1. Veolia Rye House Energy Recovery Facility Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment

2. 2 2 2 INTRODUCTION Kathryn Whitmore Chartered Landscape Architect Associate with AECOM 24 years experience as a Landscape Architect

3. 3 3 3 CONTENTS 1. Assessment Methodology Best Practice Guidelines What are Landscape and Visual Impacts? Assessment Process Landscape Character Assessment Visual Assessment Significance of Effects 2. Rye House Energy Recovery Facility Existing Site and Surrounding Area

4. 1. Assessment Methodology

5. 5 Best Practice Guidelines Guidelines for Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment, Third Edition (Landscape Institute and Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment, 2013) An Approach to Landscape Character Assessment (Natural England, 2014) Landscape Institute Advice Note 01/11: Photography and photomontage in landscape and visual impact assessment (Landscape Institute, 2011)

6. 6 What are Landscape and Visual Impacts? EIA process requires a clear distinction to be drawn between landscape and visual impacts: Landscape impacts relate to the degree of change to physical characteristics or components of the landscape, which together form the character of that landscape, e.g. landform, vegetation and buildings. Visual impacts relate to the degree of change to an individual receptor’s view of that landscape, e.g. local residents, users of public footpaths or motorists passing through the area.

7. 7 Assessment Process Where are we now? – Baseline Evaluate the baseline? – susceptibility + value = Sensitivity If development occurs, what is the degree of change? – size/scale + duration + reversibility = Magnitude of Impact What is the significance? – Significance of Effect Sensitivity + Magnitude of Impact = Significance of Effect Is it possible to reduce the Magnitude of Impact and so the Significance of Effect? – Mitigation Extract from GLVIA3

8. 8 Landscape Character Assessment Landscape Character Types (LCTs) are types of relatively homogenous landscape character which may occur in a number of discrete areas What is the Landscape Character at this moment in time? i.e. Baseline Landscape How is Landscape Character described and classified? Valley Meadowland LCT Wooded Hills and Ridges LCT East of England Landscape Framework

9. 9 Landscape Character Areas Landscape Character Areas (LCAs) are areas of relatively homogenous landscape character types. They are defined by the combination of elements that contribute to landscape context, character and value. Typical landscape elements include landform, land cover, vegetation and settlement pattern. More subjective criteria are also considered such as scale, unity and enclosure. Lee Valley LCA Essex Landscape Character Assessment Stort Valley LCA

10. 10 Assessment of landscape impacts structured around identification of Landscape Character Areas (LCAs) Each LCA is assigned a Sensitivity – determined by susceptibility and value of the landscape – based on character, quality of existing landscape and ability to accommodate change: High – Unique & sensitive to any change Medium – Distinctive & sensitive to small changes Low – Common & relatively tolerant of change Very Low – Inconsequential & tolerant of substantial change Sensitivity of Landscape Character

11. 11 Magnitude and Level of Landscape Impact Magnitude of Impact: High – Limited change over extensive area or intensive change over more limited area Medium – Moderate change in localised area Low – Minor change in localised area Very Low – Virtually imperceptible change Neutral – No change Three Levels of Landscape Impact: Direct – Development would take place within the LCA Indirect – Degree of intervisibility between the development and the surrounding landscape (LCAs) No change – LCAs where no change would be perceptible

12. 12 Visual Assessment Visual Receptors are special interest or viewer groups who would have views of the proposed development. They are identified by: Interrogation of the Zone of Theoretical Visibility (ZTV) Field Work ZTV is a computer generated graphical representation of places from where the proposed development could be visible Who are the Visual Receptors? i.e. Baseline Visual What are their views like at this moment in time? How are Visual Receptors Identified?

13. 13 Zone of Theoretical Visibility (ZTV)

14. 14 Field Work 14 Visual effects decrease with distance View from B1502, Stanstead Road View from Nazeing New Road, Broxbourne View from B180, Hunsdon Road

15. 15 Sensitivity of Visual Receptors Visual Receptors are assigned a Sensitivity – determined by susceptibility of receptor and value of view – based on activity and expectations of the receptor type (residents, people at work, leisure etc.) and location, context and importance of the existing view: High: activity resulting in an exceptional interest or appreciation of the view (e.g. people visiting a recognised viewing point) and/or a very high value of existing view (e.g. designated landscape) Medium: activity resulting in a high interest or appreciation of the view (e.g. residents or people engaged in outdoor recreation whose attention is focussed on the landscape) and/or a high value of existing view (e.g. unspoilt countryside or Conservation Area) Low: activity involving some interest or appreciation of the view (e.g. people engaged in outdoor recreation that does not focus on an appreciation of the landscape) and/or a medium value of existing view (e.g. suburban residential areas or intensively farmed countryside) Very Low: activity resulting in a low interest or appreciation of the view (e.g. people at work or motorists travelling through the area) and/or low value of existing view (e.g. industrial areas or derelict land)

