Our Reference:
East Midlands Gateway Strategic Rail Freight Interchange
Local Impact Report
November 2014
Planning Inspectorate Reference: TR050002
Contents
Section One Introduction
Section Two The Local Impact Report – Terms of Reference
Section Three Proposed Development
Section Four Site Area and Constraints
Section Five History of the Site
Section Six Planning Policy
Section Seven Local Area Characteristics Designations and Landscape Character
Section Eight Consideration of Local Impacts
Section Nine Consideration of Mitigation Impacts
Section Ten Compliance with Local Level Policies
Our Reference:
1.0 Introduction
1.1 This Local Impact Report (LIR) is prepared on behalf of Leicestershire County Council and North West Leicestershire District Council (‘Local Authorities’) in accordance with the requirements of the Planning Act 2008 (the Act) as amended by the Localism Act 2011. The document also takes into account the advice set out in The Planning Inspectorate’s (PINS) Advice Note One: Local Impact Reports (Version 2 April 2012). ENTER DATE OF AGREED LIR AT CABINET.
1.2 The LIR is the Local Authorities response to an application by Roxhill (Kegworth) Limited for a Development Consent Order (DCO) authorising the construction, operation and maintenance of a rail freight interchange and warehousing and highway works (‘East Midlands Gateway’) at land in the vicinity of Junction 24 of the M1 Motorway.
1.3 It is identified that the development would consist of the following: -
1) An intermodal freight terminal accommodating up to 16 trains per day and trains of up to 775m long and including container storage and heavy goods vehicle parking;
2) Up to 557,414 square metres of rail served warehousing and ancillary service buildings;
3) A new rail line connecting the terminal to the Castle Donington branch freight only line;
4) New road infrastructure and works to the existing road infrastructure;
5) Demolition of existing structures and structural earthworks to create development plots and landscape zones;
6) Strategic landscaping and open space, including alterations to public rights of way and the creation of new publicly accessible open areas;
7) Bus interchange;
1.4 The East Midlands Gateway is considered a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) because the project involves the construction of a rail freight interchange and highway related development, thereby falling within the definitions set out in Sections 14(1) (h) and (l) as well as 22(2) and 26 of the Act. In this circumstance it has been determined that there are three NSIPs involved which include the rail freight interchange itself (NSIP1), the construction of a trunk road to be controlled by the Secretary of State (NSIP2) and alterations to a trunk road controlled by the Secretary of State (NSIP3).
1.5 Due to the development being considered an NSIP the application for development has been submitted to the Planning Inspectorate (acting for the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government). Elements of the development which are not encompassed within any of the NSIPs will be characterised in the order applied for as ‘Associated Development’ and although there are three individual NSIPS they are considered as a single project for the purpose of the DCO.
1.6 The application for a DCO was made by Roxhill (Kegworth) Limited on the 29th August 2014, and accepted for examination by the Secretary of State on the 19th September 2014.
2.0 The Local Impact Report - Terms of Reference
2.1 Section 104 of the Act requires the Secretary of State to have regard to LIRs in deciding applications. Section 60 (3) of the Act defines an LIR as “a report in writing giving details of the likely impact of the proposed development on the authority’s area (or any part of that area).” Advice Note One goes on to give guidance on the content of the LIR but stresses that the content is a matter for the local authorities and should cover any topics considered relevant to the impact of the proposed development on their area.
2.2 The Advice Note advises that the LIR is to be used as the means by which the local authorities can use its local knowledge and evidence on local issues in order to present a robust assessment to the Examining Authority. As such, it should draw on local knowledge and experience. The document should also contain statements of positive, negative and neutral impacts but does not need to set out a balancing exercise on such impacts as this will be the responsibility of the Examining Authority.
2.3 That said the Examining Authority will want to know the local authorities views on the “relative importance of different social, environmental or economic issues” and the impact of the scheme on them. Similarly the local authorities views on the DCO articles, requirements and obligations will be important to the Examining Authority.
