West Sussex Minerals Plan, West Sussex

Paul Basham Associates were appointed in 2015 to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the strategic traffic impacts and the highways access implications of 15 potential mineral extraction sites across the county of West Sussex.

Appointed by West Sussex County Council (WSCC), Paul Basham Associates were initially tasked with providing a detailed analysis of 14 potential sites for minerals extraction, with the aim of providing a RAG (Red, Amber Green) style system whereby each site was ranked in transport terms as either ‘low, medium or high’ acceptability. In addition, our team were asked to assess the cumulative impact of all sites in ‘clusters’.

Paul Basham Associates were later asked to provide an assessment of one further site, bringing the total to 15.

In the first instance all 14 (and later 15) sites were visited in turn by the project team, to assess any potential on-site constraints. We then began work on the Transport Assessment which was informed by traffic counts, detailed mapping and Personal Injury Accident data across the region, provided by WSCC, as well as consultations with the land owners, site operators and potential site operators.

The Transport Assessment provided details for each site in turn which included site history, PIA data, routing strategies, traffic distribution/ impact and access options/ off-site highway works. The sites were then ranked by ‘acceptability’ which enabled the Local Authority to compare each site with other impact assessments.

We were also able to assess the cumulative impact of clusters of sites which were located close to one another, and impact on the strategic roads through the county.

We then continued to work alongside WSCC to provide an Addendum Transport Assessment for the further site, as well as a second Addendum to provide additional information in response to comments raised through the public consultation process.

The Transport Assessment was prepared in accordance with WSCC Transport Assessment Guidance, Guidance for the Environmental Assessment of Road Traffic (Institute of Environmental Management (IEMA)) and Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB).

The new Minerals Local Plan is expected to be adopted in the near future and outline the plans for mineral provision in West Sussex until 2033, and Paul Basham Associates are pleased to have continued our relationship with WSCC to aid with the transport implications of the Plan.