16. 16 Magnitude of Visual Impact Determined through combination of: Degree of change to the view, including the extent of the area over which the changes would be visible Period of exposure to the view Reversibility Magnitude of Impact classified as follows: High: high degree of change to existing view (e.g. loss of characteristic features) and/or high degree of exposure to view (e.g. close or open views) Medium: medium degree of change to existing view (e.g. partial loss of characteristic features) and/or medium degree of exposure to view (e.g. middle-distance or partial views) Low: low degree of change to existing view (e.g. limited loss of characteristic features) and/or low degree of exposure to view (e.g. long-distance, interrupted or glimpsed views) Very Low: barely perceptible change to existing view and/or very brief exposure to view Neutral: no change discernible in existing view

17. 17 Significance of Effects Determined through combination of: Interaction of the sensitivity of the receptor (LCA or Visual) and magnitude of impact Degree of professional judgement involved Sensitivity of Receptor Magnitude of Impact HighMediumLowVery Low HighMajor ModerateMinor MediumMajorModerateMinorNegligible LowModerateMinorNegligible Very LowMinorNegligible Effects are generally considered significant if they are Major Minor and Negligible effects are generally considered not significant Moderate effects are borderline and are determined by professional judgement

18. 18 Significance of Effects Professional judgement should take account of whether effects are considered: Positive or negative (i.e. beneficial or adverse) Permanent or temporary Direct or indirect The following should also be taken into account: Duration/frequency of the effect Whether any secondary effects are caused Neutral is no effect Classification of EffectDescription of Landscape EffectDescription of Visual Effect Moderate adverse effectWhere the proposed development is not characteristic of the scale, landform and pattern of the landscape, and/or damages quality or characteristic features Where the proposed development causes noticeable deterioration to the existing view Example of Description of Landscape and Visual Effects

19. 2. Existing Site and Surrounding Area

20. 20 Landscape of the Site – Baseline Flat with mounds of earth around the boundaries Railway siding on a low embankment along north west boundary Industrial with overhead power lines on pylons crossing the site Vegetation concentrated along site boundaries

21. 21 Landscape of the Surrounding Area – Baseline Site is 1.5km east of Hoddesdon town centre on the eastern edge of an industrial estate. River Lee is to the east of the Site flowing south west to north west and forming a wide valley. Western side of the Lee Valley is dominated by the built-up areas of Hoddesdon and Broxbourne. To the east, small villages cluster around connecting roads. Glasshouses are a dominant feature. Central area of the Lee Valley is relatively uninhabited. Industry concentrated on Hoddesdon’s eastern edge. Vegetation varies across study area: o Arable farmland and pasture dominate rural areas; o Extensive woodlands to the west; o Large lakes of the Lee Valley are bounded by tree and shrub belts; o In Hoddesdon, vegetation is limited to gardens and road verges; o Rural settlements, larger gardens, hedged boundaries and small woodlands. Well defined road, rail, water and footpath network. View through gateway on Hoe Lane, Nazeing View from Netherhall Road, near Roydon

22. 22 Local Landscape Character Areas – Baseline

23. 23 Location Plan of Representative Viewpoints – Baseline

24. 24 Representative Views – Baseline View from beside back fence of houses at Glen Faba View from corner of Fisherman’s Way and Normandy Way View from footpath at Nazeing Mead View from Dobb’s Weir Road

25. 25 Wireline Photomontages of the Proposed Development Drafts shown at Community Liaison Meeting Viewpoint 2: View from beside back fence of houses at Glen Faba looking west Viewpoint 8: View from junction of Westfield Road and Norris Lane, Hoddesdon, looking east Viewpoint 16: View from the Stort Valley Way, south of Low Hill, looking north west 3 of the 8 proposed photomontages were shown at the meeting, as follows:

26. 26 Viewpoint 2: View from Glen Faba

27. 27 Viewpoint 8: View from junction of Westfield Road and Norris Lane

28. 28 Viewpoint 16: View from the Stort Valley Way south of Low Hill

29. Thank You!