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Proposed Brewery DevelopmentSt. James’s GateEnvironmental Impact StatementVolume 1 – Non-Technical Summary

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CONTENTS

1.0 Introduction ...................................................................................................3

2.0 Principle Environmental Issues Associated with the Proposed Brewing Facilities ...........................................................7

3.0 Sustainability Statement .............................................................................18

4.0 EIS Conclusions ............................................................................................19

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Proposed Brewery Development — St. James’s Gate | Environmental Impact Statement Volume 1 — Non-Technical Summary

1.1 NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARYThis document presents a summary, in non-technical language, the key findings of an independent Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the construction and operation of the proposed brewery development at St. James’s Gate in Dublin. The EIS has been prepared by Jacobs Sustainable Solutions on behalf of Diageo Ireland (the “Company”).

The principal conclusion of the EIA process is that, subject to the successful implementation and maintenance of identified suitable mitigating measures there will be no significant negative impacts arising from the construction or operation of the proposed brewery development.

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.2 DIAGEODiageo is one of the world’s leading beverage companies and, in Ireland, the Company traces its roots back over 250 years to Arthur Guinness, who moved his brewing operations to St. James’s Gate in 1759. By 1838, St. James’s Gate was the largest brewery in Ireland, and by 1914, it was the largest in the world. Diageo is the largest brewer of stout in the world and also produces a range of other products in Ireland including Harp lager, Smithwick’s ale and Bushmills Irish Whiskey. A number of assets within the existing brewing infrastructure at St. James’s Gate need to be replaced over the coming years.

A review of Diageo’s Irish brewing operations concluded that the development of an expanded high-technology brewery within its existing St. James’s Gate operations would deliver the greatest benefit to Dublin and the least environmental impact. The utilisation of water, energy and transport infrastructure, already in place and in use by the existing brewing operations, will provide for an efficient and sustainable expansion of brewing capacity and infrastructure, whilst the proposed modern and visually attractive design will be located within previously paved or developed land.

Diageo, and the Guinness brand in particular, has a strong reputation for bringing successful new technologies to a traditional brewing market and the proposed significant brewery investment will add to Diageo’s competitiveness through the promotion and realisation of new sustainable, efficient brewing technologies.

View West Along Cooke’s Lane, c. 1910

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1.3 THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EIA) PROCESSDiageo has a highly regarded and well established commitment to sustainability and corporate responsibility and has published an annual global Sustainability & Responsibility Report since 2003. The principles established by Diageo have been reflected in the commissioning of an independent Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the proposed brewery development.

The principle output of the EIA is the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which will be submitted to Dublin City Council in support of a planning application for the proposed brewery development.

The purpose of the EIA process is to:• Identify potential environmental impacts associated with the construction and operation

of the proposed brewery development;• Predict and evaluate the extent and significance of identified potential impacts;• Define and evaluate measures to be taken to reduce, minimise or avoid potential

negative impacts;• Assess the significance of any ‘residual’ impacts that remain following the

implementation of proposed mitigation measures; and• Determine appropriate means of monitoring the actual environmental effects of the

proposed brewery development during construction and operation.

The EIS comprises a description of baseline information for each environmental topic, an assessment of the likely potential impacts, and the mitigation measures to be undertaken to eliminate or minimise such impacts. Potential impacts are assessed for both the construction and operational phases of the proposed brewery development.

1.4 CONSIDERATION OF ALTERNATIVES

1.4.1 OVERVIEW

The review of Diageo’s Irish brewing operations focused on the following key areas of enquiry:• Strategy for asset replacement;• The scale of the brewing capacity required;• The identification of the preferred manufacturing solution;• The selection of the preferred layout/configuration option.

1.4.2 STRATEGY FOR ASSET REPLACEMENT

Starting in 2007, Diageo began a review on how to best to replace some of its critical brewing infrastructure in Ireland. Diageo has considered the need for efficient and sustainable operation, alongside strategic asset replacement which is essential for its future brewing operations.

This review has established the opportunity to build a new sustainable brewing facility to replace the existing brewing facilities at St. James’s Gate, some of which are now in excess of 30 years old.

1.4.3 THE SCALE OF THE BREWING CAPACITY REQUIRED

The determination of the scale (in terms of brewing capacity) of the development was decided on the basis of brewery capacity studies and market trends in Ireland. The studies concluded that a new facility, employing new sustainable technologies and higher production efficiencies to deliver an annual brewing capacity of circa 8.2 million hectolitres, was the optimum solution to meeting future market import and export needs.

