Bexhill toHastings Link Road

EnvironmentalStatement

Non-Technical SummaryApril 2007

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Introduction

This document provides a non-technical summary of theEnvironmental Statement (ES) for theBexhill to Hastings Link Road.Nevertheless, it contains formaldefinitions that are essential languageof the ES which may be unfamiliar tosome readers. The ES has beenprepared to accompany the planningapplication for the new road which ispart of a package of measures whichaim to regenerate an area based onthe towns of Bexhill and Hastings.

History of the Scheme’sDevelopment

The need for economic regeneration inthe Bexhill and Hastings area has beena focus for planning policy anddevelop-ment plan strategies for over40 years in response to economic anddemo-graphic imbalances. Plans andpolicies have therefore been developedthrough time to address the need forregeneration and the assoc-iatedproblems of poor access both withinthe area itself and external to it.

The Access to Hastings Multi-ModalStudy was commissioned in 1999 toconsider how transport would bestcontribute to regenerating the area’seconomy while minimising the impacton nationally important protected areassuch as Sites of Special Scientific

Interest and Areas of OutstandingNatural Beauty.

In 2001, the Secretary of State forTransport stated that:

"a regeneration strategy for Hastingsneeds to be developed which showsclearly how transport and othermeasures may be implemented toensure a sustainable economic futurefor the area".

In response to this the Hastings andBexhill Task Force was established anddeveloped a plan for the area builtaround five themes – urbanrenaissance, excellence in education,support for business, broadbandconnectivity and transportimprovements. This is known as theFive Point Plan (FPP).

The transport theme identified a rangeof improvement measures including theconcept of a local link road toovercome the poor connectionsbetween Hastings and Bexhill.

The Five Point Plan (FPP), including thelocal link road proposals, was exploredand tested as part of the South CoastMulti-Modal Study (SoCoMMS)undertaken in 2002. In giving hisdecision on the study in June 2003, theSecretary of State gave specificattention to the proposal for a local linkroad saying:

"The Multi-Modal study hasrecommended one local road to betaken forward: the Bexhill-Hastings LinkRoad. This scheme is part of thepackage of regeneration measures forHastings which is being developedfollowing our decisions on the Accessto Hastings Multi-Modal Studyannounced in July 2001.

The Secretary of State recognises thatthis road will have some impact on theenvironment. He is therefore askingEast Sussex County Council to workclosely with the statutory environmentalbodies in developing this scheme inmore detail, in order to minimise theenvironmental impacts. Furtherconsideration will be given to funding inthe light of the performance of thescheme against our appraisal criteriaincluding environmental impacts."

ESCC prepared a range of route optionsand in February 2004 the CountyCouncil consulted with the statutorybodies and the public to determine thelevel of support for the scheme andpublic views on the most appropriateroute.

The objective of the road was toimprove access to and within Hastingsand Bexhill to help provide theconditions for economic regeneration.Part of this objective was to open upareas for much needed housing andbusiness development in north Bexhill. There was significant support for a newlocal link road. The overall publicpreference was for an alignment acrossthe centre of the Combe Haven valley,closely followed by support for the

northern corridor. The local authoritiesand statutory environmental bodies,English Nature in particular, favouredthe northerly route.

In June 2004 the County Council’sCabinet agreed to develop a northerncorridor route as the preferred route forthe Bexhill to Hastings Link Road. InJuly 2004 the County Councilsubmitted a funding bid to Governmentfor the project and this was approvedin principle in December 2004.

Since then, the County Council and itsadvisors and consultants have beendeveloping a detailed scheme for thepreferred route. This is now the subjectof a Planning Application, accompaniedby an Environmental Statement.

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Plan of the approved route alignment

Role of the EnvironmentalStatement

The Environmental Impact AssessmentRegulations 1999 require that thisdevelopment proposal is accompaniedby an ES.

The primary purpose of an ES is toinform the decision making process byreporting the results of an environ-mental impact assessment (EIA). Thisis a recognised process for identifyingthe significant environmental effects ofa project and has been a formal part ofthe UK planning regime since 1988.Amongst other things, the ES identifiesthe predicted beneficial and adverseenvironmental effects of the scheme.

The following sections of this non-technical summary:

• sets out the scheme’s objectives;

• describes the proposals;

• describes the mitigation strategy

• reviews the main alternatives thathave been considered;

• explains how the EIA has beencarried out;

• sets out the planning and regulatorycontext for the scheme;

• describes the construction strategy; and

• identifies the predicted significantenvironmental effects, both beneficialand adverse and summarises thebalance of the effects of the Scheme.

Objectives of the Scheme

The objectives for the Scheme were setout under Government’s NATAguidelines and were included in theESCC successful submission toGovernment in 2004 whichrecommended a preferred option forthe Link Road. The objectives arereproduced in the box overleaf.

