, the Golden Jubilee footbridge and Jubilee Gardens due to the visibility of the new river wall and above ground structures. There are likely to be minor and negligible effects on viewpoints from further views, due to filtered visibility of the above elements. The level of significance is dependent on the final design and will be assessed and reported in the Environmental Statement. Mitigation measures to be employed during the construction phase are being incorporated into the proposals, for example, through protection of trees to British standards. In terms of operation, a process of iterative design and assessment has been employed to reduce adverse effects and promote beneficial effects, which will continue until the design is finalised.
19.12.2
19.12.3
19.12.4
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19.13
19.13.1
Transport
The Victoria Embankment site has excellent public transport accessibility with Embankment London Underground station within close proximity together with numerous bus routes and Charing Cross National Rail station. The site is located to the south of the Hungerford Bridge and Golden Jubilee footbridges. Vehicle access is proposed from Victoria Embankment (A3211, Figure 19.7). During construction, the number of heavy goods vehicle movements would be moderate. The nature of the construction site in this location would require highway layout changes and diversion routes which is considered likely to result in a moderate adverse effect on road network operation and delay. Effects on pedestrian facilities are expected to be moderate adverse and on cyclist amenity and safety are expected to be minor adverse. A negligible effect is expected on public transport and river passenger services. During the operational phase there would be very occasional vehicle trips to and from the site for maintenance activities but these would have a negligible effect on the surrounding transport networks. The project is being designed to limit the effects on the transport networks as far as possible. At this location, mitigation measures during the construction phase are likely to be required and would involve the provision of safe crossing points for pedestrians and cyclists along the diversion routes, traffic signal optimisation to improve pedestrian crossing time and junction capacity, and measures to ensure the frequency of bus services. Mitigation is not required for the operational phase. Figure 19.7 View towards Victoria Embankment Foreshore site
19.13.2
19.13.3
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19.14
19.14.1

The proposed shaft would pass through the upper aquifer through the underlying non aquifer and into the central beds of the Lambeth Group below. The shaft would not penetrate the lower aquifer beneath. Associated interception infrastructure would be founded in the upper aquifer. The main receptors are the upper aquifer, which is defined as being of medium value and the lower aquifer, which is defined as being of high value. Construction effects on the upper aquifer would be limited to physical obstruction to groundwater flow and this is anticipated to be negligible. Construction effects on the lower aquifer would relate to dewatering which has the potential to affect groundwater resource and induce groundwater movement. This effect is subject to further assessment and is yet to be quantified but has the potential to result in significant adverse effects. Once operational the potential effects would be obstruction to groundwater flow and the seepage to and from the shaft. These effects are considered to be negligible at this stage due to embedded design measures. Monitoring of groundwater levels and quality would continue throughout construction and operation.
19.14.2
19.14.3
19.14.4
19.15
19.15.1

The site is located in the River Thames foreshore within the Thames Middle waterbody, as classified under the Thames River Basin Management Plan. The Thames Middle waterbody is current classified as being at moderate potential status, with a status objective of good potential by 2027. There are no nationally or locally designated waterdependent conservation sites within 2 kilometres of the site. There is the potential for effects on surface water resources from the proposed construction works through surface water runoff and exposure of the drainage system to contaminants. After taking into account the measures incorporated into the design and Code of Construction Practice, such effects are expected to be manageable and not significant. No mitigation would therefore be required. There is also potential for the loss in river bed from the construction to change the river flows, which could lead to scour at the flood defences. The effects would be largely temporary during construction as some natural foreshore restoration would occur after temporary construction structures are removed. Some additional mitigation may be required for the effects of the permanent works within the foreshore. Any mitigation required will be identified in the environmental statement.
19.15.2
19.15.3
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Section 19: Victoria Embankment Foreshore 19.15.4 Once operational, the scheme would reduce the number of discharges from the Regents Street combined sewer overflow to a predicted level of no spills for a typical year once the tunnel is in place. This reduction would be a beneficial effect on water quality. The number of risk days for river users being exposed to pathogens would be reduced by up to 32 days of risk of exposure each year. In addition, the tonnage of sewage derived litter can be expected to be reduced from six tonnes to zero tonnes per year.