Diageo Sustainability & Responsibility Report 2011

1

Sustainability & Responsibility Report 2011

Full Report

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1.4.4 THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE PREFERRED MANUFACTURING SOLUTION

Following an extensive internal review of its existing operations, Diageo has proposed to expand operations at St. James’s Gate. A number of other production options were also considered.

1.4.5 THE SELECTION OF THE PREFERRED LAYOUT/CONFIGURATION OPTION

Diageo’s St. James’s Gate site is relatively large, at approximately 50 acres. Therefore, a number of viable locations within the site were considered possible. As the eventual configuration would determine the setting of precise layout boundaries at each of these locations, they were termed ‘zones’ for the purposes of comparative evaluation. Four zones were investigated in detail in order to determine the optimum location for the proposed brewery development. However, it was established that certain elements are common to all zones (i.e. location of the existing Fermentation Beer Processing Plant and upgrade to the existing utilities area) - see Figures 3A-3D in Volume 2 of the EIS for zoning diagrams.

In brief, the four zones considered were:• Zone A: replacement of the power station building with the new brewery;• Zone B: replacement of the medical centre with the new brewery;• Zone C: a continuous linear brewery layout just west of the existing fermentation plant

in the middle of the North Site; and• Zone D: brewhouse in the northeast quadrant of the North Site.

The four zones were evaluated against a range of social, environmental and economic issues, such as the potential for noise and visual impacts, effects on cultural and industrial heritage, transport impacts, etc, and against criteria for determining the extent to which the new brewing facility would integrate with the rest of the brewery, constructability and ‘future proofing’ the brewery and the impact on existing operations.

On the basis of the adopted assessment criteria, Zone D was selected as offering minimal disadvantages and a number of advantages when compared to the other zones. It was the best location for potential noise impact, tying into the existing brewery, transport, constructability, ‘future proofing’ and potential industrial heritage impact.

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Figure 5.1Project Boundary in Context with the St. James’s Gate Site and the Wider Area

Figure 5.3Proposed Brewery Development at St. James’s Gate

1.5 DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENTThe Zone D location chosen for the proposed brewery development is located within the St. James’s Gate site, which is within the city’s ‘inner city core’ area and approximately 2.0km west of Dublin City Centre. St. James’s Gate is an active brewery surrounded by walls and gated security on two distinct sites – the North Site and the South Site, which are separated by James’s Street. The main proposals for the brewery development are in the north-eastern corner of the North Site, directly to the south of the N4 (Victoria Quay), and directly west of Watling Street. Figure 5.1 in Volume 3 shows the project boundary in context with the St. James’s Gate site and the wider area.

The scope of the proposed brewery development includes the following main functional elements:• a new brewhouse facility with associated areas;• new brewhouse grain intake building and associated silos, with raw material handling

connected to the brewhouse to the east;• extension of the existing Fermentation Plant to the southwest of the new brewhouse;

and• extension to utilities generation and distribution, incoming water treatment, Waste

Water Neutralisation Plant and CO2 collection and recycling.

Figure 5.3 of Volume 3 illustrates the proposed brewery development at St. James’s Gate.

Diageo intends to develop a brewery facility that will conform to Best International Practice in all of its operations, supporting Diageo’s corporate commitment to adopt a sustainable approach to its brewing operations.

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Diageo North Lands c. 1910

2.1 PLANNING & LEGISLATIVE CONTEXTIt is national and regional planning policy to maintain the competitiveness of the Greater Dublin Area by attracting mobile foreign direct investment. The proposed brewery development will create significant direct and indirect economic benefits, will ensure the retention of employment levels at the existing Diageo site and provide significant construction employment.

It is also national and regional planning policy to consolidate the growth of the metropolitan area by increasing the intensity of use of brownfield sites located in the city centre.

The proposed brewery development will compliment and enhance the long established brewing operations on the Diageo lands. The importance of the brewery to Dublin City is emphasised within the Development Plan which seeks to:

“To support Guinness Brewery in their continued development to safeguard employment, industry and tourism in the south west inner city”.

The Development Plan and the Liberties LAP support Diageo’s intention to modernise their brewery on a reduced site and release significant areas of brownfield land for redevelopment.

2.0 PRINCIPLE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROPOSED BREWING FACILITIES 2.2 SOCIAL & ECONOMIC IMPACT

2.2.1 BASELINE CONDITIONS

Until 2007, Dublin City experienced strong economic growth. However the Irish economy has shrunk over the last four years and as a result, house prices and employment rates have fallen.