The primary purpose of the scheme isto enable economic regeneration forthe two towns and this is reflected inthe objectives under Economy in theNATA list.

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Local Objective

To reduce emissions of particulates (PM10) along the A259 Bexhill Road,with the aim of reducing concentrations to within the UK air quality objectives for PM10 and removing the need for the currentlydesignated Air Quality Management Area (AQMA).

To minimise the impact of the Link Road on the environmentally sensitive areas in the Combe Haven valleyand to ensure that the number of persons adversely impacted by the scheme is kept as low as possible.

To ensure the scheme is complementary to the future implementation of the proposed Pebsham Country Park.

To reduce the number of accidents on the local road network in general and on the A259 in particular.

To reduce journey times for all road users and improve reliability of bus services on the local road network.

To maximise and preserve the benefit from reductions in traffic volumes and congestion on the A259corridor between Bexhill and Hastings for buses by introducing bus priority measures.

To contribute towards the Five Point Plan for the regeneration of Hastings and Bexhill by improvingoverall accessibility to employment, education, health, and other opportunities within the local area andthereby contributing to improvement in social inclusion.

To enable the housing and commercial developments proposed in north Bexhill, which are dependent onconstruction of the Link Road for planning approval, to be realised.

To reduce community severance in the A259 corridor and in local villages used as rat runs to avoid the A259.

To improve conditions for pedestrians, cyclists and equestrians on the local road network in general andto facilitate creation of dedicated cycle ways between the two towns.

To ensure that the Link Road is complementary to future transportation developments in the area.

Table E-1: Objectives for the Bexhill to Hastings Link Road

Government Objective

ENVIRONMENT

SAFETY

ECONOMY

ACCESSIBILITY

INTEGRATION

Description of the Scheme andits Setting

The coastal towns of Hastings andBexhill lie close to the edge of thenationally important High Weald Area ofOutstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).The countryside immediately to thenorth of Bexhill is not AONB but it is ofsignificant landscape quality anddistinctive character. The CountyCouncil has therefore placed highimportance upon the environmentaldesign of the Scheme, to minimiseimpact upon the environment and toenable it to be assimilated into thelocal area.

The western end of thescheme would start at thesouthern end of London Roadwhere it meets the A259. Itwould use the route of theformer railway line, runningapproximately parallel withLondon Road, passing underWoodsgate Park and NinfieldRoad up to the west ofGlovers Farm. This section isthe urban part of the schemewhich would be designed as aconventional two lane roadbut it would not be an urbanstreet. There would be no

footways or pedestrianaccess to the route of theroad and only streetlighting around the roadjunction with LondonRoad and Belle Hill.There would be a newunderpass at ChapelPath to provide a safeaccess to the schools.Bridges at WoodsgatePark Road, Ninfield Roadand Glovers Farm wouldbe rebuilt.

The eastern end of the scheme wouldbe at Queensway, just north of theexisting junction with Crowhurst Road.Between Glovers Farm and Queenswaythe scheme would pass throughcountryside with the proposedPebsham Countryside Park mainly tothe south. Along this stretch of theroute the road would be a single 10mwide carriageway.

From Glovers Farm the scheme wouldrun northwards across the head of theCombe Haven valley where it wouldcross the stream on a new low bridge.

7urban section of scheme

rural section of scheme

It would then swing to the north eastand east as it crosses the Watermilland Powdermill valleys before enteringa new cutting as it climbs towardsUpper Wilting Farm. The section of theroad approaching the farm wouldwarrant a climbing lane.

The Scheme would cross overCrowhurst Road which would need tobe realigned and then would cross theLondon to Hastings railway line beforereaching its junction with Queensway.

Along the rural section of the schemethere would be a new path for walkers,cyclists and horse riders (the Greenway).It would be designed to link to all thecrossings of existing Public Rights ofWay and any paths that may becreated as a part of the PebshamCountryside Park.

The scheme would avoid direct impactupon the Combe Haven Site of SpecialScientific Interest (SSSI) and theMarline Valley Woods SSSI but therewould be some impact upon wildlifehabitats.

Consequently, the schemeincorporates areas of habitat creation(on the ratio of 2 for 1) as replacementof those areas to be lost.

Watermill Stream (impression)

Pebsham Countryside Park

Mitigation

The sensitivity of much of the areathrough which the road passes hasbeen recognised from the outset andconsiderable attention has been givento mitigating potentially significantadverse environmental effects duringthe design stage.

In addition, and in line with theSecretary of State’s instruction toESCC in 2003, the County Council inpromoting the Scheme has involvedthe statutory environmental bodies inits development thus far and willcontinue to do so.

During the development of the designmitigation has been incorporated andthis is reflected in the description of

beneficial and adverse effects later inthis document. For example, thealignment of the new road has avoideddirect impacts upon the nationallyimportant sites of special scientificinterest in the rural section of theScheme. In addition, considerableearthworks and fencing have beenincorporated into the design to screenthe road both visually and in respect ofnoise. Extensive planting has also beenincorporated to screen the road and tosoften the earthworks and the fencing.

