M7 Naas to Newbridge Bypass Upgrade Scheme Landscape and Visual - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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M7 Naas to Newbridge Bypass Upgrade Scheme Landscape and Visual - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Sep 13, 2022 44 likes •289 views

Date: 13-05-14 M7 Naas to Newbridge Bypass Upgrade Scheme Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment Brief of Evidence Presented by Richard Butler, Cunnane Stratton Reynolds Landscape Architect: BL Arch (University of Pretoria, 1995);

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M7 Naas to Newbridge Bypass Upgrade Scheme Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment Brief of Evidence

Presented by

  • Richard Butler, Cunnane Stratton Reynolds
  • Landscape Architect: BL Arch (University of Pretoria, 1995);
  • Member of the Irish Landscape Institute;
  • Town Planner: MSc Spatial Planning (DIT, 2007);
  • Member of the Irish Planning Institute;
  • 15 years professional experience including LVIA to inform planning, design and

construction of transport infrastructure and other developments.

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Content of Presentation

  • Predicted landscape and visual impacts;
  • Issues relating to landscape and visual amenity raised in submissions and objections;
  • Mitigation measures;
  • Conclusions.

Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment Methodology

  • Derived from the Guidelines for Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment, 2nd edition

2002, published by the UK Landscape Institute and the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment.

  • Landscape and visual impacts are assessed by separate but linked procedures.
  • Landscape assessment: The effects deriving from alterations to the elements and

characteristics of the landscape, which may give rise to changes in its character, how it is experienced and hence the ascribed value of the landscape.

  • Visual Assessment: Changes that arise in the composition of available views, the

response of people to these changes and the overall effects on the area’s visual amenity

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Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment Methodology

  • Assess and classify landscape/visual receptor sensitivity;
  • Identify and classify magnitude of landscape/visual change;
  • Leading to a classification of impact significance, and evaluation as beneficial, neutral
  • r adverse.

Existing Environment

  • The landscape is described and visual receptors identified in Section 14.4 of the EIS.
  • Policy affecting the assessment is identified in Section 14.5 of the EIS.

Sensitivity Magnitude H M L H High Significance M Medium Significance L Low Significance N

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Impact Assessment

Landscape Impacts of the M7 Widening

  • No significant changes outside of the motorway pavement and median.
  • No significant changes to the main elements or characteristics of the wider landscape.
  • Negligible magnitude of landscape change.
  • Landscape sensitivity is low: already characterised by the presence of the M7 and

falling within the Strategic Development Corridor of Co. Kildare, informed by the county landscape character assessment.

  • Predicted impact: Low significance and neutral.
  • Greater magnitude of landscape change during construction but confined to the existing

motorway corridor.

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Visual Impacts of the M7 Widening

  • 25 Visual Reference Points (VRPs) assessed - representing residential properties in the

vicinity of the motorway.

  • Non-residential land use and visual receptors were scoped out of the assessment.
  • No protected views or scenic routes potentially affected.
  • The visual impact assessment for the 25 VRPs is contained in Table 14.4 of the EIS.
  • For 22 VRPs, after the construction phase, low or negligible magnitude of change, or no

change to views. No significant effect on visual amenity.

  • For VRPs where some change to views is predicted this would result primarily from the

installation of noise barriers. After construction, change never greater than a low magnitude.

  • To mitigate visibility of the barriers:

(a) planting alongside barrier (house-side), or (b) setting the barrier behind existing vegetation on the shared boundary between the motorway and the neighbouring property.

  • Summary: After construction no visual impact or impacts of low significance for 22 of 25
  • VRPs. For 3 VRPs, mitigation measures along with noise barriers will neutralise

impacts.

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Visual Impacts of the M7 Widening Response to Objections – Brendan & Carol Carton, Lewistown

  • Approx. 50m from house to

edge of road reservation

  • Approx. 100m from road

reservation to canal bank

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Visual Impacts of the M7 Widening Response to Objections – Brendan & Carol Carton, Lewistown

  • Request provision of earth mound for

additional noise mitigation, and provision of additional landscaping to mitigate effects on Grand Canal.