Since the 1990s, the Liberties and surrounding areas have experienced a rise in population due to strong economic growth experienced in the region; despite the recent economic slowdown, the population of the Greater Dublin Area has continued to grow, although at a slightly slower rate.

Statistics indicate that the percentage of population within the working age group (15-64) has increased since 2002. Furthermore, the percentage of the Greater Dublin Area population within the working age groups has remained above the State average.

2.2.2 ASSESSMENT & MITIGATION

It is estimated that, once operational, the proposed brewery development will maintain current employment levels at the Diageo site and provide a peak of several hundred construction jobs during the construction phase. However the actual numbers that will be employed may vary, depending on operational start levels and the level of activity on the rest of the site. It is also predicted that the proposed brewery development will indirectly create employment as a result of the economic multiplier effects.

During the construction period, mitigations measures will be employed to minimise the potential for adverse impact on local business and amenities.

The assessment has concluded that the proposed brewery development will have a positive long-term impact on Dublin through continued employment and the associated economic and social benefits.

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2.3 ECOLOGICAL RESOURCES


Ecological field surveys were carried out by ecologists in order to identify any important habitats, or plant, animal, bat or bird species.

The North Site of St. James’s Gate is almost entirely dominated by hard-standing (i.e. buildings, pavement and other structures), with only small ornamental garden areas and a few areas of scrub. The site offers no or very low potential for supporting protected species.

The River Liffey directly to the north of the site is a designated watercourse under the Water Framework Directive, and also a Nutrient Sensitive Area. The Liffey is likely to contain commuting or feeding populations of otter of local importance (higher value), fisheries of national importance (salmon and lamprey) and other fish of local importance (lower value).

Dublin Bay is located some 4 km downstream of the proposed site and includes internationally designated ecological sites and The North and South Dublin Bay proposed National Heritage Areas (pNHAs). An Appropriate Assessment (AA) Screening exercise (under the Habitats Directive) was undertaken and concluded that there is no potential for impact on any of these internationally designated ecological sites, due to both distance and the proposed brewery development’s design features that reduce potential pollution impacts.


The proposed mitigation measures will fully mitigate the risk of pollution incidents into the River Liffey during construction activities. These mitigation measures will be taken forward in the Contractor’s Construction Environment Management Plan (CEMP).

Site clearance and demolition is scheduled to take place outside of the bird-nesting season. If it is not practicable to limit the works to this period, then an inspection for the presence of any nests immediately prior to the works will be carried out by a specialist, ecological contractor.

During operation, the proposed mitigation measures will help to ensure the protection of the River Liffey. In the unlikely event of storm overflows or a blockage in the public sewerage network outside of the site, there will be a low residual effect to the River Liffey, the North Dublin pNHA, and protected aquatic fauna.

No other residual impacts are predicted when mitigation measures are fully implemented, therefore, the proposed brewery development will have a neutral impact on ecology both during construction and operation.

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2.4 SOILS, GEOLOGY & HYDROGEOLOGY


The proposed brewery development site consists of hard-standing (buildings, pavement and other structures) at the surface. Below this are alluvial silts, clays, sand and gravel.

Beneath the alluvium lies glacial sand, gravel and till (which is mixed material). Finally, the bedrock beneath the glacial material is Carboniferous Limestone known as Calp Limestone.

In terms of groundwater, the three main classifications of aquifer in Ireland are Regionally Important Aquifers, Locally Important Aquifers and Poor Aquifers. The aquifer beneath the site is a Locally Important Aquifer, and it is considered to be of moderate to low vulnerability to potential impacts.


It is not expected that the construction or operation of the proposed brewery development will have any significant negative effects on soils, geology or hydrogeology / groundwater.

During construction, the potential impacts of the proposed brewery development will include encountering unknown or uncharted services, the risk of a pollution incident from loosened sediment, fuels or chemicals (e.g. raw concrete, lubricants or sealants), and the possible need to ‘de-water’ the ground (e.g. using pumps) and need to dispose of abstracted groundwater. There is also the potential to disturb contaminated ground and spread contamination to ‘clean’ ground, as well as for piling operations to lead to waste material (‘spoil’).

Water pollution will be minimised by using good construction practices. This will include both proactive measures (e.g. proper containment of chemicals, including bunds), and also the reactive measure of an appropriate contingency plan for pollution emergencies. Contingency measures will be put in place in case any unknown services are struck, such as old sewers or culverts. Excavated materials will be inspected for potential contamination, so that the appropriate care and prevention measures could be taken in handling this material, and an appropriate remediation and/or disposal route will be chosen in consultation with Dublin City Council.

