—e East Lothian Our Ref: EIASCREEN/DOLPH Council gh Monica Patterson Date: 8" November 2016 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (SERVICES FOR COMMUNITIES) Naomi Cunningham Holder Planning John Mur Howse 5 South Charlotte Street aa Edinburgh HAI 3HA EH2 4AN Tel 01620 627827 8y era (oe Deer Naomi Cunningham The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2011: Screening opinion under Regulation 6: Proposed Residential Development on Land at Dolphingstone. I refer to your email to Keith Dingwall on October 12th requesting East Lothian Council carry out a Screening Opinion for the proposed residential development at Dolphingstone. This letter constitutes a formal screening opinion on whether an Environmental Impact ‘Assessment (EIA) is required for that proposed residential development. It is my view that the proposed development is unlikely to have significant effects on the environment to the extent that expert and detailed study through EIA would be necessary to properly assess any effect. Therefore an EIA is not required. Reasoning: The proposed development does not fall within Schedule 1 of the EIA Regulations and does not therefore require mandatory EIA. The site is not within a ‘sensitive area’ as defined by Regulation 2(1) but, as an urban development project where the area of the development exceeds 0.5 hectare, it falls to be considered under Schedule 2 of the Regulations. Accordingly the Council must reach a screening opinion and consider whether the proposed development is likely to have a significant effect on the environment, taking into account the selection criteria for screening Schedule 2 development, listed in Schedule 3 of the Regulations. These include the characteristics of the development, the location of the development and the characteristics of the potential impact. Ihave assessed the likely impact of the development against the Schedule 3 criteria and the guidance given in Planning Circular 3/2011, and the key environmental issues that have been considered in reaching this screening opinion are as follows: 1. The landscape and visual impact of new residential development in this location. The loss of prime agricultural land. 3. The impact of development on buried archaeological remains given that the site overlays an area known to have WW/1 trenches dug as part of the defence of Leith and as itis within Pinkie Battlefield 4, Impact on biodiversity. Having evaluated the potential significance of the likely environmental effects, | consider that the proposed development, by virtue of its characteristics, location and characteristics of www.eastlothian.gov.ukthe potential impact, is not likely to have a significant environmental effect to the extent that an expert and detailed study through EIA is needed to properly assess any effect. Whilst this screening opinion concludes that EIA is not required, it is considered that the development would have visual and landscape impacts that would need to be properly considered through a robust and methodical Visual Impact Assessment. Likewise due to the likelihood of buried archaeological remains it is considered that archaeological investigations will need to be undertaken to establish the extent of any buried remains and any further archaeological works that would be required, However, taking into account the above, itis the opinion of East Lothian Council as planning authority that the proposed development does not. constitute ‘EIA development’ under the terms of the EIA regulations. You should bear in mind that the planning authority's opinion on the likelihood of significant environmental effects is reached only for the purpose of adopting this screening opinion under the EIA regulations. This screening opinion is given without prejudice to any subsequent consideration by the planning authority through the planning application process of the impacts of the proposed development, and the authority's assessment of the acceptability or otherwise of the proposed development relative to development plan policy and other material considerations. Should you wish to uss any of the above in more detail please contact Emma Taylor in Yours sincerely, p.p. lain McFarlane Policy & Projects Manager