A120 BRAINTREE TO A12 Essex County Council Scheme Assessment Report B3553T41-JAC-HGN-00-REP-C-0008 | P05 12/11/18 Essex C ounty Council A120 Braintree to A12 Scheme Assessment Report A120 Braintree to A12 Project No: B3553T41 Document Title: Scheme Assessment Report Document No.: B3553T41-JAC-HGN-00-REP-C-0008 Revision: P05 Date: 12 November 2018 Client Name: Essex County Council Project Manager: James Burke Author: Ransford Wiredu File Name: B3553T41-JAC-HGN-00-REP-C-0008 Jacobs U.K. Limited Simpson House, 6 Cherry Orchard Road, Croydon, CR9 6BE T +44 (0)20.8686.8212 www.jacobs.com © Copyright 2018 Jacobs U.K. Limited. The concepts and information contained in this document are the property of Jacobs. Use or copying of this document in whole or in part without the written permission of Jacobs constitutes an infringement of copyright. 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Document history and status Revision Date Description By Review Approved P00 28/09/17 Draft issue for comment RW/MJ/CH JRW JB P01 21/05/18 Draft issue for comment RW JRW JB P02 18/07/18 Draft issue to HE environment team to address HE MW (update of MJ (review of JB comments on environment sections (Sections 2.8 and environment environment section 8) sections only) sections only) P03 25/08/2018 Issue for TPG review CJH (update of MJS (review of JB economics and economics and Decision Decision Framework) Framework) P04 20/10/2018 Final report including TGP comments CJH MJS JB P05 12/11/2018 Final report including appendices RW MS JB B3553T41-JAC-HGN-00-REP-C-0008 ii A120 Braintree to A12 Scheme Assessment Report Contents Contents ....................................................................................................................................................... iii 1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 1 Report Purpose .................................................................................................................................. 1 Scheme Description ........................................................................................................................... 1 Identified Problems and Do-Nothing Consequences ......................................................................... 2 Scheme History .................................................................................................................................. 6 Scheme Objectives ............................................................................................................................. 7 Summary of Public Consultation Options ........................................................................................... 8 Technical Reports ............................................................................................................................... 9 2. Summary of Existing Conditions .................................................................................................. 11 Description of Locality ...................................................................................................................... 11 Existing Highway Network ................................................................................................................ 11 Traffic ................................................................................................................................................ 13 Existing Safety Conditions ................................................................................................................ 14 Walking, Cycling and Horse Riding .................................................................................................. 16 Topography, Land Use, Property and Industry ................................................................................ 17 2.6.1 Topography ...................................................................................................................................... 17 2.6.2 Land Use and Industry ..................................................................................................................... 18 Climate.............................................................................................................................................. 18 Environment ..................................................................................................................................... 18 2.8.1 Air Quality ......................................................................................................................................... 18 2.8.2 Cultural Heritage ............................................................................................................................... 19 2.8.3 Landscape ........................................................................................................................................ 20 2.8.4 Nature Conservation ......................................................................................................................... 20 2.8.5 Geology and Soils ............................................................................................................................ 22 2.8.6 Materials ........................................................................................................................................... 23 2.8.7 Noise and Vibration .......................................................................................................................... 23 2.8.8 People and Communities ................................................................................................................. 24 2.8.9 Drainage and the Water Environment .............................................................................................. 24 Public Utilities ................................................................................................................................... 25 Severance ........................................................................................................................................ 26 3. Planning Factors ............................................................................................................................ 27 Option Constraints and Opportunities .............................................................................................. 27 Relevant Planning Legislation and Policies...................................................................................... 27 3.2.1 Planning Act 2008 (as amended) ..................................................................................................... 27 3.2.2 National Policy Statement for National Networks (NN NPS)............................................................ 27 3.2.3 Local Development Plans ................................................................................................................. 28 3.2.4 Essex Minerals Local Plan (Adopted 2014) ..................................................................................... 28 3.2.5 Essex and Southend on Sea Waste Local Plan (Adopted 2017) ..................................................... 30 3.2.6 Adopted Braintree Local Plan ........................................................................................................... 30 B3553T41-JAC-HGN-00-REP-C-0008 iii A120 Braintree to A12 Scheme Assessment Report 3.2.7 Colchester Borough Council Local Plan (Adopted 2008, Amended 2014) ...................................... 31 3.2.8 Emerging Development Plans for Braintree and Colchester............................................................ 31 Relevant Transport Policies and Programmes ................................................................................. 32 Submission of an application for Development Consent.................................................................. 32 Route to Consent .............................................................................................................................. 32 4. Summary of Alternative Schemes ................................................................................................ 33 Operations generation (Stage 0) ...................................................................................................... 33 Initial Option assessment (Stage 1) ................................................................................................. 33 Options Description .......................................................................................................................... 34 4.3.1 Option A ............................................................................................................................................ 35 4.3.2 Option B ............................................................................................................................................ 36 4.3.3 Option C ........................................................................................................................................... 36 4.3.4 Option D ..........................................................................................................................................