2.4 In addition reference can be made to National Policy Statements (NPSs) where they are relevant but the local authorities are advised not to undertake assessment of proposals against NPS as this is the role of the Examining Authority.
2.5 For the purposes of this LIR the following matters will be considered using local knowledge and evidence and will assess the following issues: -
1) Consideration of local impacts:
a) Socio-Economic Impacts
b) Landscape and Visual Effects
c) Ecology and Nature Conservation
d) Noise, Vibration and Lighting
e) Air Quality
f) Flood Risk
g) Transportation and Sustainable Transport
h) Land Contamination and Implications to Mineral Resources
i) Heritage and Archaeology
2) Consideration of Mitigation Measures:
a) Socio-Economic Impacts
b) Landscape and Visual Effects
c) Ecology and Nature Conservation
d) Noise, Vibration and Lighting
e) Air Quality
f) Flood Risk
g) Transport
h) Land Contamination and Agricultural Land Quality
i) Heritage and Archaeology
2.6 The LIR will set out fully and robustly local knowledge and evidence on local impacts of the development and it is hoped that this document will assist the Examining Authority in its assessment in its assessment of the proposal and in making its recommendation to the Secretary of State.
3.0 Proposed Development
Intermodal Freight Terminal, Container Storage and Parking
3.1 The freight terminal would be designed to accommodate up to 16 trains per day, and to accommodate trains of up to 775 metres long (the standard length of UK freight trains). It would enable the transfer of freight from road to rail, and vice versa, and in addition to serving the operators located on the East Midlands Gateway site itself, would also serve a wider market, enabling the transfer, and storage as required, of containers at the East Midlands Gateway freight terminal site. In these circumstances areas for container storage and HGV parking are provided at, and adjacent to, the rail terminal.
Up to 557,414 Square Metres of Rail Served Warehousing and Ancillary Service Building
3.2 The East Midlands Gateway application is for a maximum of 557,414 square metres (6 million square feet) of predominately warehouse space. A small amount of space for ancillary service buildings relating to the freight terminal and storage areas is also proposed.
3.3 The final and detailed configuration of this space would not be determined until later in the process but the expectation is that the space would be provided in buildings of various sizes.
3.4 A Parameters Plan (Document Number 2.10) submitted in support of the application identifies that Zone A (Development Area) would contain buildings totalling 555,476 square metres which would range in height from 17.5 metres in Zone A5 to 26.5 metres within Zones A1 and A2. A minimum of six and maximum of 17 units would be provided within this zone.
3.5 Zone B (Container Storage, Parking Area and Associated Welfare Facilities) would contain buildings totalling 938 square metres with heights of 10.0 metres and containers stored to a maximum height of 10.0 metres.
3.6 Zone C (Rail Interchange) would contain buildings totalling 1000 square metres with heights of 10.0 metres along with containers stored to a maximum height of 10.0 metres and Gantry Cranes to a maximum height of 20.0 metres.
3.7 Within the bus interchange a building to a height of 6.5 metres would be proposed totalling 150 square metres.
A New Rail Line Connecting the Terminal to the Castle Donington Branch Freight Only Rail Line
3.8 This forms part of a network of routes that are being cleared under the Strategic Freight Network Programme by Network Rail. This will include a new railway line running north out of the site adjacent to the M1 and A50, before connecting to the existing freight rail way to the north east of Lockington.
3.9 West and east facing connections to the existing rail network will be provided, giving direct access to the ports at Southampton, Felixstowe, London Gateway plus other smaller UK container ports, the Channel Tunnel and many of the key UK regional distribution cluster locations. The rail terminal will include four unloading sidings and an engine release siding. All reception sidings, the unloading sidings and the engine release siding will be capable of handling 775 metre long trains which is the accepted UK standard for intermodal trains.
3.10 At the beginning, based on equivalent UK terminal operations, East Midlands Gateway is expected to handle one to two trains a day rising over time to a maximum of 16 trains per day.
