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BOC Immingham Dissolved Acetylene Project Environmental Statement: Vol. 2 Main Text
17.27 During operation, the Electrical Switch Room will be protected from flooding by flood doors. Two
refuge areas providing a Safe Haven for staff during an extreme tidal event with breach or
overtopping of the coastal defences will be provided within the Generator Building. The elevations
of the refuge areas will be 6.61 mAOD on the first floor and 8.88 mAOD on the second floor Both
of these refuge areas are well above the 1 in 1,000 year (0.1% AEP) extreme sea level plus
climate change to 2115 of 6.45 m AOD. All other areas will be allowed to flood and in doing so
should not pose a risk to site personnel or to the continuing operation of the site. Furthermore, the
Dissolved Acetylene facility will be included on the EA flood warning register; and a flood warning
and emergency evacuation plan will be prepared.
17.28 Site selection and Project design have been developed in full awareness of the flood risk
associated with the site and have been executed in accordance with PPS 25 and RSS policy
ENV1. The EA has been consulted and the requisite tests have been passed, both of which are
reported in Annex 9 that supports this ES. The Project design responds to the flood risk and
reflects the requirements of emerging LDF Policy DM10. The residual tidal risk is recognised and
there is evidence of proposed protocols that will be in place to manage this risk to acceptable
thresholds. In this respect, the Project is considered to conform to the relevant policies.
Ecology
Key Policies
17.29 ‘PPS 9 Biodiversity and Geological Conservation’ reflects the requirement for the impact of
development proposals on biodiversity and geological conservation assets to be considered. A list
of biodiversity matters that should be examined includes:
� the baseline biodiversity characteristics and their value;
� the presence of any designated assets and their potential relationship with the proposed
development;
� the potential for development proposals to deliver enhancement to relevant biodiversity
features within the design of the development; and
� any requirements for mitigation of adverse effects, which should be embedded in the
proposals.
17.30 PPS 9 includes: a presumption against permitting development that may have an adverse effect
upon a SSSI; sites of regional and or local biodiversity interest should be maintained for their
contribution to meeting national biodiversity targets and contributing to quality of life; and the
legislative framework for avoiding harm to Protected Species is supported by measures described
in PPS 9.
17.31 The ‘Consultation Paper on a New Planning Policy Statement: Planning for a Natural and Healthy
Environment’ outlines proposed planning policy on: biodiversity; geological conservation;
landscape and soil protection; heritage coastline; open space; sport; recreation; green
infrastructure; and floodlighting of sports and recreational facilities. The biodiversity elements of
this forthcoming policy document are linked to a strong policy commitment to the protection and
delivery of green infrastructure network for a range of linked purposes (flood water storage;
sustainable drainage; urban cooling; amenity space; habitats and green corridors for biodiversity
networks; creation of attractive, sustainable communities; and sense of place, linking to the
heritage of an area).
5100935.404 Environmental Statement August 2011 290