3

SITE ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS

3.1

SITE CHARACTERISTICS The Location/Site Plan is enclosed at Annex 1A at the end of Section 1. Since the project building of total area 926m2 will be located within the Mall of Mauritius Bagatelle project, the site will consequently be surrounded by commercial outlets such as shops, supermarket, hotel, etc. Thus the project, which caters for artisanal, small-scale manufacture and selling of Mauritian beer, fits well within the future surrounding environment.

3.2

SITE DESCRIPTION The microbrewery project which forms part of the Bagatelle Mall of Mauritius project will be constructed on land which was formerly under sugarcane cultivation. The project site has been cleared and levelled and construction works have started as shown in the pictures below.

Photographs 3-1: Microbrewery Project Site The surrounding sugarcane cultivations are visible from the Aerial View Plan enclosed at Annex 3A at the end of Section 3. The following features can be observed from the Aerial View Plan: The M1 motorway located at 209 metres from the microbrewery FAIL headquarters located at 326 metres from the project site FAIL Poultry farm located at 1487 metres from the project site Existing morcellement development located at 284 metres of the project site Future offices and apartment project located at 187 metres from the project site Thus the project, which caters for artisanal, small-scale manufacture and selling of Mauritian beer, fits well within the future surrounding environment.

The site earmarked for the construction of the microbrewery will be bordered on all sides by shops, parking bays, and other commercial outlets. 3.3 LAND COMPLEX The Land Complex in which the microbrewery project building of 546m2 (footprint area) lies is generally classified as the Central Intermediate Lava Plateau. The Reduit and Bagatelle area contains mainly rocks of the Low Humic Latosols, comprising moderately of deep to very deep friable brown or reddish brown silty clay loam on paler silty clay. There are no to few stones; however, some commonly large rounded surfaceweathered basalt boulders may be encountered in the sub-soil. 3.4 LAND UNIT MAPPING SYMBOL According to a plan and report prepared by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations and the Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute in May 1973, the land mapping unit of the area encompassing the site is classified as 6.1, and forms part of the west central plateau of the Plaines Wilhems. 3.4.1 Landform and Altitude range The landform within the 6.1 Land Unit Mapping Symbol can be described as almost flat to gently undulating, with slopes within 8%. The altitude of the landform ranges between 245m AMSL to 315m AMSL. 3.4.2 Landform and Altitude Range of Project Site The proposed microbrewery site can be described as moderately flat to gently sloping. 3.5 SITES OF INTEREST There are no designated sites of interest on or around the immediate vicinity of the site, since the land was under sugarcane cultivation. The site is currently being cleared and the construction has started for the setting up of a landmark shopping centre Bagatelle Mall of Mauritius as can be seen from the pictures below.

Photographs 3-2: Bagatelle Mall of Mauritius under Construction 3.6 3.6.1 ENVIRONMENTAL SENSITIVITY Flora The indigenous flora is of negligible significance because the site was under sugarcane cultivation. The site has already been cleared of the sugarcane cultivation given the Bagatelle Mall is presently under construction. 3.6.2 Fauna Similarly, the fauna of the microbrewery project area is of no significance because of the previous existence of sugarcane plantation, and the present existence of a shopping complex all across the project site. 3.7 AMENITY AND RECREATIONAL VALUE The amenity and recreational value of the site in its previous state was negligible. However, through the proposed Bagatelle Mall of Mauritius and the microbrewery project, the site will respond to the government initiative of creating unique shopping venues for tourists and locals. The commercial activities within the Mall of Mauritius area will facilitate the tour operators to cater for all the needs of their clients given that Mauritian products will be readily available within this area. 3.8 ADJACENT CENTRES OF POPULATION There are no immediate centres of population to the microbrewery project given that it is situated in the middle of the Bagatelle commercial complex of area 361, 467m2 and will consequently be surrounded by commercial undertakings such as hotel, supermarket, shopping outlets and parkings as can be observed from the Situation Plan enclosed at Annex 3B at the end of Section 3. 3.9 HYDROLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS The project site is neither crossed by any river, nor is there any in its vicinity. The River Moka, located at 400metres, from the projects northern boundary, (as can be observed from the Aerial View Plan enclosed at Annex 3A at the end of this section), will in no way be disturbed and impacted upon by the proposed activities of the microbrewery project.

3.10

CLIMATOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS

3.10.1 Micro-Climate The climate of the geographical region encompassing the proposed project site can be described as humid mesothermal. 3.10.2 Rainfall From information gathered from the Meteorological Services, the Plaines Wilhems area benefits from a mean annual rainfall within the range of 1500-3000mm. However, the Reduit/Bagatelle area benefits from an annual rainfall averaging 18002200 millimetres. Such a level of rainfall requires that the project site be provided with a properly designed drainage system which will form part of the overall Mall of Mauritius drainage system. This issue has been addressed in sub- section 9.3. The evapotranspiration ranges between 1500-1750mm per year, indicating that the project area lies within a belt which can be considered as possessing a slight surplus water balance regime. 3.10.3 Temperature The monthly mean maximum temperature varies from 19.9oC in the winter months to 23.8oC in the summer months. The monthly extreme highest temperature varies from 22.7oC in the winter months to 28.1oC in the summer months. The monthly mean minimum temperature varies from 15.3oC in the winter months to 21.3oC in the summer months. The above temperatures are indicative of the one which will normally prevail throughout an average year and shows that in the project area it will be neither too cold in winter and nor too hot in summer. 3.10.4 Wind Regime The geographical region encompassing the project area is governed basically by the South East Trade Wind regime. The South East Trade Winds blow normally over Mauritius for about 10 months of the year, and constitute the main component of the wind regime. These winds blow from the South East, rise over the higher lands of the island, known as the Central Plateau, and reach the western and north-western parts of the island. The South East Trade Winds blow from the South East, rise over the higher elevations of the Central Plateau, while pushing clouds full of moisture which precipitate mainly over the higher regions. This natural phenomenon explains the relatively high values of annual precipitation, of the order of 3000-4000 millimetres for the Central Plateau.

3.11

GEOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS As indicated at sub-section 3.3, the Land Complex within which the site lies is classified as west central plateau and is normally, well drained. The geological characteristics of the site have been assessed by the structural engineer for the purpose of designing foundations of the proposed structures, roads and parking areas. The main findings of the geotechnical investigation have been reproduced below: The subsoils in the Bagatelle site is composed mostly of clay and silt which demonstrate very high plasticity The natural water content of the subsoils varies mostly between 40 and 50% estimated gross allowable soil bearing capacity is of the order of 250 kPa depth of foundations 1.0 to 1.5 metres A copy of the Site Investigation Report is enclosed at Annex 3C at the end of Section 3.