Further mitigation options will beconsidered as the design develops,assuming that planning permission issecured for the Scheme. For example,ESCC would propose to work with

landowners to help build water controlstructures in the Combe Haven Valley tohelp manage water levels and enhancewildlife.

The assessment of environmentaleffects during construction hasassumed that best environmentalpractice is used and that to ensure thisis the case, contractors will be requiredto produce a ConstructionEnvironmental Management Plan inadvance of the works commencing.This Plan will set how the contractorwill manage the environmental issuesduring the construction process andwill be subject to the agreement of theCounty Council.

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Typical section of proposed road through valley

Alternatives Considered

Background

The Scheme is part of a package ofmeasures that seek to enable theregeneration of the Bexhill Hastingsarea. While chronologically it hasfollowed the decision to reject theeastern and western bypasses itactually performs a different function tothose roads and focuses on local andwider accessibility as part of aregeneration strategy rather than a newdual carriageway that provides someregeneration benefits which appears tohave been the focus of the strategy inthe 1990s.

For that reason the alternativesreported in the ES focus on the routeoptions for the Scheme itself. Thealternatives in terms of the mostappropriate transport measures as partof a regeneration package (the FivePoint Plan) were considered as part ofthe SoCoMMS and a decision wasgiven on that in 2003.

The western and eastern bypasses thatwere promoted in the early 1990s wereeventually rejected in 2001 followingthe Access to Hastings Multi-Modal

Study. In rejecting the bypasses, theSecretary of State expressed the viewthat the road(s) did not contributesufficiently to the regeneration of thetowns and that they impacted severelyon the sensitive environment to thenorth of the towns. However, theSecretary of State also made it clear thatregenerating Hastings remained vital.

The origins of the Link Road Schemethat is the subject of the planningapplication and the EIA lie in the earlywork of the Hastings and Bexhill TaskForce that was itself established inresponse to Government’s decision toreject the by-passes.

The Link Road Options

Following the Secretary of State’sdecision that the Link Road should beprogressed, six route options weredeveloped in 2003-04. These weredesigned to stimulate the assessmentof how the optimum balance might bestruck between competing environ-mental, economic and other objectives. A seventh option was added in responseto public consultation.

The options all followed the same routein the urban area of Bexhill – along theline of the disused railway. From the

Glovers Farm area to Queensway theyfollowed northern, central andsoutherly routes.

An appraisal was then undertaken ofthe seven options using Government’sNATA guidance and, in line with thatguidance, appraisal summary tableswere produced for each option.

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Consultation route options

Based on the appraisal andconsultation with the public and thestatutory bodies, the ESCC Cabinetagreed the route to be taken forwardas the preferred option, albeit withsome design and alignmentmodifications that had arisen duringthe consultation process.

Public Transport Options

When the decision to reject theproposals for the bypasses wasannounced in 2001 the Secretary ofState directed that further investigationbe undertaken of a range of measuresto tackle transport issues in Hastings.The measures that were developed inresponse to this included railway, busand metro services as well as the newlink road. These are being progressednot as alternatives to each other butrather as an integrated package ofmeasures.

Environmental ImpactAssessment

Scoping

The first step in the EIA process was tocarry out a scoping exercise to identifythe range of issues to be included inthe assessment and whether anytopics could be scoped out. Followingconsultation, this was agreed with theplanning authority and the statutoryenvironmental bodies.

Consultation

Since the beginning of the project in2004, there has been wide consultationon the proposals with the variouspeople and organisations directly andindirectly affected. These includeresidents, interest groups, localauthorities, consent granting bodiesand other statutory bodies.

Revisions to the design of variouselements of the scheme have beenmade in response to concerns raisedby the people who have beenconsulted such as the decision todelete a junction with Crowhurst Roadfollowing the suggestion by CrowhurstParish Council.

In addition, various commitments havebeen made by ESCC in respect of howthe scheme will be constructed; how itwill look and operate as a local roadconnecting the two towns and how itsbenefits will be secured over the longerterm. For example, the County Councilhas committed to a number ofcomplementary traffic measuresdesigned to ensure that the trafficbenefits along the A259 are permanent.

Consultation and information exerciseswill continue during the period whilethe Scheme is going through theplanning process and during the pre-construction and constructionprocesses. For example, exhibitionsare planned in May 2007 to explain theproposals that are the subject of theplanning application.

The Environmental Statement

The purpose of the ES is to report thesignificant environmental effects of thescheme and the means of mitigatingthem. A significant effect is one that, inthe opinion of the EIA specialists,should be brought to the attention ofthe decision makers ie the relevantplanning authority and other statutoryauthorities.