19.16
19.16.1 19.16.2
Flood risk
Due to its location within the foreshore, the main source of flood risk to the site during construction and operation is the tidal River Thames. The site may also be at risk of surface water flooding in the future due to runoff generated from land to the west. The presence of structures within the foreshore could impact flow within the River Thames and computer modelling is being completed to assess this impact. In order to protect the site against flood risk, defences would be constructed during both the construction and operational phases. These defences would provide a level of protection equal to that provided by the current defences along the river frontage adjacent to Victoria Embankment. The effects of changes in scour and deposition would be reduced through good practice design of the temporary and permanent structures.
19.16.3
19.16.4
19.17
19.17.1
Further information
Further information regarding preliminary assessment findings for Victoria Embankment Foreshore can be found in Volume 20 of the Preliminary Environmental Information Report.
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Section 20: Blackfriars Bridge Foreshore
20 20.1
20.1.1
Blackfriars Bridge Foreshore Introduction

This section of the non-technical summary presents the preliminary environmental assessment for the Thames Tunnel project at Blackfriars Bridge Foreshore (Figure 20.1). At this site it is proposed that the existing northern Low Level Sewer No.1 and the Fleet storm relief combined sewer overflow would be linked to the proposed main tunnel through a shaft. Currently, the existing combined sewer overflow discharges approximately 20 times a year. The total volume of this discharge is 522,300m3 each year. In the following section a description of the existing site is given. This is followed by a description of the development proposed at this site. The environmental topics which have been assessed for this site are listed in the Assessment section (20.4). Preliminary assessment findings are then presented topic by topic.
20.1.2
20.1.3 20.1.4
20.2
20.2.1 20.2.2
Site context
The site is shown as site number 15 on Figure 28.1. The site is located within the City of London (Figure 20.1). It is also close to the City of Westminster and across the river from Southwark. Figure 20.1 Blackfriars Bridge Foreshore site location
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Section 20: Blackfriars Bridge Foreshore 20.2.3 20.2.4 The site is located in the River Thames and on a section of the pavement and roadway of Victoria Embankment (A3211). Approximately three hectares is required for both the temporary construction works. This is indicated by the red line shown on Figure 20.2. The area of land required for the permanent works would be substantially smaller than that required for the construction. Within the site area is the vessel President and Blackfriars Millennium Pier which would be relocated before construction starts. The relocation of the President would be temporary and it would move back to its existing position when construction has finished. The pier would be permanently relocated to an area east of the rail bridge indicated by the red line in Figure 20.2. Vehicular access to the site would be directly off Victoria Embankment (A3211). The Thames Path is a public right of way and runs along the southern pavement of Victoria Embankment, along Pauls Walk, through the northern extent of the site. To the north of the site are Victoria Embankment (A3211) and the Blackfriars Underpass. To the east is Blackfriars Bridge and to the south and west is the River Thames. Figure 20.2 Aerial photograph of Blackfriars Bridge Foreshore*
20.2.5
20.2.6
20.2.7
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20.3
20.3.1
The proposal is to intercept the existing Fleet combined sewer overflow and connect to the northern Low Level Sewer No.1. With the Thames Tunnel in place, instead of untreated sewage discharging at current volumes directly into the River Thames, flows would be diverted into the proposed main tunnel. For a typical year, this would reduce discharges to approximately four times a year and flows to an average of approximately 36,800m3 a year. In order for this interception to be achieved, construction works at this site would take approximately five years. A shaft with an internal diameter of approximately 24m and approximately 53m deep would be constructed. Through an interception chamber, flows from the existing low level sewer and the Fleet storm relief sewer would be diverted into the shaft and hence the main tunnel, located deep underneath the River Thames. Most of the construction would take place from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. Limited works may be required beyond these hours. In order to manage and mitigate the environment during construction, a Code of Construction Practice has been drafted. This sets out measures to be adhered to during the process of construction works. Figure 20.3 shows an indicative plan of the construction works. Figure 20.3 Indicative plan of construction works for Blackfriars Bridge Foreshore
20.3.2 20.3.3
20.3.4 20.3.5
20.3.6
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Section 20: Blackfriars Bridge Foreshore 20.3.7 Once the works at this site have been built, a number of permanent features would remain (Figure 20.4 and Figure 20.5). There would be an area built out onto the foreshore which would form part of the public realm. Periodic access would be required for inspection and maintenance purposes into the shaft and the tunnel. Access for maintenance purposes would be required every three to six months. Once every ten years more substantial maintenance work would be required. There would be two kiosks to control equipment located in the below ground chambers. There would also be seven ventilation columns; five at 4 metres high would be located in the west of the new area of land created within the foreshore and two at 6m high would be located in the east of the new area of land created within the foreshore. Most of the time, air would be drawn into the tunnel via these columns to ensure that the air within the main tunnel is continuously circulated. From time to time when the tunnel is filling up, air may be expelled via filters and out through the ventilation columns. Flood defences would extend around the edge of the new foreshore structure to maintain river defences. There would be no fencing around any part of the development once it is built. Figure 20.4 Blackfriars Bridge Foreshore indicative plan of built development image 1 of 2
20.3.8
20.3.9
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Section 20: Blackfriars Bridge Foreshore Figure 20.5 Blackfriars Bridge Foreshore indicative plan of built development image 2 of 2
20.4
20.4.1
Assessment
20.4.2
In the following sections, information about the preliminary assessment of each of these topics is presented.
