Mersey Warrington Flood Risk Management Scheme Phase 3B Woolston Design and Access Statement MARCH 2016 Design and Access Statement_V6.docx We are the Environment Agency. We protect and improve the environment and make it a better place for people and wildlife. We operate at the place where environmental change has its greatest impact on people’s lives. We reduce the risks to people and properties from flooding; make sure there is enough water for people and wildlife; protect and improve air, land and water quality and apply the environmental standards within which industry can operate. Acting to reduce climate change and helping people and wildlife adapt to its consequences are at the heart of all that we do. We cannot do this alone. We work closely with a wide range of partners including government, business, local authorities, other agencies, civil society groups and the communities we serve. Published by: Environment Agency Horizon house, Deanery Road Bristol BS1 5AH Email: enquiries@environment- agency.gov.uk Further copies of this report are available https://www.gov.uk/government/organisatio from our publications catalogue: ns/environment-agency https://www.gov.uk/government/publications or our National Customer Contact Centre: T: © Environment Agency 2015 03708 506506 All rights reserved. This document may be Email: enquiries@environment- reproduced with prior permission of agency.gov.uk. the Environment Agency. Mersey Warrington FRMS CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION 1 2 DESIGN STATEMENT 4 3 ACCESS AND ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT 11 4 CONSULTATION 14 5 CONCLUSION 19 FIGURES Figure 1 Site Location Plan Figure 2 Statutory Plan Figure 3 MR1 General Arrangement Figure 4 MR2 General Arrangement Figure 5 Thelwall General Arrangement Figure 6 Site Sections Figure 7 Landscape Reinstatement – MR1 US Figure 8 Landscape Reinstatement – MR1 DS Figure 9 Landscape Reinstatement – MR2 Figure 10 Landscape Reinstatement - Thelwall Figure 11 Photomontage Figure 12 Public Rights of Way Design and Access Statement_V6.docx i 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Purpose and Scope 1.1.1 On 19 April 2012, Warrington Borough Council (WBC) granted planning permission for the Mersey Warrington Flood Risk Management Scheme (FRMS) under consent reference 2011/19262. Planning permission was granted for the whole scheme including detailed consent for Phase 1 and outline consent for Phases 2 & 3. 1.1.2 This Design and Access Statement (DAS) has been prepared, on behalf of the Environment Agency (EA), in support of a planning application for Phase 3B Woolston of the FRMS. 1.1.3 The requirement to prepare a DAS was introduced by Section 42 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and came into force in August 2006. Government advice is contained within The Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015 and Article 9 (4)(c) explicitly states that DAS’s are not required to accompany planning applications for engineering operations. Whilst not strictly required for this development, it is considered that a DAS will assist WBC in understanding the evolution of the scheme’s design. 1.1.4 Article 9 (3) of the Order states that a design and access statement should: a. explain the design principles and concepts that have been applied to the development; b. demonstrate the steps taken to appraise the context of the development and how the design of the development takes that context into account; c. explain the policy adopted as to access, and how policies relating to access in relevant local development documents have been taken into account; d. state what, if any, consultation has been undertaken on issues relating to access to the development and what account has been taken of the outcome of any such consultation; and e. explain how any specific issues which might affect access to the development have been addressed.” 1.1.5 In addition to the above, ‘Design and Access Statements – How to read, write and use them’ published in 2006 by the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) has been used to prepare this statement. This guidance Design and Access Statement_V6.docx 1 identifies a number of design and access considerations that should be employed when describing the proposal. 1.1.6 The CABE guidance suggests that the design element should show the process that has been gone through and explain the scheme in terms of the following: Use; Layout; Amount; Scale; Appearance; and Landscaping. 1.1.7 The access element should include the following details: Vehicular and transport links; and Inclusive access. 1.2 The Site and its Surroundings 1.2.1 This statement relates to the Phase 3B works which will comprise flood defences at: upstream and downstream of Woolston Weir (MR1); and Bridge Lane Industrial Estate (MR2). 