In the unlikely event that dewatering is required; an appropriate license will be obtained from Dublin City Council to permit the safe discharge of any abstracted groundwater, taking into consideration all of the Council’s requirements. Construction and demolition waste will be recycled where feasible and only disposed of in accordance with the requirements of the Waste Management Acts, 1996 and 2001.

Operational mitigation will include the proper use, storage and disposal of potentially polluting substances to prevent pollution to the ground or groundwater. Rainwater run-off will be controlled through adequate drainage, including appropriate outfalls and silt/sediment traps.

With the above mitigation in place, the proposed brewery development will have a neutral effect on soils, geology and hydrogeology.

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2.5 SURFACE WATER & DRAINAGE


The proposed brewery development site is situated within the River Liffey Catchment.

The River Liffey is considered overall to be of high environmental importance on an international and national scale due to its European designated status, its use for water abstraction and supply, and its wide recreational uses. It therefore has been assigned a ‘very high’ sensitivity for water quality.

The existing drainage system within the boundary of the site discharges to Dublin City Council’s combined sewerage system. Diageo has a licence to discharge surface and cooling water to the River Liffey, but this is currently inactive.

Effluent from the existing brewing process is directed to the on-site Waste Water Neutralisation Plant (WWNP) where flow rate and pH peaks are controlled before being pumped to the foul sewer on Watling Street. This sewer discharges to Ringsend Waste Water Treatment Plant for final treatment.

Monitoring of pollutant emissions to water at St. James’s Gate shows that all annual loads are well within the required limits (as set out in Diageo’s IPPC licence). The proposed upgrade of the WWNP will improve the control of discharges and avoid any future potential non-compliance with the IPPC Licence. Ongoing efforts to reduce effluent and BOD load will continue.

Up until recently no flood events have occurred at St. James’s Gate, however the site is within the theoretical flood zone. This zone accounts for various factors, including tidal extremes and future sea level rise. The Electricity Supply Board (ESB) has a number of water supply reservoirs on the Liffey, upstream of the city. These reservoirs can store high flows in the River Liffey, and therefore largely control flooding except in extreme events.


The design principle for the proposed brewery development is founded on the segregation of surface water from process/foul effluent.

The design of the surface water drainage system includes a range of appropriate safeguards and protocols to prevent and manage any contamination events, particularly in relation to the sensitivity of the adjacent River Liffey.

Surface water runoff from the development site (all hard-standing) will be collected into its own system which will be sent underground using gravity. Runoff will be directed via a silt / petrol / oil separation mechanism to an attenuation area for retaining this water. This proposed retention also acts as a system for retaining firewater in the case of a fire occurring on-site. A monitored ‘Shut-off’ system will ensure any contaminated water is first retained within the attenuation storage facility. Valves will be installed which prevent back-flow from the public surface water sewerage system. Manholes will have bolt-down covers.

Potential contaminated surface water will be pumped to appropriate disposal and treatment.

The proposed extended foul water drainage network will collect discharges from toilets and welfare facilities etc around the site. This system will meet all relevant requirements, codes and standards with the foul water being sent to an existing combined drainage outfall to the DCC sewer.

The drainage design for effluent water from the brewing process will route wastewater to the expanded, existing on-site WWNP for the balancing of flow rate and pH. This will be a closed system with odour control. The design will include suitable cleaning and maintenance access arrangements, use of sealed resilient materials etc. Testing programmes shall ensure that the effluent drainage system is assessed and maintained regularly.

The flood risk assessment has concluded that the drainage for the proposed brewery development will comply with the Greater Dublin Regional Code of Practice for Drainage works, and therefore the development will not have any significant impact on local flood risk. The floor levels of any new building within the proposed brewery development will not be set lower than 4.25m OD (1 in 200 year flood event and an additional 500mm safety margin), minimising the potential for any potential future flood to harm the brewery. No flooding was observed within the site during the severe weather conditions in October 2011.

With the above mitigation and design provisions in place, the proposed brewery development will have a neutral effect on surface water, drainage and flood risk.

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2.6 AIR QUALITY


The available data suggests that air quality in the vicinity of the proposed brewery development falls within limits set by the EU, although some breaches may occur at roadside locations particularly at road junctions due to traffic.


