Update following the National Highway and Skanska public information evening:
We learnt a lot during the evening, and we are looking to hold another similar forum in the next for months to provide further updates. We are also holding drop-in surgeries on the first Wednesday of each month at Sandwiches @ no.6 in Hampton in Arden for individuals to drop in and speak to ourselves.
Please find attached a copy of the presentation that we covered during the evening.
CDBAR construction strategy – Public Event Slides – June 2023 rev1.pdf
I have been looking into some of the questions that were raised on the evening. If you have any follow on questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out and I will investigate them for you.
- Look at how we can prevent access via shadow brook lane to vehicles during phase 1,2 & 3. Investigate how to legally prevent access via Catherine de Barnes Lane to vehicles during all phases and how we can legally limit access to Catherine de Barnes Lane from Barber’s coppice roundabout via Hampton Lane up with signage?
To maintain a safe solution, we are unable to use anything aside from approved traffic management dictated within Chapter 8 of the Traffic Safety Measures and Signs for road Works and Temporary Situations Document. However, I can confirm we will be installing signs at the entrance to CdB at Barbers coppice roundabout saying, ‘No Access to Birmingham Airport and A45 via Catherine de Barnes Lane.’ Along with a chicane of red and white barriers and cones at the entrance to CdB, there will also be a traffic marshal on site to advise people that CdB is closed to through traffic and only residents should use this route unless they are going to the dog’s home or one of the other businesses. We will be utilising PVMS (portable visual message signs) during the different phases of the closure that will be located around various locations advising CdB is a no access through road. We also plan to put up signs at both ends of shadow brook lane indicating the road is not suitable for large vehicles.
- What are the DCO timescales, and can any changes be implemented now?
The Development Consent Order (DCO) was pre agreed during the consultation phase of the project and is fairly inflexible and any changes to a consented DCO are not easy to make. We have very small limits of deviation within the DCO. To request a material change to the DCO would require an application to the Secretary of state after a full consultation with SMBC and Birmingham Airport. Any material changes which require consultation and formal application to the Secretary of State can take a year to determine. The change must be designed in detail and carried out so that it is compatible with the preliminary scheme design shown on the general arrangement plans, works plans and the engineering drawings and sections approved under the DCO unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Secretary of State following consultation with SMBC and the airport provided that the Secretary of State is satisfied that any amendments to the general arrangement plans, works plans and the engineering drawings and sections showing departures from the preliminary scheme design would not give rise to any materially new or materially different environmental effects in comparison with those reported in the environmental statement.
- Specific requirements set out by Birmingham Airport and the DCO regarding planting of trees.
No part of the authorised development is to commence until a landscaping scheme applicable to that part has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Secretary of State, following consultation with— (a) the relevant planning authority on matters related to its functions; and (b) where that part of the authorised development is comprised in the Airport safeguarding zone, Birmingham Airport Limited on matters relevant to the safety of aircraft taking off or landing, or flying in the vicinity of, Birmingham Airport.
We already have a pre-approved landscaping strategy under requirement 5 of the DCO. Our scheme falls within the Birmingham Airport safeguarding zone so we need to consult them on any changes likely to impact the airport including landscaping proposals as these may attract birds, impact aircraft safety etc so this has an impact on what we can plant.
Please see a link to the Birmingham Safeguarding Map: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cGof5sFaPYQkTKVJYTs2GdXmYPRY9coS/view?usp=sharing
Below are links to the DCO, the M42J6 requirements register and the National infrastructure planning website where all the DCO examinations documents can be found including the works plans, general arrangement plans etc:
The M42 Junction 6 Development Consent Order 2020 (legislation.gov.uk)
M42 Junction 6 Improvement | National Infrastructure Planning (planninginspectorate.gov.uk)