Health and community

Context

Chapter 13 of Volume 2 of the PEIR presents a preliminary assessment of likely significant effects of the Proposed Development on population health and community.

The health and community assessment identifies effects on the health of the population and on the lives of people within the local community, arising from direct and indirect impacts on community resources and the environmental, social and economic impacts of the Proposed Development. It brings together the assessment of effects on people living close to, or affected by, the Proposed Development in a single chapter.

The health assessment considers likely effects arising from impacts on environmental, social, or economic factors that influence health and wellbeing (‘health determinants’), including: access to open space, recreation, and physical activity; access to services; employment and income; housing; air quality, neighbourhood quality; aircraft noise; perception and uncertainty; and social capital .

The community assessment considers likely effects on community resources, and the resultant effects on the people (‘receptors’) using those resources, including: residential properties, schools, community facilities, open spaces and Public Rights of Way, and leisure and recreation facilities.

Mitigation measures

A range of mitigation measures to reduce the effects on health and community from the Proposed Development would be implemented, as set out below:

Construction

As part of the landscape proposals for the Proposed Development, an area of Wigmore Valley Park will be lost and replacement open space of a greater area will be provided to the east of the existing park. The replacement open space would be delivered in Phase 1, prior to any direct impacts on the existing park. The replacement open space would retain the existing main entrance to Wigmore Valley Park, adjoining Wigmore Hall and Wigmore Pavilion, and would incorporate several of the enhanced facilities proposed in this area as part of New Century Park (i.e. the improved skate park and play facilities and the refurbished Wigmore Pavilion). Overall, the loss of part of the existing park will be fully mitigated by:

• the enhancement of existing facilities, such as the upgrading of existing footpaths and new signage;
• the provision of a larger area of publicly accessible open space; and
• the continuation of accessibility to the park through the existing main entrance and within the replacement open space through the upgrading of existing rights of way and new surfaced paths which further improve public accessibility.

Further mitigation proposed for the construction of the Proposed Development is set out below:

• the Applicant will prepare a construction-specific community engagement plan for the construction of the Proposed Development as set out within the Draft CoCP;
• the lead contractors will make provision to limit adverse health and wellbeing effects relating to the construction of the Proposed Development through implementation of a community engagement strategy to reduce stress and uncertainty associated with the Proposed Development; and
• measures to minimise dust emissions (e.g. phased working), noise emissions (e.g. limiting the time equipment is used) and visual impacts (e.g. well designed and maintained temporary hoarding and fencing) and light impacts (e.g. confinement of task lighting and orientation of site floodlights away from dwellings) to both local businesses and residents will be implemented as detailed in the Draft CoCP.

We continue to engage with owners and operators of a number of facilities, including Prospect House Day Nursery and Ace Sandwich Bar to identify reasonably practicable measures to help mitigate the likely effects on these facilities. This engagement is focused on finding and agreeing alternative sites which are of a comparable size, quality and accessibility in order to relocate these facilities.

Operation

Mitigation proposed for air quality, economics and employment, landscape and visual effects, noise and vibration and traffic and transport (Section 18.2) would also apply to reducing adverse effects on health and community, as well as the Preliminary Light Obtrusion Assessment (refer to Appendix 5.2 in Volume 3 of the PEIR) and the Draft CoCP.

Likely significant effects

All phases – Health Assessment

Significant adverse effects on mental wellbeing may result from negative perceptions and uncertainty in relation to all phases of the Proposed Development.

Construction effects – Health Assessment

During construction, the local community would experience a significant beneficial effect as a result of construction employment opportunities for local people.

However, significant adverse effects on mental health and wellbeing may also result from the demolition of Prospect House Day Nursery.

Construction effects – Community Assessment

Similarly, the community assessment recognises that during construction, the demolition of Prospect House Day Nursery on Prospect Way would result in a significant adverse effect. If suitable alternative premises are found for the Prospect House Day Nursery, then effects would be reduced to not significant, provided that the alternative facility is of a comparable size, quality, and accessibility. We are continuing engagement with the nursery to find a suitable alternative location.

Operational effects - Health Assessment

During operation, likely significant adverse effects on health and wellbeing have been identified due to an increase in air noise for certain receptors, as described in Section 16.3 of the NTS.

However, significant beneficial effects on health and wellbeing would also occur from the increase in operational employment opportunities for local people.

Operational effects - Community Assessment

There are no likely significant effects on community resources during operation.

Completing the assessment

Further assessment of the likely effects on health and community will be undertaken and additional mitigation identified, as technical assessments are further progressed.

The following activities will be undertaken to complete the assessment, the results of which will be presented in the ES:

• further quantitative assessment of health effects from noise impacts will be presented as part of the ES; and
• an assessment of change in air quality exposure predicted to occur as a result of the Proposed Development will be presented as part of the ES. The changes in pollutant concentrations where the population would be exposed will be assessed.

Documents

PEIR Chapter 13 : Click Here

Figures

13.1 Health and Community Study Areas : Click Here
13.2 Recreational Routes User Count Survey Locations : Click Here

Appendices

13.1 Open Space Survey Methodology : Click Here
13.2 Open Space Survey Results : Click Here
13.3 Open Space User Questionnaire : Click Here
13.4 Methodology for Health and Community Assessment : Click Here
13.5 Evidence Review for Health Assessment : Click Here