For this project, the implementation of appropriate mitigation to reduce and control dust emissions will minimise the potential for dust nuisance to local residents. Construction freight and staff traffic will not be significant, and staff will be encouraged to travel via public transport to the site. As a consequence, the emissions from construction traffic will have a negligible air quality effect.

There is no source of operational air emissions that will give rise to detrimental air quality impacts during the operation of the proposed brewery development.

2.7 ODOUR


As part of the existing, active Environmental Management System that Diageo operates at St. James’s Gate, nuisance complaints of an environmental nature are recorded and a summary is published in Diageo’s Annual Environmental Report. To date, no complaints have been received in relation to brewing odour.

This is the common experience at most breweries as the normal brewing odours are typically considered sweet or non-offensive. The British Standard in this regard (The Environment Agency’s H4 Odour Management: How to comply with your environmental permit [EA, 2011]) confirms this by allocating brewery and bakery odours in the same non-offensive category.


There is a working UK benchmark of 6.0 OUE/m3 as a 98th percentile for annoyance from odour, which has been adopted in Ireland by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). A model of the proposed brewery operation shows that odour levels above the guidance benchmark do not occur outside of the site boundary at residential locations. It is concluded therefore that the proposed brewery development will have a negligible odour effect.

2.8 NOISE & VIBRATION


Noise baseline conditions have been established through monitoring with measurements being undertaken at three locations considered representative of the nearest noise sensitive receptors to the proposed alterations at the existing facility.

Key existing sources of noise in the area of the proposed brewery development include road traffic and fixed plant / machinery on the brewery site (such as water pumps, rooftop air handling units, fork lift truck movements).


A detailed noise model has been prepared in order to identify any potential noise impacts and the necessary appropriate mitigation. Measures to minimise construction and operational noise impacts have been identified, as well as measures to avoid negative operational impacts.

There is the potential for moderate, short term adverse noise impacts during the early construction phases; however this is likely to be limited to a short period at the commencement of the anticipated construction programme.

Production equipment or external plant will be specifically chosen to have low noise characteristics.

The relocation of current forklift truck activities from the site of the proposed brewing facility to an alternate location within St. James’s Gate is likely to result in noise benefits at receptors to the east of the facility, in particular The Emmet Building Apartments and The Maltings Apartments. These activities will relocate to an area adjacent to Stevens Lane but will be managed such that the impact is minimised.

Overall, the noise impact from operation of the proposed brewery development and associated operations will be in compliance with IPPC Licence limits for both day and night activities.

Given the significant distance to nearby residences and the lack of significant construction related vibration sources on-site, vibration is not considered to be an issue for construction or operation.

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2.9 LANDSCAPE & VISUAL


A detailed landscape and visual analysis has been conducted for the proposed brewery development site. In summary, the landscapes in the general area which are considered to be sensitive to impacts from the proposed brewery development including the National Museum of Ireland and Croppies Acre, the River Liffey Corridor and the James’s Street Conservation Area and local residential properties. Landscapes with ‘medium’ sensitivity to change include the St. James’s Gate brewery site itself, as well as areas to the east and west (i.e. around Heuston Station and from Watling Street eastwards).


The proposed building heights range from 4m to 26m high. The highest structures include the Brewhouse, Fermentation Plant and silos. The overall development footprint will be approximately 10,000m2.

The type of finish or cladding material and colour can affect the perception of the new structures and visual amenity. The modern white, black and grey-coloured cladding materials selected will help reduce the impact of the proposed brewery development.

Mitigation has been incorporated into the design of the scheme. This design has sought to present a high-quality, architecturally iconic north face to the river and the N4 road. Given the size, location and nature of the proposals, there are minimal opportunities for landscape or off-site mitigation (e.g. in the form of planting). The scheme has a beneficial impact on the visual impact along Victoria Quay through enhancement of existing heritage features and improvements for pedestrian traffic.

The proposal aims to respect its setting through good architectural quality using modern cladding materials and colours i.e. simple black, white and grey. The modern design proposed is consistent with other new buildings within the River Liffey corridor, and are wholly consistent with the historic brewery character of the entire St. James Gate area.

During construction, there will be some unavoidable disturbance of the landscape (including compounds), and views of construction activity (e.g. plant and crane movement). The site is already fully lit 24 hours per day, but there may be particular short term construction lighting changes. The impact of removing buildings is likely to be negligible, given the site’s industrial nature.

The temporary visual impact (during construction) will range from slight negative for certain receptors with more distant or indirect views, to significant negative for views from local residences. These construction impacts are temporary and not significant.

