1. TRAFFIC IMPACT:

1. The submitted Traffic Assessment concludes that the local road network can, in technical capacity terms, accommodate the traffic generated by the temporary uses. It is understood that the Highways Agency and Cambridgeshire County Council are likely to concur with this view but are also aware that Stukeley Parish Council has raised some concerns regarding the validity of the traffic data utilised in the assessment. However and notwithstanding the technical capacity it is the experience of the Parish Council that the temporary uses which have taken place for the past 3 years have proved detrimental to the amenity and convenience of village residents for the following reasons:

- Residents find it difficult to leave the village in the morning with lorries queuing at the Rusts Lane entrance to the base thereby blocking access to Huntingdon and the A14 for significant periods.

- HGV’s heading for the site regularly ‘get lost’ and manage to enter the village and the village green area. On realisation that they are in the wrong place this results in noise and disruption for residents as vehicles attempt to turn, manoeuvre and leave on small residential roads not designed to accommodate such vehicles.

- Linked to the above you will be aware that in the centre of the village is the ‘heritage bridge’ which is a Scheduled Ancient Monument with a 2 tonne weight limit and only approximately 3 metres wide. Lost HGV’s have attempted to use this bridge rather than attempt to turn in the road and have clipped the parapet walls.

- A significant volume of traffic accessing the site leaves the northbound A1 at the Alconbury junction and skirts the eastern side of the village before heading up Rusts Lane. Residents living on the eastern side of the village have concerns over air quality.

4. On 10 December 2003, the Secretary of State granted planning permission (your reference 97/1500) for the redevelopment of the site to provide for 630,000sqm of warehousing / storage uses. It is acknowledged that this 630,000sqm is approximately double the level of space which is used under the temporary permissions however, when the secretary of state granted permission a number of conditions were attached that were deemed vital to mitigate the impacts of the uses on Alconbury and the surrounding road network and these were considered necessary before any business use commenced should the permission ever be implemented. Those most relevant as taken from the decision letter are:

115) No building hereby permitted shall be occupied unless and until the following works have been completed:
2I. Works to improve the A14/A1126 Spittals Interchange as shown on Plan No 43566/SHF/0004 Rev P6;
3II. Improvements to the A14/A1 Brampton Hut Interchange as shown on Plan No 43566/SHF/0005 Rev P4; and
4III. Improvements to the A14 Rusts Lane Interchange as shown on Plan No 43566/SHF/0008 Rev P2.

16) No building hereby permitted shall be occupied until a scheme for the improvement of the A141/C339 roundabout to facilitate bus priority and improve cyclist provision has been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority...

17) No part of the development shall be commenced unless and until a scheme of traffic calming works to the C339 through the Stukeleys prepared generally in accordance with The Stukeleys Traffic Calming (shown on Savill Bird & Axon drawings nos 1 – 4 dated 16 November 1998) has been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority...

22) No part of the development hereby permitted shall be occupied until a raillink to the East Coast Mainline is provided in accordance with the Order made under the Transport and Works Act 1992 and associated with these proposals or such other link as may otherwise be approved by the Local Planning Authority.

24) Operational rail sidings shall be provided to a minimum of 90% of the Class B8 floorspace in the development hereby permitted...

5. The current applications propose no such measures or even partial measures to mitigate the impacts of the uses.

6. Whilst recognising the temporary nature of the proposals the site has already operated for a three year temporary period and a further three years is sought. The operations will therefore have taken place for six years which is longer than might be expected of a 'temporary' use. The Parish Council requests that if the temporary permissions are to be renewed planning conditions or S106 obligations should be placed on the developer to reduce non residential / non local traffic entering the village. A package of measure could include improved signage around the village, the implementation of entrance features such as posts / piers at the entrances to the village to highlight the residential nature and the putting in place of routing agreements with the site operators requiring HGV traffic to be directed away from the village and Rusts Lane.

2. VISUAL IMPACT

7. The application proposes to stack containers up to four high where they are more than 200metres from the boundary and two high where within 200 metres. As the Council is aware the stacking of containers at four and five high has lead to numerous complaints from residents regarding visual impact. The containers are highly visible from the Rusts Lane / A14 interchange. They are also visible from Alconbury Hill and Buckworth Parish. It is understood that the current permission is not the subject of a height restriction condition which has allowed the current position to develop without any control.

