Representation by Louise Paterson-Blyth
- Date submitted
- 14 July 2024
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
INTRODUCTION We are the landowners and residents of (redacted), Gainsborough Road, Winthorpe. Our home is a Grade II listed building- dating back to 1787. We are referred to as both MM053 and 126649 in the National Highways reports. The significance of the building as a heritage site, as well as the financial value of our property will be adversely impacted by the A46 dualling. THE SCHEME The element of road design which will most adversely impact (redacted), is the height of the bridge over the A1. The impingement on the property will be through the four key areas of visual changes, light pollution, noise and vibration. We do not believe that the impact on the property has been correctly quantified and communicated in the documents produced by National Highways, which are confusing and misleading for residents. For a start, our home is referred to by two different reference numbers (MM053 and 126649) in the documents. This was very unhelpful and made it much harder for us to see what directly affected us. Please could there by continuity in any documents going forward? CULTURAL HERITAGE, LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL EFFECTS The documents make it clear that (redacted)(MM053) will be adversely affected by the road. In 6.1Environmental Statement, Chapter 6 Cultural Heritage, it states that during the construction section of the scheme: “An adverse effect is predicted. There is potential for development within the Order Limits to have an adverse impact on the value of the asset, through alteration to its setting.” (6.3 Environmental Statement Appendix 6.3 Assessment of Cultural Heritage Effects During Construction of the Scheme). In the same section we are informed: “The presence of construction machinery close to the asset will increase the level of noise and affect the ability to appreciate the private garden setting of the asset. This will adversely impact on the heritage value of the asset.” Despite these two clear statements, (redacted) is not listed as a key visual receptor in 6.2 Environmental Statement - Figure 7.4 - Visual Receptor Location. The dog kennels (point 41on the figure) and The Spinney (point 42) are listed, but the church, The Grove and (redacted) are all listed buildings and have all been missed off. (redacted) is also not included in Appendix 7.3 Key Visual Receptor Photographs and Photomontages. The residence will stare directly at the new A1 overbridge. The height of the bridge will fundamentally change the aspect from the house, which a grade II listed building, that was originally constructed to be in the line of sight of historic views of the area. We would like to understand how (redacted) has not been listed as a key visual receptor. Why has a property of such cultural significance been discounted by the scheme in this way? National Highways say that they have used a digital zone of theoretical visibility (ZTV) to inform the selection of viewpoints, where the scheme will be visible from viewer heights of 1.6 metres and above. (6.1 Environmental Statement, Chapter 7: Landscape and Visual Effects, 7.5.5). A ZTV based on the operational Scheme has been produced, but (redacted) is completely absent from this. Why has a grade II listed building, that has already been flagged as being “adversely affected” not been included in in this? The bridge will clearly be seen from our property during the wintertime, when there is no tree cover. Our request would be for the significant planting of both mature and new trees in this area before the major construction phase of this project begins. Details around planting and mitigation are extremely vague for people who live here and who will be directly impacted by the proposals. NOISE AND VIBRATION Noise maps and other documents claim neutral change to (redacted), (6.1 Environmental statement, Chapter 11 Noise and Vibration, Table 11-15. We are listed as 126649) which makes no sense, given the proximity of the new road to our property. We have never had it explained to us how this figure was reached. We requested this information as residents and were simply told to log a complaint to PINS, which was a very unsatisfactory response. We took photos of the receptor used for these studies being placed at least 100m from our property. Why is the receptor not placed where the building is, rather than at the edge of our land? This study is of huge importance to us and how the results were reached has never been communicated. Furthermore, because the A46 bridge is so high near our house (approximately 10m higher than ground level) the sound will travel far. It will be combining with existing A1 noise levels and is likely to elevate noise levels still further. Currently we have been informed by National Highways that we are not in a noise important area (we have emails that show this) and that they are unable to request assistance in sound-proofing our property. Night-time noise levels at our property ALREADY exceed the SOAEL by more than 5db meaning significant effects are already likely to affect our health and wellbeing. We would like to understand why (redacted) isn’t already classified as a noise important area and what National Highways will do to assist us in managing noise levels at this listed property? This will not be a straightforward ‘double glazing’ fix as some of our windows date back to 1787 and are historically preserved under strict conservation orders. We find it utterly baffling that a noise and vibration management plan has not yet been prepared and a scheme of this magnitude can gain traction without this. We would like to understand this plan in detail now. CONCLUSION We have been engaging with National Highways throughout the consultation phase of this scheme. However, we still feel, that as impacted residents, we are not being given enough information or assistance. Our questions are going unanswered. We are frustrated by the vague way that plans for mitigation are being described. In document 6.3 Environmental Statement Appendix 7.2 Visual Baseline and Impact Schedules, when it comes to what will be done in Winthorpe, there are a lot of references to “proposed planting plans” but we need specifics, both for planting and bunding. The documents detail the serious impacts the schemes will have on our property, but then omit Lowwood, a home listed by Historic England, as a visual receptor.