During operation, the high-quality, modern design will lead to a beneficial effect to the landscape within the brewery lands. Landscapes to the north will also experience beneficial landscape change. However, landscapes to the east will experience a slight negative impact, whilst landscapes to the west experience a net neutral impact.

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In terms of visual impacts, they will range from neutral for receptors with limited views of the proposed brewery development, to moderate negative impacts for residents along Watling Street and James’s Street, to slight positive for a greater number of receptors along the River Liffey and to the west. There are also minor visual impacts on certain protected structures such as Collins Barracks across the River Liffey.

2.10 TRAFFIC & TRANSPORTATION


The existing Diageo site is located approximately 2.0 km from the centre of Dublin City. Victoria Quay provides access to the North Site of the Diageo site and Echlin Street/James’s Street provides access to the South Site.

Baseline traffic counts carried out in May 2011 noted that Victoria Quay was the busiest street in the vicinity of the St. James’s Gate with over 2,000 vehicles per hour during the evening peak period. The traffic count data noted that the Heavy Goods Vehicle access to the existing brewery is busiest during the time period 08:00 – 15:00.

The project includes the decommissioning of the existing brewhouse on the South Site, and relocating it to the North Site. Access to the new brewhouse will be via Gate 6 on Victoria Quay.

The proposed brewery development is expected to increase traffic on the local road network by approximately 150 vehicles per day; 20 additional vehicles accessing the South Site and 130 vehicles accessing the North Site. However, this additional increase in traffic is expected to have little or no impact on the prevailing traffic conditions in the area. Traffic is expected to increase by between 0.1% and 0.6% during the morning peak period on the surrounding streets, by 0.1% and 0.2% during the evening peak period and on a daily basis the projected increases are in the region of 0.1% and 0.3%.

It is proposed to provide a separate independent entrance to serve the construction works from Victoria Quay. No construction staff parking will be provided on site and construction staff will be encouraged to either, walk, cycle or take public transport.

It is envisaged that the construction works will last in the region of 17 months and that between 150 and 250 trips per day will be generated during the construction phase of the proposed brewery development. Traffic flows on Victoria Quay will increase by between 0.5% and 1.0% during the construction phase of the project. The construction works associated with the proposed brewery development will have no material impact on prevailing traffic conditions in the area.

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2.12 CULTURAL HERITAGE, ARCHAEOLOGICAL & ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES

2.12.1 ARCHAEOLOGICAL HERITAGE

Within the study area a total of 31 known archaeological and cultural heritage sites (refer to Figure 13.1 Volume 3) have been identified. The site is also located within the Zone of Archaeological Potential for Dublin City and the Zone of Archaeological Interest defined by the Dublin City Development Plan 2011 - 2017.

The potential construction phase impacts on six of these known sites were assessed as slight or imperceptible due to the distances between the chosen site location and the identified Cultural Heritage or Archaeological sites.

SITE REF. DESCRIPTION POTENTIAL IMPACT

Site 15 Former Watercourse – line of a mill race between Camac River and Usher’s Mill; filled c.1900

The magnitude of impact has been assessed to be Medium and significance of this impact has been assessed as Slight.

Site 21 Previous archaeological monitoring site.

No impact on this site is predicted

Sites 72, 73, 74, 75 & 76

Site of late 19th/early 20th century Cooke’s Lane Malting, Sample Room, Sawmill, Well and Dried Grain Store; these were all demolished by the late 20th century.

The magnitude of these impacts has been assessed to be Low and the significance of these impacts has been assessed to be Imperceptible.

The potential exists for impacts to unknown buried archaeological remains in the north-eastern part of the site. Given the location on the historic edge of the River Liffey, the potential for such remains in the north-eastern part of the site has been assessed as high.

No potential impacts during operation are predicted.

Archaeological trial trenching and monitoring (followed by resolution excavations, if required) may be employed to mitigate these impacts. Following mitigation and dissemination of the information generated by them, the residual significance of impact on all known sites is predicted to be of low or negligible impact.

2.11 MATERIAL ASSETS: INFRASTRUCTURE


Consultations with the public and private service providers in the area regarding available capacity in all services to support the proposed brewery development are ongoing. These include electricity and gas supplies, water supply and waste water treatment at Ringsend WWTP for the residual brewing waste water and domestic and foul sewer components of the development.

Figure 13.1Known Archaeological and Cultural Heritage Sites

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2.12.2 ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE

The proposed brewery development will result in the construction of a series of new industrial structures and the removal of a small number of industrial buildings. These structures are functional structures of later 20th century date, and have been assessed to be of no architectural heritage merit.

