Building work to construct over 300 new homes on farmland in Churchtown in Southport is due to begin this September.
Wain Homes North West Ltd is due to spend the next seven years creating the scheme across four phases on land off Bankfield Lane.
The firm has now submitted a planning application to Sefton Council setting out details including:
- How long the building work will last
- The hours that construction will be taking place
- How to avoid blighting local residents with excessive noise, lighting, dust etc
- Where construction workers will park
- Which roads will be used to accommodate the additional lorries needed
- How the work will avoid upsetting local wildlife
Wain Homes North West Ltd has submitted a Construction Environmental Method Statement (CEMP) to the council which sets out its plans.
Two years ago, Sefton Council granted planning permission – by one vote – for a total of 328 new homes.
It included full planning permission for residential development of 128 homes on 4.6ha and outline planning application for residential development for up to 200 homes on 5ha of land.
In the new CEMP, Wain Homes reveals its intention to begin work this September (2023) with the project due for completion in approximately November 2030.
Building work is currently taking place by Elan Homes to construct 157 new homes on the site of the former Philips Factory very close to the scheme, on Rufford Road.
Once completed, the two schemes will add 485 additional homes to Churchtown.
The new development off Bankfield Lane will include new public open space and associated infrastructure.
Blundells Lane will be widened to accommodate a new access road for the new housing development.
The site for hundreds of new homes being constructed by Wain Homes North West on land off Bankfield Lane in Churchtown in Southport, and the phases the firm intends to use
Here are some of the details about working practises revealed by Wain Homes North West Ltd:
Proposed Programme:
Start Date: September 2023 Completion: November 2030 (approximately)
Site Security
Before any operations commence, security fencing will be erected around the construction site. The fencing will be kept 5m back from any watercourse to facilitate the water vole protection zone. The fencing will be inspected regularly throughout the life of the building program for signs of dilapidation and maintained and repaired as necessary.
All statutory health and safety signage will be erected in prominent positions and the construction area will be secured outside of the permitted working hours.
Communication
Before any works begin, Wain Homes will write to the adjoining residents introducing the new development in the first instance advising them of the works to be undertaken, timescales, and permitted working hours.
They will also provide emergency contact details.
Working hours
At present, no working methods are anticipated to be outside normal working hours, and work will be within the working hours detailed below.
Construction working hours will be:
Monday to Friday – 7:30am to 6pm
Saturday – 8:30am to 1pm
Sunday / Public and Bank Holidays – strictly no working
The site for hundreds of new homes being constructed by Wain Homes North West on land off Bankfield Lane in Churchtown in Southport. Photo by Andrew Brown Stand Up For Southport
Complaint Management Procedure
On the commencement of the development all complaints will initially be directed to the contact details on the resident’s letter which will be The Head of Customer Services department.
Once the construction team takes over from the initial contractors, site specific contact details will be issued to the surrounding residents and all complaints will be recorded in a development logbook. All complaints will be investigated by site personnel in the first instance and the logbook updated with the resolution output. Any complaints / issues raised relating to environmental health (dust/ dirt / noise) will be relayed to the Environmental Health officer at Sefton Council if deemed necessary.
Parking of Vehicles of Site Operatives and Visitors
It is proposed to erect the permanent site compound, welfare facilities and car parking areas on plots 121 to 128. Subsequent phases will require new compound locations and these will be communicated to the Council as the development progresses.
All site operatives and visitors to the site will be instructed to use the parking facilities there.
No parking will be permitted on Blundell Lane, Bankfield Lane or the surrounding public roads.
Permission has been granted for 328 homes on Bankfield Lane in Churchtown in Southport
Working Hours for plant delivery/removal, importation/ removal of spoil and Piling
Working hours for plant delivery/ removal and importation/ removal of spoil and any piling operations will be further restricted to those for general operations as outlined below
Monday to Friday – 9:30am to 4.30pm
Saturday – 9:30am to 1pm
Sunday / Public and Bank Holidays – strictly no working
Emergency Working Hours
In the event of an emergency that requires action/works outside of normal working hours, every conceivable mitigation measure will be implemented to avoid causing nuisance to the immediate residents. Any emergency work outside of the stated working hours will be kept to an absolute minimum and works will only take place that are necessary to alleviate the emergency situation.
Any works occurring to address an emergency situation will be reported at the earliest possible opportunity to Sefton Council with an explanation of why emergency working hours were necessary.
Traffic Restrictions
In accordance with the planning permission, the access to the development is via Blundell Lane which joins to the B5244 ( Bankfield Lane) and this same access will also be used for all construction traffic.
It is proposed to provide a temporary road to take construction traffic away from Blundell Lane at the earliest possible point to alleviate traffic concerns for existing residents.
Traffic Restrictions for the wider highway network.
All contractors and material suppliers will be instructed to avoid travelling south on the B5244 to the centre of Southport. Routes to and from the site will use the B5255 and the A565 trunk road which links Southport to the wider road network to the east.
Signage
Sufficient signsfor the size and complexity of the project will be erected both on and off site prior to the commencement of the project. A record of daily inspections will be maintained and included within the Construction Phase Plan.
Storage of plant and materials used in constructing the development
Storage on site will be in the compound area (on plots 121-128). The location of the compound is secured by 2m high paladine fencing with lockable gates. The gates will remain closed when the compound is not in use and the gates locked at the end of each working day.
Specialist oils and chemicals will be stored in the locked steel containers.
The storage of plant will be within the construction area which will be fenced off from the public. Keeping the Adjoining Roads Clean
Mud and debris on roads is one of the main environmental nuisance and safety problems arising from construction sites. Wain Homes will ensure the surrounding roads are kept clean by carrying out regular road sweeps. They will have a minimum of three visits per week on regular days.
