Representation by North Yorkshire Council (North Yorkshire Council)
- Date submitted
- 30 September 2024
- Submitted by
- Local authorities
NORTH YORKSHIRE COUNCIL Local Highway Authority Considerations Proposed Development The development comprises the construction, operation and decommissioning of a solar array, generating stations, a battery energy storage system and grid connection cable at Drax Power Station. The site is currently agricultural land and is located to the west of Camblesforth Village. A Transport Assessment (TA) has been submitted that provides an overview of the likely traffic impact arising from the proposed development and the routes that construction and worker traffic would take. It is accepted that once operational solar farms typically generate relatively few traffic movements and the transport effects are going to be the greatest during the construction period and any subsequent decommissioning. In addition to the Transport Assessment an outline Construction Traffic Management Plan (CTMP) has been provided and a number of traffic surveys were taken on roads surrounding the site in March 2022. Construction Vehicle Route Access to the site would be located off the A1041 and the route for construction traffic identified from the M62 would be via A614, A645 and A1041. It is accepted through the CTMP the applicant should be able control routing to the site and restrict construction traffic to this route but further details on how this process will be managed, including what monitoring and enforcement would take place during the development to ensure drivers continue to use the identified route should be provided. From the M62 the A Roads identified are all two way single carriageway roads, with average daily traffic volumes of between 7000 and 12500 vehicles. All carry a significant volume of HGV’s ranging between 6-8% of the daily total. Although there have been a number of injury accidents on this route in the last 5 years, the majority have been slight injuries, some 22 slight and 6 serious injuries recorded. There does not appear to be a particular pattern or specific location and cluster of accidents or highway safety issue identified on analysis of the accident record. In addition to the route identified above, Hardenshaw Lane a minor unclassified rural lane would also be used to access part of the site. A number of road crossing points would also be required, all of these are on the minor road network. Trip Generation A trip generation exercise had been undertaken considering the traffic movements associated with the grid connection/cable route and the non-grid connection element of the development, which consists of delivery of the solar modules, mounting structures, transformers, and access track construction. It is expected the majority of deliveries will be undertaken by 16.5m articulated vehicles or 8-10m rigid vehicles. It is noted in addition there will also be a small number of abnormal load movements required. Whilst daily numbers of HGV movements will vary the applicant has indicated it will be a relatively flat profile for deliveries and through CTMP they will look to avoid travel during the peak network hours where possible. The construction programme is expected to last approximately 12 months. During the construction phase a total of 6756 HGV trips will be required for the Solar Farm and 2400 HGV trips for the Grid Connection works. On average that would equate to 26 HGV daily trips associated with the Solar Farm and 10 HGV’s for the Grid Connection. To allow for possible peaks during the construction period, a 50% uplift has been applied to model trips for a peak day, this would equate to 38 HGV trips for the Solar Farm and 14 HGV’s for the Grid connection. Allowing for HGV movements on a peak day, some 52 trips (26 arrivals and 26 departures) would result in a percentage increase in HGV traffic on the A614 of 5%, the A645 9% and the A1041 6%. It has been estimated the proposals could generate up to 200 direct full time jobs during the construction phase with an additional 10 workers on the grid connection element. There is an expectation that as part of Travel Planning for the site, provision would be made for a shuttle bus to help bring workers to and from site. With other travel planning measures such as car sharing an estimation of 158 trips would be generated by workers travelling throughout the day. This estimate of staff movements appears reasonable but does rely on a successful bus shuttle service being implemented that would transport a large percentage of workers to the site. As with the HGV construction traffic there is an expectation that shift patterns could be introduced that allow many of these movements to be outside typical peak network hours of 8-9am and 5-6pm. Combining the expected HGV traffic and worker movements on a peak day the total number of trips generated by the site would 210. On an average day the figure is expected to be slightly lower due to a lower number of HGV movements. However the 210 trip figure would represent a percentage increase in total daily traffic flows of between 1 and 3% on the A614, A645 and A1041. The TA has allowed for all worker related trips to use the same route identified for construction traffic, from the M62 to the site accesses located on the A1041. However given the proximity of the site to Selby it would be expected that some worker trips are likely to use a different route and an allowance should be made for this in the TA and CTMP. Of the 210 daily trips generated by the proposal a percentage of these will use the minor road Hardenshaw Lane for a short length. Hardenshaw Lane currently carries relatively few vehicles and a very small number of HGV’s and therefore the percentage change as a result of development trips would be a significant increase. Cumulative Impact with other Developments There are a number of other committed developments in close proximity to this site and many would impact on the same roads as the identified construction route for this site, the A614, A645 and A1041. Allowing for possible additional traffic flows from other developments the percent increase in daily traffic flows on these roads with this development added would result in a more significant percentage increase, up to 15% on the A645. However this would be a worst case scenario assuming all developments are built out at the same time whereas the expectation is that there will be some overlap between schemes and some even taking place at different times. It should also be noted that this site along with some of the other committed developments, the increase in traffic is largely limited to a short term construction period and decommissioning event rather than a permanent increase in traffic flows. It is therefore accepted the increase in traffic volumes generated by the proposal, with the measures and mitigation proposed in the outline CTMP and Travel Planning, can be accommodated on the three main roads the A614, A645 and A1041 identified for the construction vehicle route. The number of trips generated by the decommissioning phase is not expected to exceed the numbers indicated for the construction phase. During the operation phase it is estimated there would be less than 10 trips per month for maintenance purposes. Site Access Points It is proposed for the site to have two main access points direct from the A1041, both accesses would be used by HGV construction traffic and staff movements with total trips split evenly between the 2 accesses. Both accesses are proposed as simple priority junctions and based on the number of daily trips expected and direction of travel to and from the site, ie mostly left turn in and right run out, such junctions are expected to operate satisfactorily. However it is recommended that junction capacity modelling be undertaken on the proposed A1041 accesses to confirm the suitability of a priority junction and allow for an element of worker trips arriving and leaving to the North of the site. Both accesses would have visibility splays that meet the requirements set out in Design Manual for Roads and Bridges and an initial road safety audit has not highlighted any specific safety concerns. Access to the wider site will be via internal access tracks and sections of some minor unclassified roads, Jowland Winn Lane, Hardenshaw Lane, and Sandwith Lane. Some 25% of the daily trips are expected to use a short section of Hardenshaw Lane/Sandwith Lane to access the southern area of the site. Both these lanes are relatively narrow, have unrestrained edges and are unlikely to have a substantial road construction depth or strength. The applicant has accepted that whilst both lanes currently carry relatively low volumes of traffic, appropriate passing places and carriageway widening should be provided to accommodate the expected increase in vehicle movements as a result of the development. There may also need to be an element of strengthening to the road edges to ensure the numbers of HGV’s can be accommodated. It is recommended that condition surveys are undertaken and a detailed design for the road widening and passing places be submitted and brought into use before any development traffic uses these lanes. It is accepted the existing highway extents on Hardenshaw Lane/Sandwith Lane would allow for the improvements and construction of widening and passing places. There are also a number of locations where the internal access tracks will need to cross some of the unclassified roads within the site boundary. Whilst available visibility splays at each crossing point varies it is agreed that traffic flows and speeds are low and that with appropriate traffic management and the use of banksmen these crossing points could operate safely and not delay or prevent access by current users of the road network. It is accepted that suitable construction compounds can be provided within the development site that would allow materials and vehicles to be kept clear of the highway and provide appropriate turning areas for HGV’s. Subject to the applicant undertaking capacity modelling of the proposed A1041 access points, updating the CTMP and providing the proposed offsite highway works detailed, in principle there are no local highway authority objections to the proposed development.