At its March meeting, SPC Councillors spent over an hour receiving a presentation and asking questions about B&NES Council’s future plans for the Pixash Lane waste and recycling site. The presentation was lead by PlanningSphere consultants. SPC Cllrs questions naturally focussed on the potential impact for Saltford residents. Following this, Saltford Parish Council resolved its response, as follows:
COMMENT: Saltford Parish Council’s main area of concern re. the Pixash Lane Recycling Centre and adjacent land redevelopment is the cumulative effect of this development taken together with the other recent or proposed developments between Keynsham and Saltford on peak period traffic congestion and air quality.
Saltford Parish Council requests that when considering the impacts on the quality of life for local communities arising from additional traffic load from recent and proposed developments on this section of such a major road route, such considerations or assessments should not be considered in isolation. Assessments should take full account of the increase in traffic loading from all the recent/proposed incremental developments and other relevant factors (listed in next paragraph) that are dependent on the Bath Road (A4) between Keynsham and Saltford.
A highways impact assessment for this application and other applications for development at east and north Keynsham providing an overview of the resulting impacts from additional vehicle numbers should include and not overlook the cumulative traffic load arising from the following developments or related factors (Note: some were not included in the consultant’s Transport Assessment):-
· Glenavon Farm, 331 Bath Road, Saltford – extensive new farm shop and cafe/restaurant complex.
· The proposed Keynsham Strategic Development Location (SDL).
· Clean Air Zone (CAZ) charge in the centre of Bath and the additional load of vehicles (particularly heavy goods and passenger vehicles) which will reroute through Saltford to avoid CAZ charges.
· The development for commercial use of the land parcel 1991.
· The Hygge Park Housing Development including the new primary school (up to 420 places) at 35, Fairfield Way, Keynsham.
· Future plans (c.200 homes etc.) for Land Parcel 0005 on safeguarded Green Belt land at Keynsham East (Withies Green).
· Post COVID-19: potential increase in vehicle loads on this section of road, possible increase in private vehicle use and reduced use of public transport as society adapts to a new normal;
· The new 78-bedroom care home at 213 Bath Road, Keynsham.
· Traffic movements including HGVs to and from Bath i.e. to and from the east on the Bath Road A4 through Saltford regardless of new road infrastructure linking Keynsham SDL to the ring road (A4174).
Proposals that vehicles use the Broadmead Lane roundabout as the prime route to access the consolidated depot would clearly further extend the periods of congestion for this important roundabout, impacting on traffic joining and leaving the Keynsham bypass and backing up through Saltford and Keynsham and the surrounding access roads. Lengthening of the peak periods of vehicle congestion and increasing occurrences of traffic gridlock will affect Saltford, Keynsham and surrounding communities.
Furthermore, Saltford Parish Council is concerned that the increased emissions from additional vehicles travelling through Saltford in respect of all the developments referred to in this response including from this development will result in Saltford requiring Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) status once more.
The Bath Road is also the main school journey route (on foot or bicycle) from Saltford to and from Wellsway School. We therefore ask that the level of air pollution including particulates is monitored and the monitoring data provided to Saltford Parish Council on a regular basis.
Before allowing further developments at east and north Keynsham, including the Keynsham SDL, B&NES Council needs to seriously consider whether further development would represent over-development taking account of the carrying capacity of transport infrastructure, air quality, Green Belt open space retention and overall development density for this area of North East Somerset that hitherto has kept Bristol from sprawling out and into the UNESCO World Heritage City setting of Bath.
Saltford Parish Council asks that B&NES Council ensures continuity of waste recycling collections and processing during the redevelopment of this site to avoid disruption to recycling and other waste collections from households.
We are very disappointed that with the immediate proximity of the GWR railway line, no provision for a rail siding to provide a sustainable provision for transporting waste has been made.
Residents can submit their own comments to B&NES Council regarding this planning application – Reference Number 21/00435/EREG03 – on the B&NES Planning Portal. The consultation on this planning application ends on 13th March 2021.