Little Bromley Parish Council Response to North Falls Targeted Consultation

Little Bromley Parish Council’s Response to North Falls Targeted Consultation

Little Bromley Parish Council (LBPC) strongly oppose North Falls (NF) proposal for the development of an onshore infrastructure in the parish of Little Bromley.

An onshore development would industrialise our precious rural landscape with a large substation and large swathes of farmland permanently affected by underground cabling. Such a development would be a permanent disfigurement of the parish, remove valuable arable land necessary for food security from production, generate significant construction and ongoing noise, and affect residents and community amenities. There is concern that the development will negatively affect sale potential and  sale value of properties in the area. 

The cumulative effect of the currently planned NF onshore development together with those  planned by Five Estuaries (FE) and National Grid (NG) is devastating for Little Bromley and is causing many residents anxiety and stress. 

Specific concerns we have with the NF onshore plans as detailed in this Consultation response are as follows: 

• We have major concerns about the widening of Bentley Road.  It is the entrance to the village and the widening of the road will alter the character forever, and the setting of what is a small village.
• In order to widen the road it would involve removing mature hedging which is over 30 years old.  This would cause considerable environmental damage as it is a habitat for local wildlife.  
• In order to widen the road it would involve removing mature hedging which is over 30 years old.  This would cause considerable environmental damage as it is a habitat for local wildlife.  
• Little Bromley has a rich and varied wildlife population as identified by wildlife surveys. This includes many species of waterbirds and non-waterbirds. We are very close to the Stour Estuary SSI and Ramsar site, and surveys indicate bird species present which are related to those sites. Badgers, hares, foxes, deer, bats and other mammals can be found in the parish. Grass snakes are regular seen in the summer. These all thrive in the parish, as we have woodland, extensive hedgerows and arable margins some of which will be affected by your planned development. The migratory bird route across East Anglia, the East Atlantic Flyway, has gained Government backing to bid to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Major developments such as planned by FE, NF and NG will have a serious impact. Potential exists for protected or notable species to be impacted by construction activities either physically via permanent or temporary habitat loss or by inadvertent injury or killing or from disturbance via light, noise and human presence. There is potential for permanent habitat fragmentation and species isolation as a result of the substation construction and also from construction of the cable route. The substation construction will bring a permanent loss of an estimated 8Ha of habitat together with the additional loss of the temporary construction compound areas and the cable route during construction.
• Temporary construction compounds on Bentley Road and visibility splays means loss of established hedgerows/trees.  There are a number of mature trees covered by Tree Preservation Orders along the route which need to be seriously considered.
• Many properties along the route do not have substantial foundations and will be adversely affected by vibrations from heavy traffic.
• Little Bromley has a high water table and many properties are on well water and have no sewage.  These past months have proved very difficult for residents and farmers with gardens, fields and roads being underwater for weeks.  
• Many properties in Little Bromley have no mains water connection and are reliant on well water. We have concern on whether the NF development will affect the water sources in the village and affect these water supplies. 
• You mention that in order to do widening works you are proposing traffic lights at each end of Bentley Road and closures.  This would have a major impact on residents and businesses as it is the main entrance to the village.  
• In addition, the impact on the local road network around Little Bromley parish will be high. Bentley Road, Paynes Lane, Spratts Lane, Barlon Road, Ardleigh Road and Grange Road will all be crossed by the Export Cable Corridor and Haul Roads. With all these roads affected there will be major disruption to village, farm and business traffic flows, with the key access into the A120 severely restricted. There is a real risk of Bentley Road effectively being unusable by local traffic, such that the village and surrounding towns main link to the A120 will be severed.
• Quiet country roads and Public Rights of Way will be affected impacting residents, walkers, cyclists and horse riders. There are many farms which need access to their properties and fields at all times of year, and especially during harvest.  We can foresee fatal accidents happening when being faced with heavy HGVs.  In addition, the village bus service runs down Bentley Road, and school buses run daily during term time to take local children to their schools. 
• Bentley Road is used by many running and cycling clubs and the annual Tour de Tendring event.  You propose a cycling and walking track along Bentley Road but this will not be continuous as there are properties obstructing the development of this.
• We fear that the longer term impact of widening Bentley Road  will increase traffic for people who would have previously used the B1035 as it will become a cut through.   Have you carried out any investigation into the long term impact and anticipated changes to traffic behaviour based on the widening of Bentley Road. 
• Also, have you carried out any investigations on the cumulative impact of traffic movement considering NG’s and FE’s proposed access and is there a combined traffic impact assessment for NF/FE/NG all together?
• We note the increased substation zone for NF brings it closer to residential properties/residents.  Together with the FE’s DCO and NG’s plans which have just gone out on the final consultation and NF increased sub station area, the Parish Council is even more concerned about surface water run off/drainage impacts on village water sources, cesspits and also on public highways.  Ardleigh Road, Grange Road, Shop Road and surrounding area all suffered severe flooding over the winter through to April.
• NF are planning a 5-year construction project.  The prolonged construction over 5 years is likely to have significant and irreversible impacts on the local environment and landscape. Beyond just creating dust, dirt and mud on roads, major earthworks and landscape alterations will permanently change the topography and natural features of the area.   Construction runoff will degrade water quality in nearby waterways. The large-scale reshaping of the land could disrupt drainage patterns and increase erosion issues long-term.  The heavy equipment, material stockpiles, and large construction footprint will drastically alter the visual aesthetics and scenic vistas during the multi-year project timeline.   Even after construction concludes, the new infrastructure and development will have permanently transformed what was once a natural or rural landscape. The changes to hydrology, topography, vegetation, and viewsheds will be impossible to fully remediate or restore to pre-construction conditions.
• We have a number of listed buildings in Little Bromley.  These listed buildings contribute to the rich architectural heritage of the area:

Little Bromley Parish Council

Dakas House

Little Bromley