Representation by Lincolnshire County Council (Lincolnshire County Council)
- Date submitted
- 11 July 2024
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Dear Sir/Madam Planning Act 2008 (as amended) – Section 55 Application by National Highways Development Consent Order for A46 Newark Bypass Relevant Representations Following the Planning Inspectorate’s confirmation that the above project has been accepted as an application for a Development Consent Order (DCO) to construct a dual carriageway, Lincolnshire County Council (LCC), as an adjacent authority, request to be registered as an Interested Party at the Examination. Following an initial review of the DCO application material, this letter provides a summary of the issues which LCC currently agrees and/or disagrees with, together with an appropriate explanation in accordance with Planning Inspectorate note 8.3. The comments/views expressed in this representation therefore are made without prejudice to a detailed assessment of the examination documents and we reserve the right to raise any further matters/issues at a later stage and as part of our Local Impact Report (LIR) and subsequent Written Representations. In summary, an outline of the principal topics which LCC intends to address in relation to the application during the examination will cover the following: • Highways and Transportation – as Local Highway Authority for Lincolnshire; • Historic Environment (Archaeology) • Cumulative Impacts Highways and Transportation The Highway Authority has reviewed the Outline Traffic Management Plan and has the following comments to make. It is not considered that there will be any unacceptable impact on Lincolnshire’s highway network either during construction or after completion of the scheme. Construction traffic would be kept primarily to the Strategic Road Network and so by the time any traffic reaches Lincolnshire, it would have dispersed and any impact would be acceptable. The A46 Newark Bypass is programmed to coincide with that of the North Hykeham Relief Road led by Lincolnshire County Council. Whilst the ‘zones of influence’ for the two schemes do not overlap, significant civil engineering projects at both ends of the A46 between Newark and Lincoln will need careful coordination and management to avoid short-term economic disruption, and to maximise any positive construction synergies. The Council welcomes the opportunity to attend monthly traffic management workshops in order to liaise further with the Applicant in relation to road space bookings and road closures/diversions. This will be particularly important when LCC’s contractor for the North Hykeham scheme is undertaking works to the Hykeham roundabout. The Council also welcomes the chance to be consulted on the Traffic Management Plan which is to be approved under Schedule 2 Requirement 11 of the draft DCO. Historic Environment (Archaeology) The Council provides support to several districts within Nottinghamshire in relation to archaeology. Any comments/views on this matter will be included in the representations made by Newark and Sherwood District Council. Cumulative Impacts Whilst there are no NSIP projects in the immediate vicinity of the scheme which have already been consented, there are a number of solar projects proposed towards the western boundary of Lincolnshire which cumulatively could put pressure on the highways network during construction, and have a significant impact on the amenity of communities located along the A46 between Newark and Lincoln. These include the Fosse Green Energy project at Witham St Hughs, and the Great North Road Solar Park (already identified within Chapter 15 of the Environmental Statement). The Council will therefore make further comments on the potential cumulative impacts of the development with other NSIP proposals at later stages of the examination process. The Council also advises that the table of existing development and/or approved development included within Chapter 15 of the Environmental Statement is kept under regular review as the project progresses in order to identify any new developments that come forward which may have a cumulative impact. Draft Development Consent Order At this stage the Council reserves its position on the relevant parts of the draft DCO including the proposed requirements which are likely to be needed, to be amended, or added to as the examination progresses. The Council will review the draft DCO to ensure that LCC’s role is sufficiently recognised as the adjacent Local Highway Authority in relation to any traffic regulation measures. In conclusion, the Council looks forward to working with the Applicant and the Planning Inspectorate as the project progresses through the DCO process and welcomes the opportunity to comment on matters of detail throughout the examination. Yours faithfully Justine Proudler for Neil McBride Head of Planning