Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government when the National Trust applied for, and when National Highways agreed to provide, £3 million from the environment and wellbeing designated funds to support a grassland reversion project in the Stonehenge landscape; what the terms of the grant are; and whether the grant has already been distributed in its entirety.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
The application to National Highways Designated Funds Investment Decision Committee regarding a grassland reversion project in the Stonehenge landscape was submitted and approved by the Committee on 6 June 2020. The grant agreement was signed by both parties on the 3 February 2021.
National Trust will effect change in the management of the relevant project land and will carry out the grassland reversion works to deliver at least:
The grant has not been fully paid. The payment schedule of the grant extends from March 2021 to March 2025.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether a (1) Highways England, or (2) National Highways, Environment Designated Funds grant was made to the National Trust as partnership funding towards the acquisition of 168 hectares of land at Stonehenge; and if so, what was the amount of that grant.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
National Highways Environmental Designated Funds have not been used towards the acquisition of the land at Stonehenge. National Highways is, however, providing a contribution of £3m from its Environmental Designated Funds to the National Trust to support a grassland reversion project in the Stonehenge landscape.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government how untreated HS2 waste water entered a winterbourne stream in the Colne Valley; and what the chromium levels are in this run-off.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
HS2 Ltd is not aware of any untreated HS2 waste water entering a winterbourne stream in the Colne Valley. HS2 Ltd closely monitors the River Colne catchment area.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the levels of chromium-6 found at HS2 sites across the Colne Valley; and whether these are related to cement used in construction works.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
HS2 Ltd’s contractor Align JV collects water samples from groundwater, surface water and water associated with construction activities along the route of the Colne Valley Viaduct. The water samples are analysed for a number of substances, including chromium VI, and the data is assessed against environmental quality standards and drinking water standards. The data is then provided to the Environment Agency and Affinity Water on a monthly basis.
All the cement used in the construction of the Colne Valley Viaduct meets EU limits for chromium VI content. Chromium VI has been identified in some waters from the cement used in construction. Such water is collected and either treated at the Align water treatment plant at their South Portal site or at off-site commercial facilities.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 21 October (HL2420), what is the source of contaminated water that has been identified in the cofferdams and necessitated an application to vary the Water Treatment Plant Permit.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
The water within the cofferdams comes from lake water ingress through the sides and base of the cofferdams. The quality of this water is affected by interaction with lakebed sediments and the concrete plug in the base of the cofferdam while it cures. It is this water that is tested, pumped out, and may require treatment before it is of a quality to be returned to the Colne catchment. This water treatment, via the Water Treatment Plant, required a variation to the permit. The piling for the Colne Valley Viaduct is largely complete and the extensive monitoring of groundwater around all piling works and cofferdams has detected no contamination issues in the water environment related to construction works within the Colne Valley.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, if the A303 Amesbury to Berwick Down scheme does go ahead, to whom would any compensatory payment be made for compulsory acquisition of land in Bow Tie Field at Stonehenge.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
Compensation may only be paid to those with a qualifying interest in the land subject to the compulsory purchase order (CPO). A qualifying person is an owner, lessee, occupier or tenant of land within the CPO.
In the case of the Bow Tie Field at Stonehenge, The National Trust, as owners, would receive compensation for the compulsory acquisition of the land.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what area of the 21.16 hectare Bow Tie Field at Stonehenge would have to be compulsorily acquired for construction of a new dual carriageway, eastern tunnel portals and tunnels as a part of National Highways’ proposed A303 Amesbury to Berwick Down scheme.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
The area within Bow Tie Field identified as being required for compulsory acquisition for construction of a new dual carriageway, eastern tunnel portals and tunnels are as follows:
Approximately 4.54 hectares of permanent acquisition,
Approximately 6.65 hectares of permanent subsoil (subterranean) rights for the tunnel.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the discovery of water pollution in the HS2 cofferdams sunk into the aquifer for the Colne Valley Viaduct construction haul road, what plans they have to call for a moratorium on the sinking of deeper piles of up to 80 metres for the Viaduct piers until the source of the pollution at the haul road pile sites has been identified.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
The piling for the Colne Valley Viaduct is largely complete. The extensive monitoring of groundwater around all piling works and cofferdams has detected no contamination issues in the water environment related to HS2 construction works within the Colne Valley. Monitoring data is shared on a frequent basis with both Affinity Water and the Environment Agency. Affinity Water has its own monitoring regime to verify these results.
HS2 Ltd has consents in place with the Environment Agency, in consultation with Affinity Water, for these works, which are supported by an extensive groundwater risk assessment and monitoring regime to avoid pollution or long-term impact to the underlying aquifer. There are no plans to cease the construction of the piles which will support the Colne Valley Viaduct.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish the Mitigation Strategy for the impact of HS2 on the natural water resources.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
HS2 Ltd’s approach to managing the impact of HS2 on the water environment is set out in a number of published documents, including Information Paper E4: Water Resources and Flood risk.
The mitigation approach is driven by existing environmental law, Protective Provisions in the Acts which authorise the railway and additional commitments made to Parliament, including the project’s “Environmental Minimum Requirements”. As a result, HS2 Ltd’s contractors are required to fully assess risks to the water environment from all their activities and to mitigate risks through design or other interventions.
As the regulator for the water environment in England, the Environment Agency reviews those risk assessments and mitigation strategies, and grants approvals to proceed when it is satisfied the risks are suitably managed and adverse impacts are unlikely to occur.