  • Section shows location of proposed

noise barrier in relation to existing vegetation in the road reservation, and to the Carton’s house.

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Visual Impacts of the M7 Widening Response to Objections – Joe & Karen Evans, 1158 Osberstown Cottages

  • Approx. 50m from property

boundary to attenuation area

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Landscape Impacts of the Newhall Interchange

  • Established presence of the M7 and R445, the existing interchange, extensive zoning

for industry and warehousing of the surrounding lands and the ongoing development, results in low sensitivity to landscape change of the nature proposed.

  • However Kildare County Development Plan (14.4.2) recognises that “at local level

landscapes vary in terms of their ability to absorb development”.

  • Therefore landscape is assessed at two scales: the wider landscape and the local

landscape.

  • At the wider scale the relocation of the interchange by a short distance to the existing

crossing of the R445 over the M7 constitutes a low magnitude of change.

  • There would be a loss of some agricultural land, sections of hedgerow with mature

trees, and semi-mature vegetation from the existing motorway corridor. A greater volume of woody vegetation would be established in mitigation (Landscape Mitigation Plan Figure 14.1, EIS Volume 3, and Schedule of Commitments Figure 1).

  • At the wider scale the landscape impact would be of low significance and neutral. There

would be no change to landscape character and value.

  • During construction the impact would be of medium significance and adverse.
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Landscape Impacts of the Newhall Interchange

  • At the local scale, the area contained by the M7 and R445 – occupied by the Coyle

family properties – is a distinct landscape resource.

  • Having a residential function – and due to an accumulation of impacts over time - this

landscape is of high sensitivity to change of the nature proposed.

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Landscape Impacts of the Newhall Interchange Scheme

  • The proposed west-bound off-ramp would traverse the field to the west of the house

belonging to Mary Coyle, rising on an embankment towards the new roundabout on the R445.

  • Loss of part of the field, and a section of the strip of semi-mature vegetation alongside

the motorway. Traffic movements in the area would be altered, with an increase in volume on the R445 in front of the houses.

  • The main elements and characteristics of the landscape would not be substantially

altered, but considering cumulative effects the landscape change can be considered of medium magnitude.

  • During the construction phase the magnitude of change would be high.
  • For this area, during construction, the landscape impact would be of high significance

and adverse.

  • In operation the impact would be of medium significance and the impact would continue

to lessen in time as mitigation planting matures.

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Visual Impacts of the M7 Widening

  • 12 Visual Reference Points (VRPs) assessed - representing residential properties in the

vicinity of the interchange. The VRPs are shown on Figure 14.2, EIS Volume 3.

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Visual Impacts of the M7 Widening

  • The visual impact assessment for the 12 VRPs is contained in Table 14.5 of the EIS.
  • Situated in a landscape in transition. Commercial development ongoing and further

lands zoned for industry and warehousing.

  • 8 of the 12 VRPs would experience low magnitude of change or less after the

construction phase. The composition, character and quality of views would not be significantly altered. Visual impact on these properties would be of low significance and neutral. Kildare County Development Plan Map 18.3 Naas Environs (west)

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Visual Impacts of the Newhall Interchange Scheme

  • 4 of the 12 Visual Reference Points – representing 5 houses - would experience

medium or high magnitude of change after the construction phase.

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Visual Impacts of the Newhall Interchange

  • 4 of the 12 Visual Reference Points – representing 5 houses - would experience

medium or high magnitude of change after the construction phase.

  • For 2 of these – NI-5 and NI-8 –

mitigation planting will reduce and neutralise impact. Additionally, development of zoned lands between the properties and the interchange site will screen the interchange from view.

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Visual Impacts of the Newhall Interchange

  • 2 Visual Reference Points – representing 3 houses - would experience long term visual

change.