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A significant effect may be beneficial oradverse. Wherever a significantadverse effect has been identified, theEIA specialists have sought to proposemitigation. Given the scheme’s longhistory and ESCC’s focus on thesensitivity of the areas through whichthe new road will pass, many mitigationmeasures have already been integratedinto the scheme. Such mitigation isaccordingly assumed by the EIA. Anyadditional mitigation measures arereported in the ES as further mitigation.

A distinction is made in the ESbetween temporary constructioneffects (effects that arise predominantlyduring the construction process) andthe permanent and/or operational effectsdue to the permanent features of theScheme and the operation of the road.

In this non-technical summary, thepredicted effects are reported asbeneficial, neutral or adversedepending on the results of theassessment. Where an overallconclusion has been reported in theES, this is also reported in thissummary.

The Planning and RegulatoryContext

The ES has reported the extent towhich the Scheme proposals conformto the national, regional and localplanning and regulatory framework.

Current and emerging regional planningguidance, namely the South EastRegional Planning Guidance (RPG9)and the Draft South East Planrespectively, is driven by the nationalobjective to secure a sustainablepattern of development and reflects thenational policy preference for focusingdevelopment in urban areas. Thisprinciple is encapsulated in theRegional Transport Strategy’s regionalhub concept which identifies Hastingsas an appropriate location for strategicgrowth building on its existing role as acentre for employment, services andtransport. Bexhill plays a comple-mentary role to that of Hastings’ hubstatus by providing opportunities forstrategic housing and employmentdevelopment that would not bepossible within the constrained urbanarea of Hastings.

RPG9 also identifies Hastings as partof the Sussex Coast and Towns PriorityArea for Economic Regeneration(PAER) where the objective is to raiseeconomic performance. The DraftSouth East Plan’s Sussex Coast sub-regional strategy updates and extendsthe PAER and provides a bespoke setof policies aimed at addressing theparticular social and economic issuesfaced by the area. The strategy alsoreiterates in Policy SCT9 the viewexpressed in Regional PlanningGuidance that the link road is essentialto the long term needs of the area.

Local planning policy is set out in theHastings Borough Local Plan (adoptedin April 2004) and the Rother DistrictLocal Plan (adopted in June 2006). The latter assumes as part of itsassumptions for future developmentwithin the District that the Scheme willbe implemented.

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Construction

Overall Programme

The Scheme will take about two yearsto construct although it is anticipatedthat some site works and otherpreliminary activities would take placebefore main construction commences.These would include site clearance,any habitat translocation required andarchaeological investigations atspecified sites.

The ES assumes that construction willcommence in 2008 and be completedin 2010.

Construction Strategy

The ES includes a constructionstrategy developed by ESCC to set outa way in which the Scheme could beimplemented. This provided adescription of the constructionactivities for the Scheme and wastherefore the basis upon which theenvironmental assessment ofconstruction impacts was undertaken.

There are several supporting strategiesincluded and these addressearthworks, roadworks, structures andother specific elements of the works.

Construction EnvironmentalManagement Plan

The contractor will be obliged toprepare a Construction EnvironmentalManagement Plan (CEMP) before anyworks are undertaken and it will be theresponsibility of ESCC to ensure thatthe works are being carried out inaccordance with its requirements.

The CEMP would dictate how goodenvironmental management would beachieved during the construction phaseand would also be a means ofdemonstrating that the variousrequirements have been met.

The CEMP would include acommitment to construction bestpractice and would also detail howconsultation and communication withthe local planning authority, localresidents and other interestedmembers of the public and statutoryenvironmental bodies is to beundertaken during the constructionprocess.

Predicted EnvironmentalEffects

The ES comprises a series of chaptersconsidering the positive and negativeeffects of the Scheme upon particularenvironmental issues such as waterand drainage, agriculture, natureconservation and biodiversity, socialand community and so on.

The chapters report the results of theEIA setting out the details of theimpacts that the scheme would have.These results range from negligible andslight impacts which are not significantto moderate and major impacts whichare significant. This section of the non-technical summary sets out theconclusions in respect of each of thetopic areas and the combined andcumulative effects.

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Planning and Policy

Beneficial Effects:The Scheme is in line with national,regional and local planning policies andobjectives in relation to regeneration,access and facilitating the implement-ation of the development policies forthe area. It is also in line with someenvironmental policies and the designdevelopment of the Scheme has soughtto avoid conflicts with nationallyprotected environmentally sensitiveareas such as Sites of Special ScientificInterest and the High Weald Area ofOutstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

In enabling the release of land fordevelopment, the Scheme provides thebasis by which the regeneration andthe growth of Bexhill and Hastings cantake place in a sustainable manner,given the constraints that face this partof East Sussex.

Adverse Effects:There are specific conflicts withplanning policies relating to theprotection of listed buildings,agriculture and from development inopen countryside of landscape value.