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Section 20: Blackfriars Bridge Foreshore 20.4.3 As part of the assessment process, consideration has been given to known major developments that may change future environmental conditions. It has been assumed that construction works at Blackfriars Station would be finished before Thames Tunnel construction starts. There is the potential for a hotel development at No. 1 Puddle Dock and an office development at Bridge House along Queen Victoria Street but the timescales for these developments are unknown at present. An application for the proposed Thames River Park from Paul's Walk to Three Cranes Walk and from Hanseatic Walk to Water Lane was submitted to the City of London in July 2011 and is awaiting determination. Details of the scheme are being reviewed however the proposal has not been included in the assessment to date. Further information on the topic specific methodology for conducting the assessment is given in section 4 of this non-technical summary.
20.4.4
20.4.5
20.5
20.5.1

The Blackfriars Bridge Foreshore site is located within the City of London Corporation Air Quality Management Area. Local monitoring data indicates that there are currently exceedences of the air quality standards in the vicinity of the site. The nearest people who may be sensitive to the development are occupiers of nearby offices and commercial properties, The Crowne Plaza Hotel (corner of New Bridge Street and Watergate) and residential dwellings at River Court. There is also the proposed hotel development at No. 1 Puddle Dock. Based on this preliminary assessment, it is considered that the overall effect on local air quality from construction road traffic, river barges and construction plant is likely to be minor adverse at the residential properties and Crowne Plaza Hotel and negligible at the commercial/office premises. In terms of construction dust, this is likely to have a minor adverse effect at the commercial/office properties and a negligible effect elsewhere, taking account of the dust control measures in the Code of Construction Practice. Preliminary assessment findings indicate that the effects of odours released from the ventilation column is likely to be negligible. Based on this assessment, it is considered that mitigation measures are not required.
20.5.2
20.5.3 20.5.4
20.6
20.6.1
Ecology aquatic
The site is located within the designated River Thames and Tidal Tributaries Site of Metropolitan Importance. Only a small area of gravel foreshore is present near Blackfriars Bridge, which is classified as mudflat. Surveys and background data searches indicate that a low diversity of fish and invertebrates are present (Figure 20.6). Occasional observations of common seal and harbour porpoise have been made.
