Representation by Alan Hall
- Date submitted
- 18 July 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
As an affected landowner, I object to the proposed design of a new bellmouth entrance for the existing farm track adjacent to my property at Rose Cottage, Burstall, IP8 3DX. My grounds for objection include: 1) Inadequate consultation The use of this track was introduced for the first time in the Targeted Consultation of September 2022 (it did not feature in the January 2022 Statutory Consultation). Despite this being a very late change, where one might imagine close contact with those newly affected would be paramount, there was no prior discussion or even notification. Misleading information was supplied by National Grid at that time of the targeted consultation as to the location and extent of the proposed works. Following the formal consultation, it has proved impossible to engage meaningfully with NG, and what little contact has taken place has been initiated and driven with great difficulty by myself. At no point have I met face to face with an NG representative. I remain, to this day, unclear on the details of the proposal and it appears that NG themselves are also unclear on their requirements or intentions even at this late stage. 2) Poor Design I understand the proposed bellmouth arises from a remote desktop exercise, with no site visit having taken place. This may explain the poor choice of design. The defects include: - Unnecessary intrusion into the garden of a residential property. - Needless environmental harm, destruction of hedges and trees, including two very mature oak trees. - Disruption of traffic during construction due to extensive tree felling. A simple modification to the design, which may prove cheaper to implement, would allow the entrance to be constructed instead on adjacent farmland, avoiding all these issues and with no downside. I understand that the landowner is happy and indeed enthusiastic to accommodate this. NG have expressed polite interest in this concept, but show no sign of moving forward with it. A change to the DCO footprint will be required to accommodate it, and hence the current footprint would not allow the alternative access to be implemented at a later stage should it become clear that this is the better option. I look forward to expanding on these points during the examination, and will ask the Examining Authority to require NG to adopt the alternative entrance scheme for the benefit of all parties concerned.