In the wider study area, there are a number of buildings, structures and areas of architectural heritage value; the impact on the settings of six sites has been assessed during construction of the proposed brewery development, as follows:• Slight impacts on two sites (Collins Barracks and the Guinness Building), and • Imperceptible impacts on four sites (Quays Conservation Area, the Rory O’More/Victoria

Bridge, the Granite Piers and wall on Victoria Quay and the former Noel Leonard Public House).

Impacts on the setting of three sites have been assessed during operation of the proposed brewery development:• Moderate Positive impact on two sites (Sites 6 and 7);• Imperceptible impacts on two sites (Quays Conservation Area and the Granite Piers and

wall on Victoria Quay).

No mitigation measures are necessary for architectural heritage as there are no significant impacts.

2.13 WASTE MANAGEMENT

2.13.1 WASTE MANAGEMENT

In accordance with its Corporate Environmental Policy, Diageo is committed to waste reduction and minimisation, both in operating the brewery and in the control of construction activities on site.

Management of waste categories during the operational phase will be undertaken through an Environmental Management System (EMS), which will be used to manage the environmental performance and responsibilities of the proposed brewery development. All waste categories will be segregated at source into separate bins or skips.

A Construction Waste Management Plan (CWMP) will be developed as part of the Contractor’s Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) which will define a structured approach to the management, and recycling of waste onsite and identify licensed waste management contractors.

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2.14 IMPACT INTERACTIONS & CUMULATIVE IMPACTS

2.14.1 IMPACT INTERACTIONS

Following the completion of the specialist EIA technical assessments, a validation process was initiated using a summary matrix that allowed the evaluation of interactive impacts, whereby separate environmental impacts resulting from the brewery development may combine in space or time to create one or more larger, more significant impact.

The principle aspects where interactive impacts were identified were transportation, visual impact, noise and vibration and air quality. However, when all proposed successfully implemented mitigation measures are taken into consideration, the overall impact on the human environment is considered to be temporarily mildly negative during short periods of the construction phase. As the proposed brewery development moves into the operational stage, this impact will cease.

As the principal influences upon this outcome is the predicted noise and visual impact impacts, a series of additional, robust mitigation measures have been put forward to alleviate, as much as possible, impacts arising from the construction and operation of the proposed brewery development.

2.14.2 CUMULATIVE IMPACTS

The EIA process also assessed potential cumulative and interactive impacts, defined as those impacts resulting from the proposed brewery development that may combine with impacts from other planned future development schemes to create one or more larger, more significant impact(s). This assessment aims to identify instances where the effects of a development may be of minor significance, but when combined with the impact of other concurrent or future developments the overall impact to surrounding receptors may be significant.

By understanding the potential for cumulative & interactive impacts to arise, as additional development activities emerge within the surrounding area, appropriate measures may be identified that ensure that environmental capacity is not breached and that any potentially significant impacts are adequately foreseen and managed.

Currently known future projects, which are planned to be undertaken in the vicinity of the proposed brewery development are:• At St. James’s Gate, Diageo has planning permission to upgrade Gate 6 on Victoria Quay

and to demolish an industrial building in the north-western corner of the North Site. In addition, Diageo has applied for planning permission for a proposed third roaster at the existing roast house in the South Site.

• A range of planning permissions have been granted for new or additional apartments, office and retail space along James’s Street, Thomas Street and Crane Street.

• At 29-31 Island Street, planning permission has been granted for the demolition of an existing warehouse, storage workshop and ancillary buildings and the construction of residential apartments in a three-to-five storey block.

• On the other side of the Liffey on the corner of Parkgate Street, there are proposals for the redevelopment of the Hickeys Fabrics site to provide mixed use offices, retail, restaurant, crèche facilities, residential apartments, restaurant / cafe and new civic spaces.

• Planning permission has been granted for the Windmill Site at Digital Hub, bounded by Thomas Street, James’s Street and Watling Street, for a mixed-use development involving alterations, partial demolition and retention of a number of existing buildings on the site.

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In addition, although funding is currently deferred, proposals have been lodged for the development of an underground rail system which includes a connection to Heuston Station from the east, passing beneath the St. James’s Gate Brewery site and the proposed brewery development site.

Finally, it should be noted that works to the quality bus corridor on James’s Street and Thomas Street are likely to improve access to the site by public transport, although the necessary works are unlikely to influence the proposed brewery development.

