Jetty Non Technical Summary - EDF Hinkley Point

8.3.13 Fewer potential impacts are predicted to arise during the jetty development’s operation
and dismantling and restoration phases or, if required, its removal and reinstatement
phase, namely:
• adverse impacts on intertidal birds resulting from disturbance caused by ships
docking to unload cargo, and from human activity, light and noise along and on route
to the jetty;
• disturbance to bats as a result of site lighting; and
• restoration (or, if required, reinstatement) of the site, resulting in the creation of
habitats which would subsequently be available for colonisation by wildlife.
8.3.14 Similarly, none of these potential impacts are predicted to be significant.
Mitigation
8.3.15 Construction of the jetty development would be undertaken and, as appropriate,
scheduled in such a way as to avoid or reduce impacts on birds using the inter-tidal
areas (e.g. piling on the foreshore would be scheduled to take place over the summer
period from July to September as far as possible). In addition, the construction works on
the inter-tidal area would be constantly rather than intermittently lit each night through the
use of directional lighting so that light spill is limited and birds can habituate to the light.
8.3.16 To ensure compliance with the legal protection afforded to bats, destruction of the barn
with confirmed bat interest would be undertaken in accordance with a method statement
that is agreed with Natural England, in the context of a derogation licence. In addition, a
strategy would be implemented to ensure that lighting is designed to have minimal
impacts on bats, whilst being compliant with safety and security criteria.
Residual Impacts
8.3.17 No significant impacts are predicted after mitigation.
8.4 Water Quality
Existing Environment
8.4.1 A review of literature has been used to derive an overview of the marine surface water
quality conditions. In addition, the results of surface water sampling campaigns carried
out in 2009 have been used to inform the baseline conditions. The two key receptors
identified for potential impacts arising from the jetty development are the freshwater
quality status of the Hinkley Point C Drainage Ditch and the marine water quality status of
the Severn Estuary.
8.4.2 Onshore, the jetty development’s application site includes a series of interconnecting
agricultural drainage ditches that drain the land and discharge to the Hinkley Point
foreshore. The primary watercourse of relevance to the jetty development is known as
the Hinkley Point C Drainage Ditch. This watercourse is supplied with water from surface
drainage running off from surrounding agricultural land. Its water quality status is
characterised by highly variable water quality conditions, including elevated
concentrations of suspended solids. In addition, it is known to dry out during prolonged
periods without rainfall.
8.4.3 Offshore, the water quality status of the inter-tidal area at Hinkley Point is variable
according to tidal conditions. Under high tide conditions the inter-tidal area is inundated
with water that is characterised by high concentrations of suspended solids. Given the
Hinkley Point C Preliminary Works
Non Technical Summary
Temporary Jetty Development 52 November 2010