During the construction of the roads and sewers and initial foundations, Wain Homes will ensure a road sweeper is present full time. In addition, a wheel wash will be installed during construction of any roads and sewers and earthworks operations to prevent adjoining roads free from mud and debris.
The firm will insist on all skip lorries being fully sheeted to minimise the risk of any mud or debris over-spilling onto the highway.
Sustainability
Where practicable, Wain Homes will seek to source green energy providers for the construction phase. They strive to procure local contractors for the project therefore minimising transport costs and impact on the local environment. During site clearance of the existing land, any materials suitable for use as hardcore will be retained and utilised.
A waste management plan will be implemented on site, with segregated waste being removed from site and recycled where possible. Construction site waste is to be minimised (diverted from landfill) by re-using materials on site, or to / from other sites, returning to the supplier where possible / practical, recovery / recycling and composting.
Materials will be measured prior to ordering during construction and careful consideration will be applied when cutting materials to minimise wastage. Hazardous waste will be avoided (or minimised where unavoidable)
Measures to prevent pollution of controlled waters
Security fencing is to be erected to facilitate a 5m buffer to all watercourses. This is deemed sufficient to prevent any possible pollution of controlled waters from construction operations. Only limited works to provide road crossing points will be required to be undertaken in these protected zones and these works will be subject to a separate Natural England licence.
In the unlikely event that controlled waters are assessed at risk of pollution from construction activities, then additional measures can be considered including cut off drains and bunds. Measures for controlling the use of lighting
No temporary lighting is permitted on the development. Permanent lighting will be placed within the compound area but this will be designed to avoid light spill and directed away from boundary vegetation and existing residents’ property.
Street lighting will be erected as the development progresses but this will be designed adhering to all statutory guidance and be subject to approval by the highways authority.
Measures to control flooding on site during construction
The site is level with only a slight gradient of 1:200 generally across the whole construction area. The potential for flooding from rainwater is therefore unlikely.
However, precautionary measures will be implemented so as to reduce the potential still further. These will include the installation of piling mats to reduce ground deterioration by movement of plant and restriction of plant movements will be adhered to during the winter months or periods of high rainfall.
Any stockpiles of spoil will be kept to less than 3 metres in heights and located no closer than 20 metres from any watercourse.
Measures to control the emissions of dust
An adequate water supply will be available on the site for effective dust/particulate matter suppression/mitigation.
Control of Noise & Vibration
There are many general measures that can reduce noise levels at source, which are undertaken as normal on all Wainhomes developments, such as:
- a) avoid unnecessary revving of engines and switch off equipment when not required;
- b) keep internal haul routes well maintained and avoid steep gradients, where possible;
- c) minimising drop height of materials;
- d) start up plant and vehicles sequentially rather than all together.
Best practicable means to minimise noise and vibration from the site will always be employed
Piling
Following a programme of site investigation on the development site, a piled foundation solution is required on all dwellings.
As part of the CEMP monitoring process, the construction team will keep a formal record / logbook of any environmental complaints received ie. noises, vibration and dust.
Wain Homes will endeavour to address each complaint, and where required, investigate and identify the cause and record any mitigation measures taken to deal with the issue raised. Environment & Ecology
Ecology An extended Phase 1 habitat survey of the study area was conducted on the 6th December 2016 and then updated on 18th August 2021, and water vole surveys were conducted in 2016 and updated in 2021 prior to the commencement of any site works.
The Phase 2 site consists largely of arable land with colonising vegetation; unmanaged vegetation at the northern and eastern boundaries; and one wet ditch.
In addition, there are areas of scrub and bramble scrub to the north and along the northern boundary; and Ditch 1 which is heavily shaded by bankside vegetations and supports standing water and Japanese knotweed is located at the northern boundary.
The site has no statutory designation; however, the site does form part of the North Meols Estate Site of Local Biological Interest (SLBI), which is a parkland estate and is part of a red squirrel buffer zone and land used by whooper swans.
The wider development site comprises arable land with unmanaged field margins, semi-improved grassland, hedgerows and ditches.
Badgers
No badger sets have been recorded within the application boundary, however badgers are highly mobile animals and are likely present in the wider area.
An Ecological Clerk of Works (ECoW) will conduct a pre commencement check 3-6 months prior to works commencing, to confirm badgesr are not a constraint.
Bats
Habitats within the wider site boundary and in the wider area, including the adjacent Three Pools Waterway and tree plantations have potential for foraging and commuting bats.
To minimise disturbance of nocturnal species, night-time working should be avoided wherever possible and if necessary, light spill should be minimised and directed away from boundary vegetation.
Water Vole
Water voles have been confirmed using ditches within the site in 2016, 2019 and 2021 and are possibly using the Three Pools Waterway adjacent to the site boundary on the western bank.
Prior to the commencement of works affecting ditches and sections of watercourses, presence/absence of water voles will be determined by updated surveys during July-September 2023.
Water Courses
The Three Pools Waterway and ditches within the site are to be protected during the construction and operational phases of development through implementation of best practice. Mitigation measures will be discussed and agreed with the Environment Agency and the Canal and Rivers Trust prior to operations in this late phase of the development.
Invasive Species / Japanese knotweed
Pre-commencement update checks for invasive species will be undertaken prior to works by an ECoW.
If any previously unidentified Japanese knotweed is found at any time during development, contact must be made with the client and works must cease in that area, and within a 7m buffer of the area.
The mitigation required, including any timing restrictions of works, would depend upon the invasive species encountered.
A specialist contractor will be consulted to confirm and implement suitable eradication methods that are appropriate for use where water vole is present. As per the planning authority condition notice a validation report confirming the eradication of Japanese knotweed on site is required.
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