Overall:Overall, the Scheme would result in amoderate beneficial and significanteffect in terms of meeting the thrust ofkey policies and plans at national,regional and local levels.

It should also be noted that severalplanning policy documents such as theRother District Local Plan haveassumed the Scheme as part of theirforward thinking and so, not to developthe Scheme would frustrate thoseplans and possibly lead to greaterpressures for development in thenationally important AONB.

Travel and Transport

Beneficial Effects:The Scheme would achieve largereductions in traffic along the A259Glyne Gap between Bexhill andHastings and a reduction in trafficvolumes on the A259 seafront routethrough Hastings, on the Harley ShuteRoad and on the A2036 on the eastside of Bexhill, together with asignificant reduction on rural roads,largely in the AONB, to the north ofBexhill and Hastings. This would resultin less traffic through local villages,including Crowhurst and through Battle.

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The Scheme would result in improvedjourney speeds and reduced delays atjunctions on the A259 between the twotowns and significant reductions indelays at junctions on the approach toBattle on the A2100 and at the junctionof the B2204 with the A269 at Bexhill.

Bus journey times would improveconsiderably along the A259 corridorbetween the two towns with buspriority measures to be implementedafter the opening of the Scheme tosecure these benefits for the future.

The result will be an overall reduction indelays and improvement in road safetyand driver experience. There would besignificant enhancement of the securityof the travelling public and significantbenefits for cyclists walkers and horseriders.

Adverse Effects:The scheme would result in a slightincrease in the risk of accidents duringconstruction due to additional vehiclemovements associated with constructionrelated traffic.

Traffic is forecast to increase on someroads in Bexhill and in Hastings, trafficlevels along the B2092 Queensway andB2093 The Ridge are forecast toincrease with the Scheme together withincreases in the Hollington area.

There would also be a modest overallincrease in the number of vehicle tripson the highway network – 0.3% in theOpening Year and 3.2% in the DesignYear, when compared with not buildingthe scheme at all.

Overall:Overall the Scheme would facilitate theregeneration benefits it is seeking toachieve and would improve consider-ably bus journey times along theexisting A259 corridor. It would alsoprovide benefits for road users onexisting roads and the new road. Thisconstitutes an overall moderate andsignificant beneficial effect.

Agriculture and Forestry

Adverse Effects:The Scheme will result in the loss of38.6ha of "best and most versatileagricultural land" as defined byGovernment’s Agricultural LandClassification. In addition to the loss offarmland, the Scheme would alsogenerate severance and managementdifficulties for several local farms.

Overall:The overall impact of the Scheme uponfarm holdings would be moderatelyadverse and significant.

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Geology and Soils

Overall:Although several possible sources ofcontamination have been identifiedwithin the Scheme area, there will befurther investigation during the detaileddesign stage and this will determinethe mitigation measures that will beincorporated into the constructionprocess. This would then result in anoverall neutral effect.

Water Quality and Drainage

Neutral Effects:The Scheme would cross two sectionsof the Combe Haven flood plain andwhile the construction of embankmentsacross the southern end of theWatermill stream and the Powdermillstream would result in a loss of someflood water storage the Scheme wouldinclude for the creation of sufficientflood storage volume within the floor ofthe valleys to match the amount beinglost. There would therefore be nooverall loss of flood storage capabilitywithin the valleys and no consequentimpacts elsewhere.

Water courses would be bridged withopen span bridges to allow for theflows which may be encountered at

flood times, as required by theEnvironment Agency. There wouldtherefore be no effect upon water flowsin the valleys.

The Scheme would not cross anyGroundwater Zones where public water

supplies are taken, so there would beno effect upon the quality of watersupplies.

While a new road does generate fasterrun off from the road surface thanwould previously have been the caseand the quality of the water wouldinitially be poorer as a result ofpotential pollutants from traffic, themitigation measures to be built into theScheme would avoid placing higherflows upon the streams and drainagesystems in the area.

On the Egerton Stream at the southernend of the scheme, a largeunderground water storage tank wouldbe constructed to accommodate floodwater, which currently accumulates onthe bed of the disused railway.

Most of the road surface water in therural area would be collected in grassswales as a part of a sustainabledrainage system and would then passthrough petrol interception chambersto catch oils and debris and then intoponds, which would be built toincorporate reed bed water purification,before it overflows after treatment anddilution into the existing water coursesin the valley. This process wouldensure that water quality and drainagecapacity would not be impaired andthat there would be no effect uponwater quality or drainage in the valleyas a result of the scheme.

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As a further mitigation option theCounty Council would be prepared towork with landowners, to help buildwater control structures in the CombeHaven Valley to help manage waterlevels and enhance wildlife

Overall:With the adoption of appropriatemitigation measures the Scheme wouldhave a neutral impact in terms ofpotential ground water and surfacewater pollution and flooding.