1.2.2 The location and site description of the Phase 3B works remains largely unchanged from that described in the original outline consent for the scheme as a whole (ref. 2011/19262). In summary, the development involves a total of approximately 800m of the right bank of the River Mersey. This is split into two flood defence walls: MR1 consists of walls upstream (MR1 upstream) and downstream of Woolston Weir (MR1 downstream); MR2 consists of defences to Bridge Lane Industrial Estate. The locations of the works are shown on Figure 1 and the planning application boundary on Figure 2. 1.2.3 In the original planning application certain assumptions were made about the likely location of temporary contractor compounds and routeing for site vehicles. These remain the same with the exception of arrangements for accessing the MR1 upstream wall. Some staff, cars, small plant and equipment will be able to access MR1 upstream via Weir Lane; however most heavy plant, equipment, sheet piles Design and Access Statement_V6.docx 2 and bulk materials will be delivered to MR1 upstream by barges via the River Mersey. 1.2.4 Access for staff, plant and materials for MR1 downstream for works west of Weir Lane will be via Weir Lane (as the original outline description). Design and Access Statement_V6.docx 3 2 DESIGN STATEMENT 2.1 Use 2.1.1 A map of the planning application boundary is provided within Figure 2. As noted earlier in this statement, the proposals relate to the construction of flood defences upstream and downstream of Woolston Weir (MR1) and at Bridge Lane Industrial Estate (MR2) and temporary works associated with a construction compound at Thelwall Viaduct. The land use related aspects of each of these sections of the scheme are outlined below. Thelwall Proposals 2.1.2 Construction for MR1 upstream will be served by a contractor compound, located near Thelwall Viaduct (approx. grid ref. SJ 663 887) on land formerly used as a former inert materials landfill (see Figure 5). The majority of this land consists of rough grassland and scrub located immediately to the east of a highway embankment supporting the M6 southbound Thelwall Viaduct and to the south of A57 Manchester Road at the J21 junction of the M6. 2.1.3 The proposed private access route to the compound is currently in use in connection with a materials processing facility operated by W Mahers Ltd located on land at Woolston Deposit Grounds. 2.1.4 The Thelwall compound will be approximately 2940m2 and will be provided with a stoned surface and security fencing. The compound will provide offices, staff & visitor parking, and a plant, equipment and materials storage facility for the Phase 3B works (MR1 and MR2). In particular, it will be used as a delivery and storage area for sheet piles, rock armour, the piling rig, a crane and other heavy plant required for construction. 2.1.5 In addition, a further area will be used for construction purposes adjacent to the river’s edge between the Thelwall Viaduct and the Bailey bridge. This area is currently used as a vehicle turning area which is fenced with motorbike barriers to prevent unauthorised access. The Mersey Way long distance trail runs along the northern bank of the Mersey at this point, although it is currently closed from Statham Lane/A57 to Woolston due to bank instability. 2.1.6 The contractor compound will remain in use until all MR1 upstream works have been completed, following which the compound facilities would be removed and the stoned area reinstated as agreed with the landowner. Design and Access Statement_V6.docx 4 MR1 (Upstream) Proposals 2.1.7 MR1 is located upstream of Woolston Weir on land located to the rear of the properties on Weir Lane and Edwards Gardens. The majority of land at MR1 is currently used as informal open space, consisting of a footpath, rough grassland, scrub and trees (see Figure 3). An existing public footpath runs along this northern section of the river bank from Weir Lane upstream. It is currently closed and temporarily subject to a diversion due to a landslip in the supporting river bank and a risk of further slips. 2.1.8 The proposal would involve the reconstruction of the collapsed section of river bank, followed by the installation of a sheet pile wall along the top of the river bank. As part of the scheme, the footpath would be reinstated between the wall and the adjacent residential boundaries. The footpath would connect at its upstream end to a small area of public open space. 2.1.9 An approximately 190m section of river bank would be faced by an area of rock reinforcement. The rock is required due to the relatively weak condition of the existing river bank. Its function is to offer physical support to the sheet piles, protect the river bank and reduce future scour. The rock would cover the full riverside extent of MR1 upstream.