Local Impact Report for Slough Borough Council Development Consent Order Application for M4 Smart Motorway Junctions 3 to 12 8th October 2015 M4 Smart Motorway DCO: Slough Local Impact Report M4 (Junctions 3 to 12) (Smart Motorway) Development Consent Order Application Slough Borough Council Local Impact Report Contents 1 INTRODUCTION AND SLOUGH CONTEXT 2 2 POLICY National Policy Statement for National Networks (NNNPS) 2 Slough Local Plan 2 Slough Local Transport Plan 3 Green Belt 4 3 ENVIRONMENT Landscape and visual impact 4 Flooding 6 Ecology and nature conservation 6 Air Quality 6 Noise and vibration 13 Heritage assets 15 4 ENGINEERING AND DESIGN Motorway Junctions 16 Overbridges 16 Underbridges 17 5 IMPACT ON ROAD USERS Traffic Safety and information 17 Traffic on Local Roads 18 Non-motorised forms of travel 20 6 LAND ACQUISITION 21 7 SOCIO-ECONOMIC ASPECTS 22 8 OTHER MATTERS Scheme programme and Cumulative Effect of Other Strategic Infrastructure Schemes 23 Junction 5 Langley Interchange and SBC SMaRT scheme 24 Windsor Branch Line Services 25 Cost of Legal Orders 25 APPENDIX 1 Environmental barriers and air quality 26 APPENDIX 2 NO2 Effect of barriers and speed controls for residential (Separate receptors spreadsheet) 1 1 M4 Smart Motorway DCO: Slough Local Impact Report 1. INTRODUCTION AND SLOUGH CONTEXT 1.1. This Local Impact Report sets out the preliminary position of Slough Borough Council (SBC) in relation to the issues of concern in the Borough arising from the M4 Smart Motorway Scheme (referred to as ‘the Scheme’). The report also responds to the First Written Questions of the Examining Authority (ExA) where relevant to Slough. 1.2. Slough is a compact densely built-up Borough with a population of some 143,000. The M4 fringes the southern edge of the town and runs approximately parallel to the A4, the historic route between London and Bath. Three motorway junctions serve Slough: Junction 7 linking with the A4 via the Huntercombe Spur; Junction 6 linking with the A355 which connects southwards with Windsor and northwards with Slough Trading Estate, South Buckinghamshire and the M40; and Junction 5, the Langley Interchange, linking with the A4 and giving access to Heathrow and Slough town centre. 1.3. Between Junctions 7 and 6 the M4 runs close to residential areas and public open space at Cippenham. East of Junction 6 the motorway fringes residential areas and school grounds at Chalvey and Herschel Park. East of Junction 5 it severs the built up area, with Langley to the north and Brands Hill to the south. Air quality, noise and visual amenity are major concerns and Slough Borough Council (SBC) is anxious to protect its residents and others from negative impacts arising from the Smart Motorway scheme. 1.4. Because of its proximity to London, Heathrow and the M25, and being home to the extensive Slough Trading Estate, the Borough experiences high levels of traffic. Traffic leaving or joining the M4 at Slough regularly causes queuing and congestion on the local road network during peak periods. Occasionally, heavy congestion or an incident on the M4 can bring traffic in Slough to a virtual standstill as drivers divert off the motorway. SBC notes from the Socio-Economic Report (2.1.1 APP-090) that the M4 typically carries over 130,000 vehicles per day and that this is forecast to increase to an average 160,000 vehicles per day over the next 20 years. Unless properly managed, this additional traffic could significantly increase pressures on the local road network. 2. POLICY National Policy Statement for National Networks (NNNPS) 2.1. SBC takes particular note of those sections of the NNNPS that require HE to provide evidence that they have considered ‘reasonable opportunities to deliver environmental and social benefits’ as part of the Scheme (NPS para 3.3); and ‘use reasonable endeavours to address the needs of cyclists and pedestrians in the design of new schemes’ (NPS para. 3.17). Slough Local Plan 2.2. SBC confirms that Table 1 of APP-089 accurately identifies the Development Plan for Slough, i.e. Slough Borough Council Local Plan (March 2004); Saved Policies (September 2007); Core Strategy; Development Plan Document 2006-2026 (December 2008). 2 2 M4 Smart Motorway DCO: Slough Local Impact Report 2.3. The Highways England (HE) Planning Statement refers to Core Policy 7 and SBC draws attention to the following wording: ‘Development proposals will, either individually or collectively, have to make appropriate provisions for.... improving air quality and reducing the impact of travel upon the environment, in particular climate change.’ 2.4. SBC also draws attention to Core Policy 8 which includes the wording: ‘Development shall not: a) Give rise to unacceptable levels of pollution including air pollution, dust, odour, artificial lighting or noise’. 