Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment)
Regulations 2011
IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EIA) NECESSARY?
Application Title
Development of a new two form entry primary school (420 Pupils + 26fte Nursery)
and associated groundworks that will form part of the Great Western Park (GWP)
urban extension that is currently under construction to the west of Didcot.
Land to North of B4493, Didcot Road. Nearest Postcode: OX11 6DL.
Land forms the Eastern edge of the District Centre within Taylor Wimpey's Great
Western Park development.
1
Has an Environmental Statement been submitted
No
2
If
not
3
Is there a Secretary of State Screening Direction or any pre- No
application screening opinion for the development?
4
If the answers to 2 b) and c) are yes and the answer to 3 is no
then for any Schedule 2 development prepare a screening
opinion as follows:-
a) Is the development listed in Schedule 1
No
b) Is the development listed in Schedule 2
Yes
c) If the answer to (b) is YES does it exceed any of Yes
the relevant thresholds and criteria in Schedule 2
or lie within a Sensitive Area?
a) Work through the sections as set out in Schedule 3 of
the EIA Regulations (Selection Criteria for Screening
Schedule 2 Development). Deal with each point under
the following headings:
 Characteristics of development
 Location of development
 Characteristics of the potential impact
b) State why the characteristics of the development, the
environmental sensitivity of the location and the
characteristics of the potential impact does or does not
mean the development is likely to have significant
effects on the environment and that an ES is or is not
necessary (National Planning Practice Guidance Screening Schedule 2 projects).
Screening Opinion
Characteristics of development
a) The size of the development;
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
The cumulation with other development;
The use of natural resources;
The production of waste;
Pollution and nuisances;
The risk of accidents, having regard in particular to substances or
technologies used.
The size of the development is 2.22 hectares which is well over the relevant
threshold.
The site would have a cumulative effect with the housing development in the area,
but that has been included in an Environmental Impact Assessment for the wider
development in which the primary school site was included. This application deals
with the application as a fresh application but within the context of the existing outline
permission.
Natural resources would be used in the construction of the new building, however
not in significant quantities, and there would be no significant long term use of
natural resources. The building incorporates the management of solar heating and
solar panels into its design, which would both be a significant help in terms of
conserving energy.
Construction waste would arise during the construction phase and there would be an
ongoing production of waste associated with the use as a primary school, however
this would not be of a hazardous nature and would not lead to a significant impact.
The development is not considered likely to cause pollution. There is potential for
nuisance to local amenity due to the number of children using the site. The proposed
site already has benefit of planning permission for outline consent and the
Environmental Impacts of the use of the site as a Primary School has been
considered. This consideration included the cumulative impacts of the development
and the loss of the agricultural land on which the development would take place.
There would be traffic impacts, but these have also been considered as part of the
wider development. I do not believe that the proposal for the school is such that it
would raise new environmental issues not already considered in the EIA for the
wider Great Western Park application.
The development would not require the use of any hazardous or unusual processes
or substances and risk of accidents is not considered to be significant.
Location of development
The environmental sensitivity of geographical areas likely to be affected by
development must be considered, having regard, in particular, to –
a) the existing land use;
b) the relative abundance, quality and regenerative capacity of natural resources
in the area;
c) the absorption capacity of the natural environment, paying particular attention
to the following areas –
i)
ii)
iii)
iv)
v)
vi)
vii)
viii)
wetlands;
coastal zones;
mountain and forest areas;
nature reserves and parks;
areas classified or protected under Member States’ legislation;
areas designated by Member States’ pursuant to Council Directive
79/409 on the conservation of wild birds and Council directive 92/43
on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora.
Areas in which the environmental quality standards laid down in
Community legislation have already been exceeded.
Densely populated areas;
Landscapes of historical, cultural or archaeological significance.
The development is not located in a particularly sensitive or designated area,
and has in any case been granted outline planning permission for use as a
primary school. The wider Great Western Park development is currently under
construction.
Characteristics of potential impact
The potential significant effects of development must be considered in relation to
criteria set out under paragraphs 1 and 2 above, and having regard in particular to –
a) the extent of the impact (geographical area and size of the affected
population);
b) the transfrontier nature of the impact;
c) the magnitude and complexity of the impact;
d) the probability of the impact;
e) the duration, frequency and reversibility of the impact.
b)
(a) Major developments which are of more than local importance
(b) For developments which are proposed for particularly environmentally
sensitive or vulnerable locations and
(c) For developments with unusually complex and potentially hazardous
environmental effects
The geographical extent of impacts arising from the proposed development are likely
to largely be restricted to the immediate area. There would be no transfrontier
impacts. Any impacts which may arise would be of limited magnitude and complexity
and are likely to be reversible and limited to the duration of the proposed use of the
site and existence of the building.
This development is not of more than local importance, the site is not in a particularly
vulnerable or environmentally hazardous location and any environmental effects
would not be unusually complex and potentially hazardous.
Conclusion
It is considered that the development would not have significant effects on the
environment.
Summary
An EIA is needed
Signed …
No
……………………………. (Case Officer)
Date …29th July 2014………………………………….
Report approved by …David
Team Leader)
Periam…………… (Development Management
On behalf of the Director for Environment & Economy
Date …29th July 2014……………………