Representation by Peter John Murphy
- Date submitted
- 23 June 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Traffic Concerns - When the M69 motorway was planned in early 1970s it was recognised at that time that if the Burbage/ Sapcote junction was created allowing traffic from the M6 side of the motorway to exit then this would have a major impact on the B roads leading to either Sapcote or Hinckley. Today with the vast increases in traffic volumes since the M69 was opened the Sapcote Road into Hinckley is a major congestion point now particularly in the afternoon when it is quite common to have queued vehicles from Hinckley to the Aston Flamville Road junction. This traffic is predominantly cars and vans as opposed to HGVs. The plan to create a full junction at the M69 roundabout at Burbage Sapcote would undoubtedly create a major increase in volumes of traffic that would be travelling in either the Sapcote or Hinckley directions. The Freight Hub developer has undoubtedly done insufficient work to understand the current traffic flows to and from this junction. No mitigation plans have been submitted to alleviate this congestion just assumptions that some traffic may be going to Barwell, Earl Shilton that could be dealt with by a road through the proposed new freight hub site. No proper analysis had been made by the developer and they need to recognise that plans have been submitted by Jelson the Builder to construct over 240 new homes on land adjacent to the Sapcote Road which if approved will create yet more traffic on the road near the proposed Freight Hub site. Need for this project. - Given the vast number of new warehouse properties that have been created on the A5 corridor between Dodwells Bridge Hinckley and Junction 18 of the M1 motorway there is no justification whatsoever for creating still further warehouse space. It would be more appropriate to create this Freight Hub own the outskirts of Birmingham perhaps in the Castle Bromwich area as no doubt the destination for most of the goods brought to the proposed Freight Hub would be the West Midlands and not West Leicestershire. Jobs - The statistics quoted on jobs to be created by the Freight Hub are flawed in that they are likely to be jobs lost in other warehouse locations perhaps Magna Park or DIRFT and most would be lorry drivers and warehouse operatives transferred from other locations. Environmental damage - The proposed site is adjacent to Burbage Common and woods and without doubt the small buffer area currently envisaged to be a buffer area is inadequate given the nature of the wildlife that lives in this area. The proposed plan is for the Freight Hub to be operational 24 hours a day 7 days per week. There will therefore inevitably be noise and light pollution that will adversely impact both wildlife and resident who live anywhere close to this development.