2.5. Reference is correctly made in the HE Planning Statement (6-49) to the ‘Action Plan for Slough Air Quality Management Areas Nos. 3 and 4’, November 2012. However SBC wishes to make clear that the Action Plans for Air Quality Management Areas no. 1 (M4 corridor) and no. 2 (Brands Hill) were included in ‘Annex C of the Second Local Transport Plan, March 2006’ which superseded the provisional document of July 2005 referred to in 6-48. Furthermore, these action plans were revised and specific measures incorporated into the ‘Slough’s Third Local Transport Plan 2011- 2026’ (para 5.6.4.): see 2.8 below. 2.6. SBC’s comments on HE’s assessment of the project against these Core Strategy policies (APP- 089) are as follows: Ref Planning Statement 5.4.25: summary description of proposals in Slough area is acknowledged but it excludes reference to construction compounds near Junctions 6 and 7; 5.4.26: SBC agrees that ‘very special circumstances’ apply in relation to Green Belt but not necessarily in the case of the proposed Construction Compounds (see 2.10 below); 5.4.27: SBC accepts that there would be no significant detrimental effect on nature conservation interests or watercourses and the floodplain; in relation to archaeology and landscaping, SBC accepts that mitigation measures and enhancement measures are proposed but not that they would satisfactorily comply with the policy requirements; 2.7. SBC confirms that there are no other developments which are either proposed in or in accordance with the Local Plan which might be affected by the project. However there are other strategic infrastructure schemes proposed in the vicinity of Slough and the potential cumulative effect of these should be taken into account: see 8.1-8.3. Slough Local Transport Plan 2.8. SBC confirms that Table 1 of APP-089 accurately identifies the Local Transport Plan (LTP) for Slough, i.e. the Slough’s Third Local Transport Plan 2011- 2026. However no reference is made to the Supplementary Strategy Documents (SSD) that give further details on Slough’s local transport strategy. Of particular relevance are those relating to network management and Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS). 2.9. SBC’s comments on HE’s assessment of the project against the policy guidance set out in the LTP are as follows: 5.4.28: SBC accepts that the Scheme is in generally alignment with the LTP framework but does not agree that overall changes in air quality would be insignificant nor that noise impacts would be negligible; SBC does not consider that the Scheme would directly contribute to LTP strategies aimed at increasing the uptake and mode share for public transport, walking and cycling 3 3 M4 Smart Motorway DCO: Slough Local Impact Report (reflecting NNNPS para.3.17) but it is recognised that there are opportunities open to HE to assist in delivery of these strategies, i.e. o Partnership working to provide bus priorities at Junction 5 Langley Interchange A4 roundabout for SBC’s SMaRT bus rapid transit scheme to link Slough and Heathrow (see 8-4,8.5); o Further improvements for pedestrians and cyclists in relation to Junction 5 Langley Interchange; o Recreation Bridge: improvements to National Cycle Network Route 61; o Old Slade overbridge: bridleway provision for Colne Valley Trail; o Wood Lane overbridge: improvements for pedestrians and cyclists; and o Enhancement of routes required for rights of way diversions. 2.10. An important part of the Slough LTP strategy is to influence travel behaviour through a ‘smarter choices’ programme which promotes sustainable transport as an alternative to private car use; there is no reference in the Socio-economic Report to these aspects of the LTP3 and the effect on mode shift . As the result of Government support through the Local Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF) SBC has been actively implementing this programme for the last three years and additional LSTF funding is in place to extend the programme until March 2016. The DCO application for the Scheme offers the opportunity to extend the programme further as a ‘smarter choices package’ that would complement the Smart Motorway project and help deliver the environmental and social benefits foreseen in the NNNPS as touched on in 2.1 above. Green Belt 2.11. The M4 lies in the Green Belt for most of its route through the Borough. SBC accepts that the proposed operations and gantries would not have a material impact on the openness of the Green Belt nor on the 5 purposes of that designation. However it is considered that the proposed construction compounds would, bearing in mind the uncertainties surrounding the number actually needed; the location of the main office; and their duration (potentially for the whole of the 5-year construction period), would be inappropriate development and are likely to affect the openness of the Green Belt. 3. ENVIRONMENT Landscape and visual impact Operational Scheme 3.1.