Notice

Curry Moor flood storage area

Published 9 March 2023

The notice

Announcement of intention not to prepare an environmental statement - Regulation 5 of the Environmental Impact Assessment Land Drainage Improvement Works (Amended) Regulations 1999 SI 1999/1783.

The work

The Environment Agency gives notice that it proposes to carry out essential public safety works, known as ‘Measures in the Interests of Safety’ or ‘MIOS’ in the Curry Moor flood storage area (FSA), NGR ST 32998 27395, near Curload in the district of Somerset West and Taunton.

The Environment Agency is required by law to undertake the MIOS works before July 2025, in accordance with its obligations under the Reservoirs Act 1975.

The proposed MIOS works will involve the following:

MIOS 1 River Tone left embankment (located at NGR ST 32862 27252)

• Stoke Drove access track upgrades, including the temporary bridging of Stoke Drove Bridge
• Vegetation clearance
• Construction of an artificial badger sett, including:
  • constructed earth mound north west of the existing sett
  • construction of earthen causeway connecting to the left embankment
  • construction of fences and safety signage
  • establishment of vegetation
  • excavation of a new rhyne
• Excavation of an existing badger sett and reconstruction of the embankment, including:
  • installation of badger mesh on the embankment
  • establishment of vegetation
  • erection of fences, gates and safety signage

MIOS 3 Hook Bridge inlet spillway (located at NGR ST 33579 27647)

• Construction of a concrete access track including:
  • a bespoke fence and wire system
  • a removable equal angled metal crest upstand
  • regrading of the riverward verge
• Regrading of the landward face and establishment of grass
• Construction of a field access track

MIOS 8d Stan Moor embankment and culvert (located at NGR ST 33839 27776)

• Construction of a new cut-off bund with crest level 8.44 metres Above Ordnance Datum with settlement management measures, including:
  • construct majority of the proposed new cut-off bund for a 1 year period of preloading
  • closely monitor the settlement throughout the preloading period
  • update the settlement analysis using realistic settlement data and fine tune detailed design
  • top up the bund as necessary and construct new a feed culvert
  • construct the remaining part of new cut-off bund
• Removal of the existing cut-off bund to the east of the site
• Touching up the internal slope faces of the existing embankment with new fence and gate installation
• Construction of a new feed culvert and manholes to replace the existing one
• Decommissioning the existing 450 millimetre diameter feed culvert
• Establishment of vegetation

The MIOS are intended to restore the FSA to safe operation in accordance with its existing flood management functions. They are not intended to change the function or operation of the FSA in any way.

With exception of the artificial badger sett the MIOS works will be delivered under the Environment Agency’s Permitted Development rights, as conferred by The Town and Country Planning Act (General Permitted Development (England) Order 2015 (Part 13, Class D).

A planning application for development of the artificial badger sett has been submitted to Somerset West and Taunton Council under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. Closure of the existing sett will be completed under the Environment Agency’s organisational licence, which is granted by Natural England.

Intention not to prepare an environmental statement

The Environment Agency considers that the improvement works are not likely to have significant effects on the environment and does not intend to prepare an environmental statement in respect of them. The MIOS works have been assessed by environmental specialists in ecology, heritage/archaeology, landscape, water, etc, who have worked actively with scheme engineers and the Principal Contractor to incorporate proposed environmental mitigation measures into the temporary and permanent works design.

In addition, an Environmental Action Plan (EAP) has been developed for this project to ensure that environmental risks are well managed before, during and after construction. An Environmental Clerk of Works (ECW) has been appointed to monitor the project’s performance against the requirements of the EAP and to ensure that the mitigation measures specified have been implemented in full.

Any person wishing to make representations in relation to the likely environmental effects of the proposed MIOS works should do so, in writing, by 8 April 2023. Representations should be addressed to:

Clement Okundonor
Project Manager
Environment Agency
Manley House
Kestrel Way
Exeter
EX2 7LQ

currymoorreservoir@environment-agency.co.uk