Air Quality

Beneficial Effects:The Scheme would bring significant airquality benefits upon human healthparticularly in the A259 corridor east of the Belle Hill junction, including theAir Quality Management Area atBulverhythe.

Neutral Effects:There would be a marginal increase ingreenhouse gases as a result of thescheme although the change from thefuture situation without the scheme inthe area is negligible.

Adverse Effects:The Scheme would have the potentialto cause a moderate adverse andsignificant effect in terms ofconstruction dust. Although theimplementation of good constructionsite practices managed through theConstruction EnvironmentalManagement Plan would reduce thiseffect the potential would remainsignificant.

The Scheme would also raise levels ofnitrogen oxides along the line of thenew road resulting in a statisticallysignificant increase in nitric aciddeposition in these areas. This has thepotential to cause damage to adjacentecosystems. The effect of this hasbeen considered under the section onNature Conservation and Biodiversity.

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Part of the County Council’s campaign to improve air quality at Bulverhythe

Powdermill Stream photomontage

Noise and Vibration

Beneficial Effects:Noise mitigation would be an essentialand integral part of the Scheme, withnoise barriers in the form of 1.8m highclose boarded fences to be provided atappropriate points along the BexhillConnection and a combination of noisebarriers and earthworks to helpmitigate noise impacts within the ruralpart of the Scheme.

In addition, a "Thin Surface Course"would be specified for the road surfacewhich would provide someimprovement in terms of noise over theuse of hot rolled asphalt surfacing.

A total of 1740 properties are expectedto benefit from a minimal to slightreduction in traffic noise and to benefitfrom an up to 10% reduction in noisenuisance as a result of the Scheme. Bycomparison, over 3,000 properties arepredicted to experience a minimal orslight increase in traffic noise due totraffic growth if the Scheme does notgo ahead.

Adverse Effects:It is predicted that a total of 520residential properties would experiencea significant increase in traffic noise asthe scheme opens. Of these, 59 would

experience major increases in noise.

The Bexhill High School and LeisureCentre would also experience asignificant increase in noise.

Users of Public Rights of way in someareas would experience an increase innoise as a result of the scheme but theconstruction of earth mounds andfencing would help to reduce that impact.

Overall: There would be significant increases innoise in both the urban and rural partsof the scheme. However, some areasand properties would experiencereduction in noise levels and thereforesome benefits as a result of reduction intraffic numbers because of the scheme.

Based upon the numbers of propertieslikely to be affected by traffic noise andthe balance of the associated range ofpotential noise increases, the Schemewould be likely to have an overallmoderate adverse and significantimpact in terms of noise change.

Nature Conservation andBiodiversity

Beneficial:There would be an overall net gain inbreeding and feeding habitat for

several species of birds but breedingdensities are likely to reduce adjacentto the road.

Neutral Effects:One group of Great Crested Newts willbe relocated and some fencing to atunnel will be needed for another butthe overall effect upon amphibianswould be neutral.

The impact of the Scheme uponhabitats, flora and fauna duringconstruction would not be significantdue to the implementation of goodconstruction site working practicesthrough the ConstructionEnvironmental Management Plan.

Adverse Effects:Although the Scheme avoids directimpact upon the two nationallyimportant Sites of Special ScientificInterest, there would still be atemporary moderate and thereforesignificant adverse effect upon thesites during the construction period.

The Scheme would result in astatistically significant increase in nitricacid deposition within these areas butthere is some uncertainty as to theeffect of this on habitats and species.As a result of this uncertainty, thepotential impact on ecosystems close

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to the Scheme has been assessed asslight to moderate adverse.

Whilst there would be a long term gainin all the principal habitats as a resultof the Scheme there would be a shortto medium term loss as the habitatsbecome established, so there would bea minor adverse effect as a result.

The Scheme would incorporatesignificant areas of new hedges, treebelts, wide stream crossings andbadger tunnels. However, the Schemewould still inhibit the free movement ofwildlife across the area and is assessedas a slight adverse impact.

There would be an element of severanceof bat flight paths and temporaryfencing will be used to divert the flightupwards over the road. Neverthelessthere will be a minor adverse impactupon bats.

Whilst mitigation measures for the localdormouse population would offset theimpact of the Scheme on this speciesthere is the possibility that smallpopulations to the south of the newroad would become isolated.

The whole of the route would bebadger fenced to help direct badgersaway from the road and there would be

some sett relocation. However therewould still be minor adverse impactupon badgers.

Overall:The overall impact of the Scheme onnature conservation and biodiversityinterests would be slight adverse andtherefore not significant.

The County Council would seek towork with landowners to implementmeasures to secure bettermanagement of water levels in thevalley which would result in furtherbenefits to wildlife, particularly withinthe nationally important Combe HavenSite of Special Scientific Interest.

