Work has now started on site, a bit later than we had hoped owing to the necessity to carry out more detailed survey work before starting work on the access road.
There is no getting away from the fact that this is not a pretty sight and we would not be removing any trees or a section of hedgerow if there were any other way of satisfying the visibility requirements imposed by highways regulations.
Few existing openings onto the surrounding roads would pass these tests but there was no realistic prospect of securing approval without meeting them. Ahead of making the planning application, we explored every alternative in terms of traffic flow and positioning of the entrance and exit. The assessment of the relative ecological merit of alternatives was carried out by experts and the section of hedgerow and the trees that are being removed was assessed to be of the lowest value for biodiversity when compared to the alternatives.
We have also secured approval for the creation of a new forest of mixed broadleaves on land on the other side of the road to the new entrance which will in time more than compensate in terms of net biodiversity for the trees and hedge being removed.
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