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Section 20: Blackfriars Bridge Foreshore 20.6.2 Construction effects would be managed by the Code of Construction Practice. With the Code in place it is anticipated that the loss of habitat due to the presence of a retaining wall to create a dry working area within the river and also a levelled and filled river bed area, termed a campshed. The purpose of a campshed is to provide an area on the river bed adjacent to the land for barges to rest on during low tide. This ensures that barges do not adhere to the river bed with a potential risk of flooding to the barge during high tide. With these works, there would be a moderate adverse effect on habitats and minor adverse effects on fish and invertebrates. All other effects are considered negligible. During operation, the permanent loss of habitat would have a moderate adverse effect on habitats, and minor adverse effects on fish and invertebrates. Interception of the combined sewer overflow at this site would significantly reduce the occurrence of low dissolved oxygen events which result in fish mortality. This is considered to be a moderate beneficial effect. Improvements in water quality in the local area are predicted to lead to an increase in the diversity and abundance of the invertebrate community and contribute to an increase in the distribution of pollution sensitive fish and invertebrate species throughout the River Thames. The presence of structures, both during construction and operation, within the river may have an effect on migrating fish through altered river flows. This will be assessed and reported in the Environmental Statement. Measures are included within the Code of Construction Practice to manage construction effects, and no further mitigation during construction is considered to be possible as the extent of the physical works in the river have been reduced as far as practicable. For the operational phase consideration will be given to providing compensation for the loss of habitat, for example through creating habitat elsewhere, and reported in the Environmental Statement Figure 20.6 Flounder were found at the site during the aquatic ecology surveys in autumn 2010
20.6.3
20.6.4
20.6.5
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20.7
20.7.1
Ecology terrestrial
Habitat on site is limited to several semi-mature trees and where possible this habitat would be reinstated at the end of the construction period. No significant effects are anticipated on terrestrial ecology for either construction or operation (aquatic ecology effects are considered in section 20.6).
20.8
20.8.1
The site comprises part of the Thames foreshore and Victoria Embankment river wall. The river wall and associated lamp standards are Grade II listed within the western part of the site (these assets are of high heritage asset significance). The eastern section of the wall, constructed in the 1960s, is unlisted. The site is partially located beneath the Grade II listed 19th-century Blackfriars Bridge (of high heritage asset significance). The site also includes the permanently moored navy ship, the President, built in 1917 (of high heritage asset significance). The site lies within the locally designated Whitefriars Conservation Area (of high heritage asset significance). A 20th-century former fire service pump house at the eastern end of the Millennium Pier is considered to be of low heritage asset significance. There are also a number of listed buildings nearby, including gate piers to the Inner Temple Garden, Carmelite House, Sion College and the City of London School (all Grade II listed and of high heritage asset significance). The site lies within the locally designated City of London Archaeological Priority Area and potential for the site in terms of buried archaeological heritage is high for post-medieval 18th and 19th century industrial and riverside remains (which would be of low or medium heritage asset significance if present). There is a low to moderate potential for Roman hulked vessels (one was uncovered adjacent to the site in the 1960s), which would be of high asset significance, or very high if well preserved, if present. Potential for prehistoric and medieval remains is considered to be low as the site lay within the Thames channel in these periods. Palaeoenvironmental remains (e.g. organic remains, such as pollens or plant fossils) are likely to have been removed by erosion. Based on preliminary assessment findings, the removal of part of the river wall parapet within the site is likely to have a major adverse effect for the listed section and its lamp standards, and a moderate adverse effect for the unlisted section. Removal of the pump house would constitute a minor adverse effect. There would be no impact on Blackfriars Bridge or the President, the latter would be temporarily relocated. Construction works would entail deep excavations which would entirely remove any assets present within the footprint of each area of construction. If any such assets were found to be present, this is likely to give rise to a minor to moderate adverse effect for post-medieval industrial and riverside remains. There would be a major adverse effect if a Roman ship was found to be present.
20.8.2
20.8.3
20.8.4
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Section 20: Blackfriars Bridge Foreshore 20.8.5 To mitigate the effect on the river wall and lamp standards, the structures would be recorded and photographed in line with accepted standards to form preservation by record, with the lamp standards reinstated where possible. The desk-based study of the site suggests that no buried heritage assets of very high significance are anticipated that might merit a mitigation strategy of permanent preservation in situ. The predicted adverse effects could be successfully mitigated by a suitable programme of archaeological investigation before and/or during construction, drawing on a range of techniques. This would include subsequent dissemination of the results and so achieve preservation by record. Effects on the historic environment arising from the operation of the Thames Tunnel infrastructure at Blackfriars Bridge Foreshore, on assets including the Whitehall Conservation Area and nearby listed structures, will be assessed and presented in the Environmental Statement. This may include effects on the historic setting of heritage assets and effects on buried heritage assets in the foreshore from scouring due to changes in river flows due to new infrastructure in the channel. Any mitigation requirements for operational effects will also be presented in the Environmental Statement.