Landscape and Visual Effects

Beneficial Effects:The reduction of traffic to the north ofthe Scheme and within the nationallyimportant High Weald Area ofOutstanding Natural Beauty and thehistoric town of Battle and within theHastings seafront Conservation Areaswould result in a slight beneficial effectin both landscape and townscape terms.

Neutral Effects:Integrating the Scheme into the localtownscape and landscape has been a

central to the design development.Townscape impacts in the urban partof the Scheme would likely be neutralwith the new road largely containedwithin the disused railway corridor. Anyrelatively minor adverse impacts wouldbe balanced by reductions in trafficalong the A259 east of Belle Hilljunction and London Road andsecondary benefits associated withtraffic reductions in Bulverhythe andHarley Shute Road.

Adverse Effects:The majority of the construction activitywithin the urban section of the Schemewould be contained within the disusedrailway corridor although the move-ment of heavy construction vehiclesand the disruption caused by thedemolition and rebuilding of bridgeswould result in a moderate adverse andsignificant effect upon the localtownscape.

The scale and nature of theconstruction activity within the CombeHaven valley would result in asubstantial adverse and significantlandscape effect during theconstruction stage.

The considerable earthworksincorporated within the design would

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help to enclose the new road but evenso, the Scheme would be likely to havea moderate adverse and significantlandscape impact in the Opening Yearreducing to slight adverse and notsignificant by the Design Year (15 yearsafter opening) by which time themitigation planting would have maturedand become established.

The visual impact of the Scheme on 76residential properties results in amoderate adverse and significant effectin the Opening Year but only fourproperties would be affected 15 yearsafter opening and this would not besignificant.

A further 82 properties wouldexperience an initial slight adversevisual effect reducing to 72 properties15 years after opening. This would bepartially off set by slight visual benefitsfor 42 properties in the Opening Yearas a result of traffic reductions that canbe attributed to the Scheme.

Overall:The construction of the Scheme wouldresult in an overall moderate adverseand therefore significant effect on arange of residential and commercialproperties.

The overall visual impact duringconstruction on users of the footpathswhich cross the Combe Haven valleywould be substantially adverse andtherefore significant.

The overall visual effect upon com-mercial properties during constructionwould be slight adverse at opening,reducing to negligible in 15 years.

At the day of opening, the Schemewould have a moderate adverse impactupon landscape and visual effects andtherefore would be a significant effect.

As the new vegetation grows and newhabitats become established, it wouldhelp to reduce remaining views of theroad and the Scheme would becomemore integrated into the locallandscape. The overall impact of thescheme 15 years after opening wouldreduce to slight adverse effect andtherefore would not be significant.

On balance both the landscape andtownscape and the visual effects of theScheme would be slight adverse andnot significant by the Design Year ie 15years after opening.

Cultural Heritage

Beneficial:There would be some beneficialimpacts upon cultural heritage areas,such as conservation areas, as a resultof traffic reduction.

A range of mitigation measures isproposed, in response to the potentialimpacts of the scheme upon thecultural resource, including the record-ing of structures and a programme ofarchaeological evaluation agreed withthe County Archaeologist. This workwould make a substantial local andregional contribution to the under-standing of human settlement andactivity in this area.

Adverse Effects:The valley of the Combe Haven is ofpotential significant archaeologicalvalue. The wet areas are likely tocontain significant archaeologicaldeposits relating to prehistoric activityin the valley. The higher ground,although much more disturbed, is likelyto include deposits relating toagriculture, industry and settlements.

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A designated ArchaeologicallySensitive Area (around a Romanbloomery, south of Byne’s Farm) wouldbe directly impacted by the Scheme.

As the scheme crosses two areas ofvalley floor with significant depths ofpeat, there is also potential to findprehistoric deposits which may need tobe excavated and recorded.

There would be a large adverse andsignificant indirect impact upon thesettings of three Grade II listedbuildings at Adams Farmhouse, Byne’s Farm and Royal Oak Cottage.

Overall:The overall effect upon cultural heritageis judged to be of slight adverse impactand therefore not significant.

Effects on Pedestrians, Cyclists andRecreational Users

Beneficial:The Greenway would provide a realbenefit for pedestrians, cyclists andrecreational users especially as it isplanned to be linked in with new andupgraded links within the proposedPebsham Countryside Park.

Adverse Effects:Construction activity would be likely tohave a temporary but significantmoderate adverse impact upon existingfootpaths given the temporarydiversions required to paths such asthe 1066 Country Walk.

The Scheme would also adverselyaffect recreational shooting activities within the Combe Haven andsurrounding valleys due to thereduction in area available for this activity.

Overall:The Scheme would have a slightbeneficial and not significant impact onpedestrians, cyclists and recreationalusers during the Opening Yearincreasing to a moderate andsignificant beneficial impact 15 yearsafter opening, by which time theScheme will be better screened fromthe Greenway and better integratedinto the local landscape.

