POWER & UTILITIES Review of Environmental Appraisals Proposed Nuclear Power Plant, UK
Project Summary
Review of Environmental Appraisals Proposed Nuclear Power Plant, UK
Project Value: £50,000 Key Project Elements Review of EIA and SAs in the context of local settings Review of Applications to the Planning Inspectorate Review of nuclear-specific & non-conventional issues Review of representations made by other stakeholders Benchmarking with other nuclear power development Contributing to and reviewing representations Advising legal and planning team professionals Integrated working between CRA and other consultants, lawyers and land agents.
CRA Europe (CRA) provided specialist environmental consultancy services to its client, a major local landowner, which afforded key technical information and knowledge which could be used to prepare and protect the Estate from potential environmental liabilities and sustainability impacts. These issues could include air and water pollution; land contamination; and environmental nuisances typically encountered during the development of a planned nuclear power plant. In 2008 the UK Government confirmed the go-ahead for a new generation of nuclear power stations. A location in the South West of England was selected as one of eight national (UK) sites designated for the construction of a dual-reactor power plant. In addition, the location concerned already had two nuclear power plants in place that were built in the 1960s and 1970s. To progress expansion of nuclear power in the region, the developmental consortium, lead by a French electrical energy supplier and power generator, had to lease or purchase significant areas of undeveloped agricultural land neighbouring the development site. That land was owned by the local Estate and a proposed transfer of the land holding had the potential to realise a significant number of environmental issues during the three distinct development phases and the post operational decommissioning and legacy phase that would also include potential issues once the leasehold land was returned to the Estate. CRA carried out a review of information, made available by the developmental consortium as part of a phased public consultation process. This allowed the identification and consideration of the principal environmental and sustainability issues that could be of relevance and concern to the Estate. CRA’s findings were used by the Estate to make representations to the UK’s National Infrastructure Planning Commission and its successor: the Planning Inspectorate. Key information studied by CRA included environmental appraisals, (comprising flood-risk assessments and transport and travel appraisals etc.); sustainability evaluations, health impact assessments, key-area master plans; planning requirements & obligations; and the consortium’s own preferred proposals. CRA also reviewed information in the public domain, such as representations made by others and also for other nuclear power plants proposed elsewhere in the UK. In being able to contribute to the written representations prepared by legal advisers to the Estate, CRA was able to provide a robust approach to underpin the views being considered by the Estate as part of its own representations.
Ref: PS0081