20.8.6
20.9
20.9.1
Land quality
A search of historical and environmental data indicates no contaminative activities on site which could have caused contamination in the area. The search identified pockets of historical industrial activities in the vicinity of the site that in the most cases have ceased. None of the sources nearby are considered to have significantly impacted upon the site. Previous ground investigations close to the site have recorded no significant soils and groundwater contamination. Part of the ongoing ground investigations includes the assessment of foreshore sediment contamination. Desk based surveys have identified a high risk from unexploded ordnance. There may be a slight adverse effect on construction workers due to the potential for exposure to contaminated soils or other materials if they are present, although any exposure risk would be short-term. There would be a negligible effect on the built environment as it is considered unlikely that contaminants contained in subsurface materials would affect buried structures. Based on the preliminary assessment findings, mitigation measures during the construction phase are not considered necessary although this will be clarified subject to further investigations and reported in the Environmental Statement. During operation there would be negligible effect on future users and the built environment. The assessment identified no need for mitigation during the operational phase.
20.9.2
20.9.3
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20.10
20.10.1
Noise and vibration

A noise survey has been carried out for the site. The site is dominated by road traffic and rail noise. The nearest locations to the site which are sensitive to noise and vibration are on the upper floors of the buildings on Kings Bench Walk, to the north west of site. Based on preliminary assessment findings, significant noise effects arising from construction activities are predicted at Sion Hall. No significant effects from vibration (during construction or during the operation of the site) are predicted. During construction, the contractor would be required to follow best practice (as described in the Code of Construction Practice) at all times to reduce the noise and vibration effects upon the local community. Beyond best practice measures it is anticipated that further measures would be required to address significant noise effects during construction. This could include the use of localised screens and enclosures to reduce noise from particularly noisy, static operations. The next stage of the assessment will profile the variation in construction noise levels across the programme of work with the aim of refining mitigation design and seeking to reduce the significant effects of construction noise and vibration. Further details of mitigation measures will be provided in the Environmental Statement including the significance of residual effects once mitigation has been taken into account.
20.10.2
20.10.3
20.10.4
20.10.5
20.11
20.11.1
Socio-economics
The site comprises a stretch of pavement that forms part of the Thames Path together with a specialist sports facility and an area of foreshore on the River Thames where the vessel President and the Blackfriars Millennium Pier are located. Open space (Inner Temple Gardens) and commercial office buildings surround the site, and there are residential dwellings beyond the open space. The site and surrounding area is very well used for a range of purposes including walking, cycling, sightseeing by tourists and passive recreation. During construction, there is considered to be a moderate adverse effect arising from the displacement of the specialist sports facility, and minor adverse effects arising from the disruption to the businesses on Blackfriars Millennium Pier, disruption to the Thames Path and amenity effects on its users. Amenity effects on users of the Blackfriars Millennium Pier, the vessel President, and Inner Temple Gardens are considered to be negligible. Once operational, there would be a moderate beneficial effect resulting from the gain in publicly accessible space associated with the extension to the pavement, comprising the Thames Path, and a negligible effect on users of the Blackfriars Millennium Pier as a result of its permanent relocation to the east of Blackfriars Bridge.
20.11.2
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Section 20: Blackfriars Bridge Foreshore 20.11.3 In completing the assessment, there is scope for further construction phase mitigation measures to be incorporated in the design with the aim of seeking to reduce significant adverse effects which have been identified in this preliminary assessment. For the operational phase, there are not expected to be any socioeconomic effects at Blackfriars Bridge Foreshore which require mitigation.
