7.8.06 - TSLM Update:
July has seen a great deal of activity surrounding the Northern route. The main issues are:
Lancashire County Council (LCC)’s funding request to the Government, and the revised Link road planning application.
It’s a good time for TSLM to update our many members and supporters.
Funding
On the 6th July the Department for Transport announced details of a ten year national road funding programme. LCC’s ‘number one transport priority’, the underperforming Heysham M6 Link (HM6L) scheme, had been rushed into the North West region’s ‘wish list’ of transport schemes, even though a great deal of work remains to be done to get the plans to pass any sort of muster. LCC was clearly desperate to get its foot in the funding door if it could.
TSLM was pleased to see that HM6L was not approved by the government, no funding was granted. The scheme was not even granted programme entry. A great deal of further work needs to be completed to the satisfaction of the Government before the scheme is considered for approval. LCC will have to, among other things, demonstrate a satisfactory business case and value for money.
TSLM was clear from the first what the Government intended from its admittedly convoluted announcement, but the local pro road lobby seem to have had more difficulty in figuring things out. Thankfully even they have finally worked out that the Northern route has a long, long way to go before the Government shell out over £120 million on a scheme which does nothing for the local congestion problems, destroys the Green Belt, affects the health and wellbeing of local communities and does nothing for regeneration south of the River Lune.
Full details of the (lack of) funding story can be read below
Revised Planning Application
The Story So Far
The planning application for the Heysham M6 Link Road Northern route was published in December 2005. It prompted many formal objections, especially from big hitters like Environment Agency (EA), English Heritage (EH), Lancaster & Morecambe College (LMC), Sport England, as well as over 600 individuals.
Since then, Lancashire County Council (LCC) has been considering those objections and making a few changes to the plans. The result is the “Response to Objections and Comments” published in June 2006. THIS IS the revised planning application. It is available on LCC’s website, Council offices and in Lancaster & Morecambe libraries. Site notices went up along the route to advertise it, but no notice was given to individuals.
This Response Is Not Adequate
After all this time, there are a few mainly cosmetic changes. TSLM has produced a 24-page report. We explain how LCC’s “Response” document is totally inadequate.
There are many cases where
Investigations have not been carried out,
Reports have not been produced;
Objections have not been resolved, and
Concerns have not even been considered.
Many objections and concerns are still outstanding:
Environment Agency requested a redesigned bridge over the River Lune, but the new design features piers on the riverbank, forming a 100 ft x 20 ft concrete barrier in a corridor used by important wildlife;
The essential Flood Risk Assessment has shown that the new bridge deck will have less than 3 ft clearance for debris above a River Lune peak flood event - and no report has been produced for the coastal flood zone at Broadoak corner;
Sport England still objects to the loss of 1.3 hectares of playing fields; there are no replacement pitches;
Lancaster & Morecambe College will lose 180 car parking spaces: no more parking will be provided, so cars will spill out onto surrounding streets. The gated underpass to sports pitches will attract loiterers.
Ramblers' Association's objection that it is destructive of the low coastal drumlin landscape is not even considered;
English Heritage requested information which has still not been provided;
Concerns expressed by LCC's own specialist advisers (on ecology & landscape) have not been addressed: wildlife and landscape will be lost without replacement;
Over 600 local people objected, but their concerns have not been addressed, indeed the applicant admits it has not even read their letters (although they have been counted).
You can read the summary of our report here, where you can also download the full report
Still Object
LCC have not directly notified the 600 plus objectors and local residents of the recent changes. People do not know how the changes will affect them, and objectors do not know if their concerns have been addressed. LCC says that the letters of objection “will be carried forward”.
The Next Step
LCC councillors on the Development Control (Devcon) Committee will consider the revised planning application. This cannot be before 21 September. (They originally intended it to be in May, now even September isn’t certain.) If they approve their own scheme, Government Office for the North West (GONW) has blocked LCC from granting itself planning permission, and directed it to refer the plan to GONW, who will consult with ministers and decide whether or not to "call in" for an independent public inquiry.
Demand a Public Inquiry
Government must be told how unpopular this controversial scheme is. We urge you to join us, other organisations and our local MP Geraldine Smith, in keeping up the pressure for a ‘call in’ for a Public Inquiry. You can do this by writing to the Transport Minister and Geraldine. Tell them that it’s not fair that LCC be allowed to push through this controversial, damaging and underperforming road without full scrutiny and review by an independent Planning Inspector.
Write to: Rt Hon Douglas Alexander MP, Department for Transport,
Great Minster House, 76 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DR
or email Douglas.Alexander@dft.gsi.gov.uk
Copy to: Geraldine Smith MP, House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA
or email smithg@parliament.uk
Let’s keep up the pressure. Together, we can stop the monster road!
If you have friends & family who would like this information and cannot access our website, why not print off our Newsletter here
David Gate, Chair TSLM
August 2006