Representation by Shane Colvin
- Date submitted
- 21 September 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
There was a failure in the whole consultation process - I was first made aware of the Rampion 2 substation in December 2022. I have never received any documentation from Rampion 2 despite living in the consultation area. I also never received any response from Rampion 2 following an e-mail I sent them in December 2022 or in January and February 2023. The traffic in Cowfold is a major problem at present with huge delays. An additional burden during the lengthy development time will put an impossible strain on the community. I live (REDACTED) off the A281 and the traffic coming down (REDACTED) has increased enormously over the last few years. (REDACTED) is a very narrow lane with many blind corners which has resulted resulted in accidents. If Cowfold traffic sees greater delays then more people will use (REDACTED) as a by-pass which will result in more accidents. There have been fatalities on the main road outside our driveway. The size of the substation proposed will impact heavily on the local area visually. Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty will be blighted. The traffic pollution in Cowfold is currently high as measurement has shown. This will be increased by the additional congestion caused by the large number of HGV's needed to create the substation. Businesses in Cowfold will also be affected by the traffic congestion and many may well have to close. The A272 from Cowfold to Haywards Heath is a main commuter run for people going to London. The Cowfold bottleneck will prevent people from getting to their work. The development will undoubtedly impact heavily on wildlife and breeding sites. There are large numbers of Nightingale breeding sites at Oakendene and these will undoubtedly be lost. Should the Rampion cable route be through the South Downs National Park? In brief my issues are: The total lack of consultation Traffic Pollution Habitat destruction Business closure Areas of outstanding beauty being ravaged Surely another route and an alternative site for the substation could be found that will not have the devastating impact that this one will I was completely taken aback by the extent to which the pipeline proposal and substation installation will impact the community of which I am a part. The traffic in Cowfold has become a major concern over the past 20 years. The number of hours of the day that bear witness to traffic jams in the village is considerable. The level of exhaust as a result of slow moving vehicles is something that has been monitored and proved to be well in excess of acceptable levels. The building of the substation will necessitate temporary traffic lights for potentially 6 years, this will be an insurmountable burden and the the flow of traffic will become increasingly congested with the levels of pollution exacerbated even further. I have witnessed a huge increase in vehicles using Picts Lane as a by-pass to Cowfold, many of which are large delivery lorries. Picts Lane is, in many parts, single track and the number of accidents, potentially fatal, will increase as a result of the inevitable rise in volume produced by traffic lights in Cowfold. This will be further impacted by the additional HGV’s needed to provide material for the new substation. Whilst the HGV access for the substation is not directly through the village it will impact traffic flow as they turn in and out of the industrial site at Oakendene. This will, as it currently does, restrict traffic flow in Cowfold increasing pollution and lengthening jams. Undoubtedly there will be other vehicles and lorries associated with the works who will travel through Cowfold and probably make use of the village for lunch and refreshments for example. I am particularly concerned by the whole traffic aspect as my driveway lies opposite the end of Picts Lane on the A281. The level of traffic joining the main road from Picts Lane is a current concern. It is on a corner with poor visibility and accidents, some fatal, have occurred in the past. I understand that an exact site for the substation is not yet known. Rampion 2 must surely advise all those households, that may be imposed upon by a substation, as to the visual impact alone that the substation may have could detrimentally effect the values of their properties. Beside these huge concerns are the impact that the project will have on local businesses affected by increased traffic congestion. The impact on wildlife will be major with nightingale breeding sites affected. I know that a great proportion of the community hold similar views and hope that these will all be recognised, highlighted and addressed