View - North East Lincolnshire Council

BOC Immingham Dissolved Acetylene Project Environmental Statement: Vol. 2 Main Text
2.11 Groundwater in the top one metre of soils is understood to be controlled largely by land drains.
Below this, shallow groundwater in the Superficial Deposits is understood to flow towards, and
may be in partial hydraulic continuity with, the Humber Estuary. Deeper groundwater is present in
the Chalk Principal Aquifer; however this is understood to be isolated from the shallow
groundwater by a thick layer of clay.
2.12 Other than Middle Drain on the boundary of the development area there are no permanent
surface water features on the site. There is a ditch along the part of the northern verge of South
Marsh Road. The former route of Middle Drain, in the north west corner of the development area,
is now a depression with steep banks. Both of these features are seasonal and regularly dry out.
Conservation Interests
2.13 The proposed development site is predominantly arable with very little intrinsic value to nature
conservation. There are narrow (approximately 1 m wide) field margins along the south eastern,
south western and north western boundaries of the development area.
2.14 There are no Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) associated with the development area. The only
trees in the development area are located in the south western corner of the site; however these
are within the Anglian Water easement and so would not be affected by the development. There
are no established hedgerows on the site; however there are some patches of scattered scrub,
largely dominated by hawthorn, along the railway line and along Middle Drain. Discussions with
the NELC Trees and Woodland Officer 10 confirmed that the, ‘...existing tree hedge cover is very
limited and does not pose a significant constraint in developing this piece of land therefore a tree
hedge survey will not be a requirement.’
2.15 The site does not lie within a Conservation Area. There is no evidence of archaeological remains
on the development site. There are no significant designated or undesignated historic buildings
within the boundaries of the proposed development site (or within its immediate vicinity). The
historic landscape of the site is of limited value and is relatively typical of the local area.
Surrounding Area
Immediate Surroundings
2.16 The field housing the development area is bounded to the north west by Middle Drain, to the north
east by Hobson Way, to the south east by South Marsh Road and to the south west by the
Grimsby Light Railway Line (as shown on Figure 1.2). The railway line is not currently in
operation.
Surrounding Land Use
2.17 The proposed site is located in an area of agricultural land mixed with high levels of industrial use
(e.g. chemical processing and manufacturing). At present, fields are present immediately beyond
Hobson Way, South Marsh Road and the railway line. However, a Planning Application (NELC
Planning ID: DC/1147/10/IMM) has been submitted for consent to build a Bio-ethanol plant in the
next field on the south east side of South Marsh Road. A Planning Application has also been
submitted for consent to build two three megawatt (MW) wind turbines (NELC Planning ID:
DC/827/08/IMM) to the south west of the existing plant, on the other side of the railway line (see
Chapter 16 Cumulative for further details and a map showing the location of these (and other)
proposed developments). Within the surrounding landscape, vertical manmade structures such as
pylons, cooling towers and stacks dominate the skyline.
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