New Road Infrastructure and Works to the Existing Road Infrastructure
3.11 The East Midlands Gateway proposal includes a number of road infrastructure elements, including both new roads, and improvements to existing roads the changes to the strategic road network are as follows: -
1) New free-flowing southbound slip road over the M1 to replace the Junction 24A roundabout – this slip road will join directly to the M1 southbound and also provide a link to the Junction 24 roundabout which will be improved. This will remove all A50 to M1 southbound traffic from Junction 24;
2) The construction of a Kegworth bypass, connecting the A6 south of Kegworth to the A453 south of J24 of the M1;
3) Improvements to the M1 southbound between the new A50 slip-road and the Junction with the Junction 24 slip-road;
4) Provision of a ‘short’ link road at Junction 24 carrying northbound traffic from the site, and from the A453 to the A50 without needing to pass through Junction 24;
5) Widening and signalisation of the A453 ‘arm’ into Junction 24 from the east (Nottingham);
6) Construction of a new site access onto the A453 south of Junction 24, meeting the needs of both the East Midlands Gateway and the Airport;
7) The current A50 southbound ‘arm’ into Junction 24 would be retained as a two-way road to provide local access (as identified in more detail below);
3.12 In addition to the above works the following works would also be proposed to the ‘local’ highway network: -
1) The closure of the Church Lane access to Lockington from the A50, and the provision of a new access to the village via Main Street;
2) A new access to the Hilton Hotel from the altered and reconfigured A50;
3) A new bridge over the M1 would replace the existing Ashby Road overbridge which is substandard for vehicular use, but will be retained for pedestrian and cycle use;
4) The provision of bus interchange facilities at the site access roundabout, and bus priority through to Ashby Road in Kegworth;
Structural Earthworks to create Development Plots and Landscape Zones
3.13 The topography of the East Midlands Gateway site includes some changes in land levels which will require earthworks to create development plateaus or plots within the development zones. The rail terminal will be sunk into a newly created plateau which will have operational benefits with regards to levels, but also advantageous in reducing visual and other impacts.
3.14 Built development within the identified zones will ultimately involve the construction of very large buildings and as such significant earthworks are proposed to create the plateaus not only for the buildings themselves but also to help create the significant bunding and screening to limit the visual impact of the proposed development from viewpoints and receptors outside the site. It is proposed that the bunds will effectively surround the northern, western, and – to a lesser extent – southern boundaries of the East Midlands Gateway site. These bunds will be planted with substantial vegetation which will form an important part of the wider landscape strategy.
Strategic Landscaping and Open Space
3.15 A Landscape and Environmental Strategy for the proposed development has been prepared and this responds to the issues of existing sensitivity and interest, landscape character and context, visual impact and amenity, ecology and biodiversity, and to the relevant planning and environmental policy context.
3.16 It is identified that the strategy prepared would ensure the establishment of a strong and cohesive framework of landscape and environmental areas. These would form one of the main elements of the overall development and would be fully integrated with the built development and infrastructure zones.
3.17 Photomontages have also been supplied taken from twelve locations which were agreed with Leicestershire County Council. These twelve locations are as follows: -
1) View southeast from Main Street, Lockington;
2) View south from Lockington Road;
3) View south from Church Lane, Hemington;
4) View southeast from Hemington Hill;
5) View Moira Dale Recreation Ground, Castle Donington;
6) View from Ashby Road, Kegworth;
7) View from Windmill Way, Kegworth;
8) View from London Road, Kegworth;
9) View from East Midlands Parkway Station;
10) View from Long Lane (near bridge over the A453);
11) View from J24 (top of M1 northbound exit slip);
12) Viewpoint from Rycroft Road, Hemington (A50, Junction 1);
3.18 It is stated that the development shown within the photomontages is illustrative only, however, they do depict the maximum height of the proposed buildings and are based upon the finished plot and floor levels and as such can be considered the ‘worst case’ scenario in terms of the proposed visibility of the built development. The photomontages depict the scheme upon completion of all the earthworks, buildings and landscape proposals and after 10 years once the proposed landscaping has become established.