Canford Heath East & West, Creekmoor and Oakdale Area Committee

3 March 2004

Second Opening Bridge

Transport and Works Act Order Pre Consultation

1.  Why a new bridge is needed?

1.1  The Council is promoting a significant regeneration project on the edge of Poole Town Centre and in Lower Hamworthy. The catalyst for this is a second bridge to link the two areas facilitating regeneration of redundant and under used land for housing, employment and leisure use. The new bridge will make access between the areas more reliable, will help to alleviate congestion and improve access to the Port of Poole.

2.  Permission for a new bridge

2.1  The Council will be applying to the Secretary of State for Transport under the Transport and Works Act 1992 for permission to construct a second opening bridge across Backwater Channel between West Quay Road and the former power station site.

2.2  The scope of the works that permission will be sought for includes:

Ø  construction of the bridge itself

Ø  dredging upstream of the proposed bridge to provide a navigation channel and an area of sufficient size where boats can wait for the bridge to open

Ø  relocation of moorings from the proposed bridge site and from between the proposed and existing bridge

Ø  construction of a 60 metre length of approach road to the west of the proposed bridge

Ø  widening Wilkins Way to the east of the proposed bridge; and

Ø  construction of a 90 metre length of approach road to the east of the proposed bridge.

2.3  The nature and complexity of the project and the procedures for seeking permission require the Council to undertake an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). Since the publication in January 2003 of a scoping report and representations received to this report the Council with its consultants have been carrying out scientific studies looking at the impact of the proposed bridge and its approaches on the environment. The detailed findings have been combined into an Environmental Statement (ES). The Council has decided that prior to making its submission to the Secretary of State that it will consult on these findings in a consultation draft document.

3.  What are the environmental effects of the proposed bridge?

3.1  Construction and operation of the proposed bridge are likely to have an impact on the local environment and community in a number of ways. The table below sets out the key impacts:

Environmental Impact / How it will be reduced
More time will be taken for boats to pass through the two bridge system. / A construction sequence has been outlined that will minimise disruption to boat users during construction.
A schedule of bridge lifts will be put forward where more lifts are offered during the summer and weekends/Bank Holidays. This is under discussion with maritime users. Further discussions will take place to determine arrangements for monitoring the schedules and their impact on maritime users over time.
The two bridge system will have implications for the safety and capacity of boats operating through a ‘lock’. / There will be continued dialogue and investigations with maritime users and Harbour Authority about the operational and management arrangements of the two bridge system.
Dredging of the seabed will have an impact on the ecology of the marine environment although this is considered to have limited impact due to the relatively small amount of material to be dredged. / The method of dredging needs to ensure that disturbance to the seabed and the release of sediment into the Harbour are minimised.
Limited disturbance to archaeology as a result of dredging. / An archaeologist will watch over the construction works.
The construction process, presence of bridge piers and dredging will cause erosion of the seabed resulting in sediment in the water. Whilst some of this material may be contaminated it will have no impact on the shellfish beds in Poole Harbour and the important sites in Holes Bay are not at risk. / Stone protection will be used in the channel during construction and will also be placed around the bridge piers when built. This will reduce erosion and limit sediment release into the water to a small amount.
There will be relocation of moorings from the length of the Backwater Channel between the two bridges into Holes Bay. / Moorings will be relocated to an accessible area for boat users.
The mooring layout will be drawn up as far as practicable with the aim of avoiding the appearance of a regimented ‘block’ of boats.
The closure of Wilkins Way(a slipway) as an access into Backwater Channel. / Provision of improved access facilities for local boat owners at Whittles Way and Slipway.
Disturbance to protected common lizards on the power station site during construction of the bridge. / Lizards will be captured and relocated to a suitable habitat prior to construction.
The proposed bridge will open up about 15 hectares of land on the Hamworthy side of Backwater Channel for new housing, employment and leisure opportunities. / Not applicable
The second opening bridge has the potential to become a landmark structure. / Not applicable
The proposed bridge operating in tandem with the existing bridge will normally have one bridge open for road traffic at all times thereby reducing congestion but also providing more reliable journey times and improved social integration between the communities on either side of Backwater Channel. / Not applicable
Improved air quality as a result of less traffic queuing. / Not applicable
The bridge design considerably improves safety provision for cyclists and pedestrians. / Not applicable

3.2 The consultation period runs from Monday 8 March to Monday 26 April. An exhibition will be at Hamworthy library from 17-31 March and in the Dolphin Shopping centre on 1-2 April 2004.