  • These are the properties of Mary and

Harry and Maura Coyle and the property of Catherine Morrin.

  • All have submitted objections.

Catherine Morrin Harry & Maura Coyle Mary Coyle

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Response to Objections – Mary Coyle and Harry and Maura Coyle

  • The off-ramp would pass some 70m from Mary

Coyle’s house, on an embankment.

  • Due to tall, dense vegetation surrounding the

house – and Harry and Maura Coyle’s house – the off-ramp would not be visible from within the properties.

  • Noise barriers would be visible, especially in

front of the houses along the R445.

  • Increased traffic volume on the R445 may be

visible over the barrier.

  • Lights of traffic at night, and overhead lighting of

the new interchange may be visible.

  • Approaching the houses on the access lane the

roundabout and traffic on the R445 would be visible. Visual Impacts of the Newhall Interchange

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Response to Objections – Mary Coyle and Harry and Maura Coyle

  • Minimal change to views from the houses but

views and visual amenity in the domestic environment would be altered.

  • The receptors are of high sensitivity, therefore

impact classified as being of high significance and adverse. Visual Impacts of the Newhall Interchange

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Mitigation Measures: Newhall Interchange

  • The landscape mitigation plan is included as Figure 14.1 of the EIS Volume 3.

Additional Mitigation measures in Schedule of Commitments Figure 1.

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Mitigation Measures: Coyle Properties

  • Belt of woodland on the roundabout

embankment to the SW.

  • To rear of houses, in front of the noise

barrier, a double-width hedgerow with a central line of closely spaced trees.

  • To front of the houses the noise barrier will

provide screening of traffic on the R445. E-E E-E A-A (Vegetation shown in sections approx. 5-7 yrs after planting. Trees 6m tall.) A-A E-E

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Response to Objections – Catherine Morrin

  • House orientates towards interchange site.

Relative lack of screening vegetation between the house and the site.

  • Interchange would be visible including lights

at night.

  • Medium magnitude of change: Composition
  • f the view would be altered, but not the

character, nor the scenic quality in the medium to long term after construction.

  • Approx. 400m

from house to M7

  • Approx. 300m to

interchange works on R445

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Mitigation Measures: Catherine Morrin

  • Woodland in the road reservation

including on the embankment above fish pass pools, without encroaching on slip road sightline and allowing access to pools.

  • On boundary of road reservation a

hedgerow beneath and a line of closely spaced trees.

  • Profile of the interchange

infrastructure will be broken up and softened.

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Cumulative Impacts: M7 Upgrade & Proposed Osberstown interchange

  • The two interchange sites are 2.75km apart (3km by the motorway).
  • Only road users will experience effects of both developments within a short period –
  • approx. 1.5 to 2 minutes apart.
  • In the context – on a motorway bypassing a large town – there will be no accumulation
  • f negative impact on visual amenity.

Mitigation Measures & Residual Impacts

  • For the motorway widening, planting along with noise barriers, or setting back barriers

to preserve vegetation on property boundaries, to soften their presence in views.

  • Other than the noise barriers there will be no addition or removal of significant

landscape features therefore no significant landscape or visual impacts.

  • For the interchange, a scheme of woodland, hedgerows, treelines, shrubs and

meadowgrass planting is proposed to restore the landscape. This will compensate for losses resulting from the infrastructure and provide visual screening for nearby houses and their associated lands.

  • The most sensitive receptors – few in number - will continue to experience adverse

landscape and visual change in their domestic environment.

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Conclusions

  • Receiving environment falls into Strategic Development Corridor of Co. Kildare.
  • Designated for development of transport infrastructure and associated land use.
  • Relatively limited landscape value, recognised in County Development Plan.
  • Impacts of significance, on both landscape and visual receptors, confined to a small

area and a small number of people.

  • Impacts arise due to the proximity of their houses to the motorway.
  • Residual impacts after mitigation are not of sufficient significance to restrict the M7’s

improvement.

  • The proposed development is not an inappropriate intervention in the landscape.