The assessment of the cumulative impacts of these known, planned developments concluded that:• There will be a minor cumulative temporary construction impacts caused by an extended

duration of nuisance from successive Diageo projects, however project-by-project mitigation will minimise such nuisance;

• The mitigation measures proposed to address the potential landscape and cultural heritage impacts associated with the brewery development will be extended, where appropriate, to each of the other planned projects within St. James’s Gate;

• Due to distance, it is unlikely that significant negative cumulative temporary disruption or disturbance will arise during the redevelopment of the Hickey’s Fabrics Site;

• Diageo has committed to liaise closely with the proponents for the Windmill Site development with the objective of managing the potential for any significant cumulative temporary disturbance;

The EIA has concluded, therefore, that the cumulative effects of the proposed brewery development and known, planned future development in the area are unlikely to give rise to significant negative impacts.

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As part of the Company’s corporate sustainability and responsibility policy, Diageo is publicly committed to seeking opportunities:

“to continually invest in a sustainable business, to operate in an environmentally sustainable way, and to support a sustainable society and community”.1

This commitment has provided the basis for the design and construction of the proposed brewery development, which recognises the need for future-proofing the development, enabling high levels of energy performance, and the minimised resource use and environmental impact.

Key aspects of the proposed approach include:• A Brownfield development which is replacing an existing brewing processes, and which

is able to:o maximise synergies with existing on-site infrastructure, including energy, water, and

security measures;o have no significant negative land use impact, such as on ecology or community

access;o avoid a significant negative impact on traffic and transport;o take advantage of excellent public transport links which already exist;

• Building construction will utilise low-energy and environmentally friendly materials, minimising waste and adopting water conservation measures;

• The development will help rejuvenate the historic St. James’s Gate brewery, and will contribute to the vibrancy of the area along the River Liffey corridor, which may enhance the local economy;

• High-quality design allows the proposals to avoid significant water environment impacts and achieve energy savings;

• A layout which takes account of expandability, to ensure energy-efficient growth in the future, with least environmental impact; and

• Landscape proposals which will assist in achieving a strategic objective for the Liberties area to improve the public realm along Victoria Quay.

3.0 SUSTAINABILITY STATEMENT

1 Diageo’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Ireland; http://www.diageo.com/en-ie/csr/Pages/CSR-in-Ireland.aspx

The independent EIA of the proposed brewery development has taken a precautionary approach, which is consistent with prevailing scientific and technical understanding and does not depend on having full scientific proof of specific environmental damage.

On the basis of this approach it is considered that the proposed brewery development will achieve high levels of sustainability performance, both in terms of fulfilling strategic criteria and in terms of design and construction criteria. This will ensure that the proposed brewery development is committed to sustainable and environmentally acceptable practices.

1

Sustainability & Responsibility Report 2011

Full Report

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The principal conclusion of the EIA process is that, subject to the successful implementation and maintenance of identified suitable mitigating measures there will be no significant negative impacts arising from the construction or operation of the proposed brewery development.

In addition the following conclusions are drawn:• The proposed brewery development and associated infrastructure modifications are of

an appropriate scale relative to the existing layout and function of the St. James’s Gate site.

• The development is consistent with the wider Dublin City Council ambitions for the area.

• The development ensures that the Guinness presence in Dublin is secured.• The selected location within the site is optimum for efficient operation and integration

with existing St. James’s Gate activities.• The development will sustain existing employment by Diageo at St. James’s Gate and

will create wider employment during the construction period.• No significant adverse environmental, ecological, traffic or visual impacts arise from

this development.• No significant adverse impacts on cultural and industrial heritage arise from the

development.

4.0 EIS CONCLUSIONS

To minimise the impact of the construction works on the surrounding environment, a suite of site management plans and procedures will be developed as part of a project specific Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP); the following detailed plans will be prepared, implemented and monitored:• Dust Minimisation Plan;• Noise & Vibration Management Plan;• Spill Response & Control Plan;• Surface Water, Groundwater and Soil Protection Plan;• Construction Traffic Management Plan;• Emergency / Crisis Management Plan;• Ecology Protection SOP;• Archaeological and Architectural Protection SOP;• Staff Environmental Awareness Training SOP;• Communication and Documentation Requirements; and• Environmental Inspection and Auditing SOP.

The operational brewery development will require an amendment to the existing Integrated Pollution Prevention & Control (IPPC) licence, which will be sought from the EPA in advance of the facility becoming operational.

Availability of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)

Copies of the EIS (including this Non-Technical Summary) are available for inspection at the Dublin City Council Planning Department.

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