Sheffield Friends of the Earth Object to Smith Wood Service Stations

Sheffield Friends of the Earth Object to Smith Wood Service Stations

Sheffield Friends of The Earth are objecting to a proposal by Extra Motorway Service Area Group for a new motorway service area at Junction 35 of the M1. The development will destroy more than half of Smithy Wood which is an ancient Woodland and valued by residents of Sheffield. We are asking everyone to join us to get this proposal rejected.

David Roberts, local group member said "This development will destroy more than 20 acres of Smithy Wood which is an ancient Woodland and only 4% of Englands woodlands remain in this state.  Our ancient woodlands are quintessential features of England's much-loved landscape - irreplaceable, living historic monumentsEven the government's own planning rules state that planning permission should be refused for development resulting in the loss ancient woodland. [1]"

David Continued, "The developer is claiming that there is an overriding need for a Service Area on this part of the M1, basing a large part their justification on peak hour driving times between Woolley Edge and Woodall service stations. However, the Department for Transport itself, states in its guidelines [2] that peak hour traffic does not define a need for additional service provision.

Otjher arguments by the developer are equally contradicted by a close examination of the facts and shown to be unsupported by government policy & planning guidelines.

Sheffield Friends of the Earth are working with local residents and other groups to protect Smithy Wood from the bulldozers. We urge Sheffield residents to help us protect our ancient forests by writing to Eleanor Ridge, Planning Officer, Howden House, 1 Union Street, Sheffield, S1 2SH  quoting planning number 14/01079/OUT before 5th September.

The formal objection by Sheffield FoE can be found on the council website :-
http://publicaccess.sheffield.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=N2ZWWHNY09N00

It is dated 5th Sept. 2014 under the heading "General Comment". It gives the full details of our objection and shows very clearly that the proposal is completely without merit.

More information can also be found at http://www.wildsheffield.com/smithywood

Note to Editors:

[1]
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) Part 8 states that :-
planning permission should be refused for development resulting in the loss or deterioration of irreplaceable habitats, including ancient woodland and the loss of aged or veteran trees found outside ancient woodland, unless the need for, and benefits of, the development in that location clearly outweigh the loss;'

[2]
EMSA are claiming that there is an overriding need for a Service Area on this part of the M1, basing their argument on the distance between Woolley Edge and Woodall MSAs.

"The gap on the M1 in terms of distance between Woolley Edge and Woodall MSAs is 27.5 miles (below the 28 mile maximum). However, the Traffic Assessment (TA) has considered vehicle speeds for all links from Junction 28 - Junction 40 of the M1 and concludes that the existing journey from Woolley Edge MSA to Woodall MSA takes more the 30 minutes for at least 20% of AM peak hour journeys. Therefore, a gap also exists on the M1 corridor."

This conclusion is simply not valid or true and is not supported by the Department for Transport's (DfT) additional guidelines. Paragraphs B5 of DfT circular 02/2013 :-
"The network of service areas on the strategic road network has been developed on the premise that opportunities to stop are provided at intervals of approximately half an hour. However the timing is not prescriptive as at peak hours, on congested parts of the network, travel between service areas may take longer."

The DfT recognises that peak hour increased volumes around urban conglomerations on the Strategic Road Network are the result of increased local traffic movements associated with commuting and hence are not a determining factor in assessing MSA needs, whose customers are by definition making long distance journeys.

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Sheffield Telegraph Thursday 18 September 2014