20.11.4
20.12
20.12.1

The site is located within the Whitefriars Conservation Area in the City of London. It comprises a stretch of pavement along Victoria Embankment, Blackfriars Millennium Pier, a stretch of Grade II listed river wall and lamp standards. A number of mature London plane trees protected by Tree Preservation Orders also line the embankment. The site lies within the London View Management Framework and is nationally valued, being experienced by a large number of people. The surrounding townscape is a mix of historic and modern commercial, administrative and residential premises. Based on preliminary assessment findings, it is likely that during the construction phase, the presence of construction activity and the cofferdam would have a major adverse effect on townscape areas including the site, the River Thames Central London Reach, and Whitefriars and Temples Conservation Areas. Moderate adverse effects are likely on the townscape on the opposite river bank and a minor adverse effect on other townscape areas. Once the scheme is operational it is anticipated that there would be minor to moderate adverse townscape effects on areas including the site and character areas along the river due to new structures within an area that was previously part of the river. There would be minor adverse effects on one character area. The exact extent of effects will be refined for the Environmental Statement based on the final design. In terms of visual amenity, during the construction phase there would be major adverse effects on viewpoints including from the opposite river bank, Blackfriars Bridge and Waterloo Bridge, due to the visibility of the cofferdam and construction activity. There would be moderate adverse effects on five viewpoints, including from Millennium Bridge and receptors to the north of the site, and minor adverse effects on four viewpoints. Once operational there would be moderate adverse visual effects on the view from Tudor Street, minor to moderate adverse effects on viewpoints including from the opposite river bank and Blackfriars Bridge, and minor or negligible adverse effects on remaining viewpoints due to the new river wall and structures. Mitigation measures during the construction phase are being incorporated into the proposals, for example through use of capped and directional lighting when required and the presence of hoarding. For the operational phase, a process of iterative design and assessment has been employed to reduce adverse effects. Remaining operational effects will depend on the architectural and landscape design and will be reported in the Environmental Statement.
20.12.2
20.12.3
20.12.4
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20.13
20.13.1
Transport
The Blackfriars Bridge Foreshore site has excellent public transport accessibility being located within close proximity of Blackfriars National Rail and London Underground stations. The site is on the south side of Upper Thames Street / Victoria Embankment at the Blackfriars Underpass and construction vehicle access is proposed via the westbound slip road from the Blackfriars Road (A201) junction and from Victoria Embankment (Figure 20.7). The Blackfriars Millennium Pier would be permanently relocated (Figure 20.8). Figure 20.7 Traffic along Victoria Embankment, looking east towards Blackfriars Bridge
20.13.2
During construction, the number of heavy goods vehicle movements would be moderate with the effect on road network operation and delay being moderate adverse due to the need for diversion routes and highway layout changes causing delays to journey time. Effects on pedestrian amenity and safety are expected to be moderate adverse (due to loss of footway and local diversions) while effects on cyclists would be minor adverse. A minor adverse effect is expected on river passenger services as a consequence of the relocation of the Blackfriars Millennium Pier. Due to the diversion of bus routes and delays to journey time the effects on bus services is considered to be moderate adverse. During the operational phase there would be very occasional vehicle trips to and from the site for maintenance activities but these would have a negligible effect on the surrounding transport networks. The project is being designed to limit the effects on the transport networks as far as possible. At this location, mitigation measures during the construction phase are likely to be required and would take the form of safe crossing points for pedestrians and cyclists along the diversion routes and measures to ensure bus service frequency. Mitigation is not required for the operational phase.
20.13.3
20.13.4
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Section 20: Blackfriars Bridge Foreshore Figure 20.8 Blackfriars Millennium Pier
20.14
20.14.1

The proposed shaft would pass through the upper aquifer but would not penetrate the lower aquifer beneath. Interception infrastructure would penetrate the upper aquifer. The main receptors are the upper aquifer which is defined as being of medium value, the lower aquifer which is defined as being high value and the nearby private abstractions are defined as being of very high value. Construction effects on the upper aquifer would be limited to physical obstruction to groundwater flow and this is anticipated to be negligible. Dewatering may be required for limited periods during construction of the base of the shaft. This may have an impact on the lower aquifer the significance of this is being studied. Once operational the potential effects would be obstruction to groundwater flow and the seepage to and from the shaft. These effects are considered to be negligible with the inclusion of embedded design measures. Monitoring of groundwater levels and quality would continue throughout construction.
20.14.2
20.14.3
20.15
20.15.1

The site is located within the River Thames within the Thames Middle waterbody, as classified under the Thames River Basin Management Plan. The Thames Middle waterbody is currently classified under the Water Framework Directive as being at moderate potential status, with a status objective of good potential by 2027. There are no nationally or locally designated water-dependent conservation sites within 2 kilometres of the site.