8. We are aware that the current storage permission was granted before the secretary of states decision was released. The secretary of states decision as referred to above contains a condition relating to external storage that would have to be adhered to should that permission be implemented. It states:

148) No items shall be stored or stacked in a designated storage compound so as to exceed the height of the approved boundary treatment with the exception of the area marked 'Rail freight handling' on the scheme Masterplan, where containers shall be stacked no more than 10 metres high.

9. The secretary of state was therefore clearly of the view that any external storage except in small designated areas where 10 metres was permitted, should not exceed the height of the boundary fencing (approx 2 - 3 metres high). Even a generous ten metre restriction would only allow stacking at 3 containers high but this application seeks four high. This would mean storage up to 11.6 metres or 38 feet. If the current renewal application is to be approved a condition should be placed on the consent restricting the storage to a maximum of 3 containers high, just below the recommended 10 metres. Allowing container storage at four high would be inconsistent with the secretary of states decision. The Parish Council is also concerned that any storage of containers within 200 metres of the perimeter fence would be visually intrusive, particularly for neighbouring residents. It is felt that no storage should be permitted within a 200 metres radius of the perimeter.

3. ECOLOGY

10. Whilst the comments of the submitted Ecology report are noted the Parish Council considers that the use of an additional 20,000 sqm of space within the site for external storage purposes will result in some harm to wildlife habitat. That is there will be an additional 20,000 sqm of space which is currently open taken up with storage and this storage and the associated movements and activity will inevitably have an impact on the bird and hare species which inhabit the base. Since the initial temporary permissions were granted the site has been considered of sufficient wildlife merit for it to be designated as a County Wildlife site. This is a material change in circumstance which requires consideration.

4. NOISE / HOURS OF OPERATION

11. The Parish Council is aware via complaints from local residents and from discussions with Members of Stukeley Parish Council that night time working at the site has a detrimental impact on the residential amenity of those living in close proximity to the perimeter. Concerns involve the use of gantry cranes, movement of lorries and machinery and excessive lighting.

12. It is considered inappropriate to allow 24 hour working at this site and that a condition restricting the hours of operation should be applied in consultation with local residents and Stukeley Parish Council.

PARISH COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION
1 The Parish Council is of the view that the application should be refused for the reasons set out above. That is:

1. Traffic - adverse impact on residents leaving the village, HGV's entering the village and causing damage to the heritage bridge and general air quality concerns.

2. Visual Impact - The storage of containers at four high has a detrimental impact on the visual amenity of this rural area and has resulted in many complaints

3. Ecology - Adverse impact on habitat and species within a County Wildlife Site as a result of the utilisation of additional site area for storage.

4. Noise / Disturbance - Adverse impact of the use on the residential amenity of neighbouring property owners particularly in terms of noise and light pollution.

However, should the Council resolve to grant permission the Parish Council would seek the imposition of conditions or legal obligations that would:

i. Require the implementation of a package of measures which may include improved signage, village entrance features and particularly a HGV routing agreement with the aim of minimising HGV traffic passing through the village and utilising the Alconbury exit off the A1. The agreement would ensure that HGV access to and egress from the site is via the A14 rather than A1.

ii. Impose a maximum height restriction for external storage of three containers and in any event not exceeding 10 metres.

iii. Prohibit any storage of containers (even two high) within a 200 metre radius of the site perimeter.

iv. Require the entrance gate to the site at the top of Rusts Lane to be moved well back into the site to allow a number of HGV’s to pull off the public highway and queue on the site rather than on the public road. This would assist in alleviating some of the delays experience by village residents.

In addition to this formal application recommendation the Parish Council would seek assurances from Huntingdonshire District Council that any permission which is granted will be carefully monitored to ensure compliance with planning conditions and that storage only takes place within the permitted areas. Whilst the Councils workload is appreciated, given that the historic experience with this site is that the operators have erred from what has been permitted the Parish Council is of the view that regular inspections are justified and should take place.

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