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Cuerden site is ‘already flooding’ says environmental health manager

Posted on - 12th July, 2017 - 7:00am | Author - | Posted in - Bamber Bridge, Business, Housing, Lostock Hall, Preston News, Redevelopment
The County Council says Cuerden is a
The County Council says Cuerden is a “strategically important site”

Flooding and pollution level concerns have been raised by a council officer for the authority deciding on ‘the largest planning application’ ever to be debated in South Ribble.

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The IKEA-led development of Cuerden into a retail, housing and office site is due to be discussed by councillors on the South Ribble Borough Council planning committee.

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Development manager Mike Atherton has tabled an eight-page environmental health response to the plans for Cuerden.

Mr Atherton highlights major concerns regarding the potential for flooding on the site and underestimating the levels of pollution from traffic journeys generated.

He states on flooding: “Any scheme to elevate flooding must be agreed with Lancashire County Council. However areas of the site are already experiencing flooding during high rainfall events. The report identifies that the aim is to design the flood defence/storage system to ensure no impact from the development.

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“I would suggest that this is not enough and given the location of the residential part of the development the designed scheme should look at improving the overall system, preventing future flooding and not just ensuring there is no additional impact.”

Cuerden proposals are already seeing Highways England calling for more detail traffic proposals – and the Borough Council’s manager agrees.

Read more: Decision on Cuerden is likely to be delayed

How the IKEA store at Cuerden may look
How the IKEA store at Cuerden may look

He writes: “The transport assessment and travel plan identify a number of key actions, which will require development before they are acceptable.

“We also have some concerns over some of the figures generated by the traffic assessment and how these have been transposed to the air quality assessment. It is understood that Highways England also have issues with the assessment, and are asking for further development of the traffic assessment.

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“With a potential of an additional 10,000 plus vehicle trips a day generated by the development (+2000/peak hr) anyone using the road system at present will know that this will result in increased congestion, delayed travel and a worsening of air quality, both on local roads and the strategic motorway network.

“The travel plan appears to relate primarily to the ‘IKEA’ development and should be extended to including the entire development. The travel plan also states an objective of 6% of all staff shall be travelling to work by cycle in year 5, however the provision of cycle storage stated within the transport assessment only equates to 150 spaces, only 3% of the 4,500 jobs to be created and doesn’t provide any spaces for visitors to the site. The suggested cycle provision is therefore inadequate. ”

Read more: Campaigners raise traffic concerns ahead of Cuerden decision

Lancashire County Council, the applicants for the site, say it will create thousands of jobs and be a huge boost to the Central Lancashire economy.

The full plans for Cuerden are still being consulted on and comments can be left on the borough council website.

What do you think about the Cuerden proposals? Let us know in the comments below

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