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Section 20: Blackfriars Bridge Foreshore 20.15.2 There is the potential for effects on surface water resources from the proposed construction works through surface water runoff and exposure of the drainage system to contaminants. After taking into account the measures incorporated into the design and Code of Construction Practice, such effects are expected to be manageable and not significant. No mitigation would therefore be required. There is also potential for the reduction in the width of the river to change the river flows, which could lead to scour at the flood defences. The effects would be largely temporary during construction as some natural foreshore restoration would occur after temporary construction structures are removed. Some additional mitigation may be required for the effects of the permanent works within the foreshore. Any mitigation that is required will be identified in the Environmental Statement. Once operational the scheme would reduce the number of discharges from the Fleet Main combined sewer overflow (Figure 20.9) to a predicted level of four spills once the tunnel is in place. This reduction would have a beneficial effect on water quality. The number of risk days for river users being exposed to pathogens would be reduced by up to 64 days of risk of exposure each year. In addition, the tonnage of sewage derived litter can be expected to be reduced from 131 tonnes to 9 tonnes per year. Figure 20.9 Fleet combined sewer overflow
20.15.3
20.15.4
20.15.5
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20.16
20.16.1
Flood risk
Due to its location within the foreshore, the main source of flood risk to the site during construction and operation is the tidal River Thames. The proposed construction site may be at risk of surface water flooding in the future due to runoff generated on the land to the north of the site. This risk is considered to be low due to ground levels at the site which would mean other areas would flood before the site. The work required to construct the shaft and weir chamber would require the local flood defences (Figure 20.10) to be taken down; during construction the temporary works would act as the flood defences and the permanent works would provide local flood defence when complete. The effects of changes in scour and deposition would be reduced through good practice design of the temporary and permanent structures. Figure 20.10 View of existing flood walls west of Blackfriars Bridge
20.16.2
20.17
20.17.1
Further information
Further information regarding preliminary assessment findings for Blackfriars Bridge Foreshore can be found in Volume 21 of the Preliminary Environmental Information Report.
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Section 21: Chambers Wharf
21 21.1
21.1.1
Chambers Wharf Introduction

This section of the non-technical summary presents the preliminary environmental assessment for the Thames Tunnel project at Chambers Wharf (Figure 12.1). At this site it is proposed that the main tunnel would be driven north east to Abbey Mills. It would also be a receptor site for the tunnel boring machine driven from Kirtling Street and for the tunnel boring machine driven from Greenwich Pumping Station. In the following section a description of the existing site is given. This is followed by a description of the development proposed at this site. The environmental topics which have been assessed for this site are listed in the Assessment section (21.4). Preliminary assessment findings are then presented topic by topic.
21.1.2
21.1.3 21.1.4
21.2
21.2.1 21.2.2
Site context
The site is shown as site number 16 on Figure 28.1. The site is located within the London Borough of Southwark (Figure 12.1). Figure 21.1 Chambers Wharf site location
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Section 21: Chambers Wharf 21.2.3 The site is located on the southern bank of the River Thames to the north of Chambers Street on previously developed land which has recently been cleared. Approximately two and a half hectares is required for the proposed temporary construction works (including areas for barging and cofferdam construction), with a smaller area for the permanent works. This is indicated by the red line shown on Figure 21.2. The proposed construction site includes an area of foreshore. Currently vehicular access to the site is from Jamaica Road via Chambers Street and Bevington Road. Figure 21.2 Aerial photograph of Chambers Wharf*
21.2.4
21.3
21.3.1
The proposal is to drive the tunnel boring machine from this site to Abbey Mills and remove the tunnel boring machines driven from Kirtling Street and Greenwich Pumping Station. There would be no combined sewer overflow interception at the site. In order for the tunnel to be built, construction works at this site would take approximately six years. The existing piled jetty would be removed and a cofferdam (a temporary watertight enclosure) built into the foreshore. A shaft with an internal diameter of approximately 25m and a depth of approximately 57m would be constructed. Once the shaft is constructed, the tunnel boring machine would be launched through the base of the shaft east to Abbey Mills. The tunnel boring machines from Kirtling and Greenwich would be removed from the shaft.
21.3.2
21.3.3
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Section 21: Chambers Wharf 21.3.4 21.3.5 A new river wall would be constructed along the length of the site foreshore. In order to manage and mitigate effects on the environment during construction, a Code of Construction Practice has been drafted. This sets out measures to be adhered to during the construction works. Most of the construction would take place from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday although excavation for the tunnel would require 24 hour working. In order to safeguard the environment during construction, a Code of Construction Practice has been drafted. This sets out measures to be adhered to during the process of construction works. Figure 21.4 shows an indicative plan of the construction works.