Social and Community Effects

Beneficial:The Scheme would have an overallsignificant beneficial impact upon theability of communities to better movearound some urban areas, as a resultof reduced traffic. It would improvejourney times and improve oppor-tunities for reliable public transport.

The Scheme would have a significantbeneficial impact in terms ofdevelopment allocations,predominantly due to the resultantrelease of strategic developmentallocations within Rother District.

Rural communities would experience aslight beneficial impact due to thetraffic relief in Battle High Street andthrough rural villages.

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Adverse Effects:The construction of the Scheme wouldresult in a temporary slight adverse andnot significant impact on communitiesadjacent to the new road. Othercommunities would experiencenegligible or no impacts during this period.

The Scheme would have a significantadverse impact in terms of directimpacts on private property withseveral landowners affected by theneed to acquire land for thedevelopment.

Overall:The overall impact of the Scheme onthe community would be moderatelybeneficial and therefore significant.

Combined Effects

A series of different impacts on thesame environmental resource cangenerate a combined environmentaleffect and these were identified andassessed as part of the EIA. Onlysignificant combined effects are noted here and these are reported accordingto whether they are predicted duringconstruction, at the completion of theScheme, during the Opening Year or 15years after completion when mitigation

planting would have maturedsufficiently to help enclose and screenthe scheme.

Construction Combined Effects

Moderate adverse and significantcombined effects during theconstruction phase were identified onland use (especially agricultural landuse); the built environment, the culturalheritage resource; and pedestrians andother non-motorised users of publicpaths. Similarly, a major adverse andsignificant combined effect wasidentified during the constructionphase on the landscape resource.

Opening Year Combined Effects

There would be moderate andsignificant combined beneficial effectsat the completion of the Scheme onlocal communities, non-motorisedusers and vehicle travellers andmoderate and significant adversecombined effects on land use;landscape within the rural section ofthe Scheme; the built environment; andcultural heritage.

Year 15 Combined Effects

The moderate and significant beneficialcombined effects on localcommunities; non-motorised users;and vehicle travellers would remain atYear 15 as would the moderateadverse and significant combinedeffects on land use. Other moderateadverse and significant effectsidentified at the opening year wouldreduce by Year 15 to minor adverse inthe case of landscape and the builtenvironment; and to minor/moderate inthe case of cultural heritage.

Cumulative Effects

Other developments in close proximityto the Scheme may generate acumulative environmental effect andthese were identified and assessed aspart of the EIA. Only significantcumulative effects are noted here andthese are reported according towhether they are predicted duringconstruction or during operation. In thecase of cumulative effects there is noneed to make a distinction between theOpening Year and Year 15.

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Cumulative Construction Effects

Only three schemes were identified aspotentially being under construction atthe same time as the Link Road. Theassessment concluded that togetherthey had the potential to generate amoderate adverse effect upon vehicletravellers and local communities. Themoderate adverse and significantcombined effects identified duringconstruction on the built environment,land use and cultural heritage wouldremain as would the major adverse andsignificant combined effect onlandscape, even with the addedcumulative impacts from the otherthree schemes.

Operational Cumulative Effects

The cumulative operational effect uponlocal communities and non-motorisedusers such as pedestrians, cyclists andrecreational users would be moderatebeneficial and significant. The onlymoderate adverse cumulative effectwould be on cultural heritage.

Balance of the Effects of the Scheme

Construction

The Scheme would be likely to have anoverall moderate adverse and thereforesignificant effect during the constructionphase. By its very nature this would betemporary, lasting for approximatelytwo years.

Operation

The Scheme would result in an overallminor to moderate adverse effect in theOpening Year, reducing to negligibleand not significant by the Design Year(15 years after opening) whenmitigation planting matures to betterintegrate and enclose the Scheme andnew ecological habitats becomeestablished.

What Happens Next

The ES, of which this non-technicalsummary forms part, will be consideredby the planning authority in consideringthe planning application for the LinkRoad. The environmental issuessummarised in this document togetherwith information contained in the otherdocuments submitted in support of theapplication, will be materialconsiderations in weighing up theproposals.

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Viewing the full ES

The full Environmental Statement canbe viewed at:

East Sussex County CouncilCounty HallSt. Anne’s CrescentLewesEast SussexBN7 1UE

Rother District CouncilTown HallBexhill on SeaEast SussexTN39 3JX

Hastings Borough Council Town Hall Queens Road HASTINGS East Sussex TN34 1QR

Complete copies of the EnvironmentalStatement are available from EastSussex County Council in the followingformats:

printed version - £189.50CD - £15.00

Prices include VAT where applicable.

Exhibition

The full scheme will be exhibited forinformation shortly after the PlanningApplication is made. This will bepublicised separately. Details will alsobe available on the County Council’sweb site, www.eastsussex.gov.uk

Telephone enquiries:please call the enquiry line0845 60 80 193

Email enquiries:BHLR@eastsussex.gov.uk