21.3.6 21.3.7
21.3.8
Figure 21.3 Indicative plan of construction works for Chambers Wharf
21.3.9 21.3.10
Once the works at the site have been built, a number of permanent features would be visible (Figure 21.4). There would be a kiosk to control equipment located in the below ground chambers. The control kiosk would be approximately a metre and a half high. There would also be a four metre high ventilation column and a metre high ventilation structure. The ventilation column and structure would be required to allow air to be released when flows in the tunnel rise into the shaft. Air would be treated through underground filters and released through the ventilation column. On rare occasions when the
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Section 21: Chambers Wharf tunnel is filling rapidly, the air would be released through the ventilation structure. There would be no new operational lighting at night on the site. 21.3.11 Once the project is built and operational, access to the site would be required for maintenance purposes. Access for routine maintenance would be required every three to six months. More substantial maintenance work would be required every ten years. Once the Thames Tunnel works at the site are complete, it is assumed that the residential development, which is already consented for this site, would then commence.
Figure 21.4 Chambers Wharf indicative plan of built development
21.4
21.4.1
Assessment
Based on the existing site and the works proposed, the following environmental topics have been included in the scope of this preliminary environmental assessment: a. Air quality and odour b. Ecology aquatic and terrestrial c. Historic environment d. Land quality e. Noise and vibration f. Socio-economics g. Townscape and visual
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Section 21: Chambers Wharf h. Transport i. j. 21.4.2 21.4.3 Water resources (ground and surface) Flood risk
In the following sections, information about the preliminary assessment of each of these topics is presented. As part of the assessment process, consideration has been given to known major developments that may change future environmental conditions. It is assumed that by 2015 housing to the south of Chambers Street would be built. The future environmental conditions are however not anticipated to change significantly from those which exist today as a result of other developments. Further information on the topic specific methodology for conducting the assessment is given in section 4 of this non-technical summary.
21.4.4
21.5
21.5.1

The site is located within the London Borough of Southwark Air Quality Management Area. The nearest people who may be sensitive to the development are at the nearby residential dwellings immediately to the east and west of the site, occupiers of the commercial/office premises to the west of the site (in Luna House) and pupils and staff at St Michaels Catholic School to the south west. Based on this preliminary assessment, it is considered that the overall effect on local air quality from construction road traffic, river barges and construction plant is likely to be minor adverse at the residential properties and St Michaels Catholic School, and negligible at the commercial/office premises. In terms of construction dust, this is likely to have a minor adverse effect at all these locations, taking account of the dust control measures in the Code of Construction Practice. Preliminary assessment findings indicate that the effects of odours released from the ventilation column is likely to be negligible. Based on this assessment, it is considered that mitigation measures are not required.
21.5.2
21.5.3 21.5.4
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Section 21: Chambers Wharf
21.6
21.6.1
Ecology aquatic
The site is located within the brackish zone of the designated River Thames and Tidal Tributaries Site of Metropolitan Importance. The river habitat is primarily shingle. Surveys and data searches indicate low diversity of fish and invertebrates present (Figure 21.5). Construction effects would be managed in accordance with the Code of Construction Practice. With the Code in place and based on assessment findings at this stage it is anticipated that the loss of habitat due to the presence of the temporary construction area in the river would have a moderate adverse effect on habitats and minor adverse effects on fish and invertebrates. The increase in suspended sediment is considered to have a minor adverse effect on fish, due to blanketing of feeding areas and reduced water visibility. All other effects on mammals, fish and invertebrates are considered negligible. The presence of structures during construction within the river may have an effect on migrating fish through altered river flows. This will be assessed and reported in the Environmental Statement. There is no combined sewer overflow outfall discharge at this site, and so there are no operational effects on aquatic ecology to consider for the purpose of this site assessment. Measures are included within the Code of Construction practice to manage construction effects, and no further mitigation during construction is considered to be possible at this stage as the extent of the physical works in the river have been reduced as far as practicable.. Figure 21.5 Brown shrimp were found close to the Chambers Wharf survey site during the aquatic ecology surveys in autumn 2010
21.6.2
21.6.3
21.6.4
21.6.5
Page 255

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