Environmental Update Report: Clapham Green to Colesden

Route Overview

Project description

Summary

Between Clapham on the northern edge of Bedford and Colesden west of Wyboston, a new section of railway and associated infrastructure would be constructed. Along this 12km (7 mile) route section the railway would cross the rolling countryside north and east of Bedford using a mixture of new embankments, cuttings and short viaducts.   

The proposed works include:

  • New two-track railway with associated embankments, cuttings, viaducts and track infrastructure.
  • New overbridges and underbridges for road, track and path crossings, culverts and overbridges for watercourses, and associated diversions where necessary. 
  • Two passing loops near Colesden so that faster passenger trains could overtake slower trains. 
  • Provision of drainage and water storage ponds (referred to as balancing ponds) to manage flood risk. 
  • Utility diversions along the route, including overhead electricity transmission lines.

The passenger train service pattern between Bedford and Cambridge stations would be four trains per hour in each direction.

 

Project proposals

Clapham, Ravensden and Wilden

The railway route in this section would bear north and east from Bedford on a new viaduct. Crossing Clapham Road south of the villages of Clapham and Clapham Green, the new railway would continue from this viaduct onto an embankment up to around 10m high. It would enter a cutting and cross beneath Carriage Drive between Clapham Green and Clapham Park, continuing in cutting up to about 14m deep to the east of the Bedford and County golf club. Several public rights of way ) would be diverted onto new bridges over the route, including Carriage Drive, Clapham Footpaths 5 and 6 and Brickhill Bridleway 54. Clapham Footpath 9 would be closed with users diverted to Clapham Footpaths 8 and 24.

The new railway would pass to the north of Brickhill in cutting before turning east past Highfield Farm and Gray’s Hill Farm, crossing over a stream which would be culverted beneath. would require a new road bridge to pass over the railway.  Continuing on embankment, the railway would pass over a realigned and on new bridges. There are in the Graze Hill and Thurleigh Road area which are proposed to be modified to maintain connectivity, comprising Ravensden Bridleway 4, and Ravensden Footpaths 5, 46 and 47.

A series of embankments and cuttings would be needed as the railway passes to the north of Ravensden. The railway would pass in cutting with Road north of Grange Farm requiring a new bridge over the railway on a similar alignment to the existing road. 

The new railway would rise onto embankment as it continues eastwards over . It would pass over the narrow valley of South Brook West on a short (approximately 250m) viaduct before entering cutting through Chequers Hill north of Wilden.

would be diverted across the new railway on new bridges or underpasses beneath the railway to maintain connectivity. The impacted PRoW would be Ravensden Byway 61, Ravensden Footpath 35, and Wilden Footpaths 16, 22 and 33. The North Bedfordshire Heritage Trail long distance path (Wilden Footpath 27) would pass over the route on a new footbridge. An additional farm access track would also be provided in this area.

The new railway would continue in cutting passing beneath road and Colesden Road. A new bridge would be constructed to take Chequers Hill over the railway and accommodate a diversion of . Colesden Road would also be diverted to take it over the railway.

 

Colesden

To the east of the Colesden Road bridge, the new railway would continue on a series of embankments across the western edge of the River Great Ouse Valley. Two new passing loops would be constructed in the Colesden area. A new overbridge would be built south of Colesden Road to accommodate diversions to several bridleways, PRoW and a farm access track. The railway would cross over South Brook on a short viaduct, where this route section ends.

Initial environmental information

People and communities 

Context 

In the Clapham Green to Colesden route section, the project would introduce entirely new infrastructure into a rural environment. The railway would pass several villages, hamlets and isolated settlements, including Clapham Green, Ravensden, Wilden, and Colesden, with other communities centred around farm holdings along the length of the route.

Although the population is relatively sparse in this area, the change resulting from the project would heighten the risk of visual and noise impacts in particular, and present a risk of severance. The way that the project is integrated into the landform, the comprehensive use of sensitive landscaping and other mitigation, and the overall design principles that are applied between Clapham and Colesden would be fundamental to limiting adverse impacts on people and communities.    

A review of the potential impacts to people’s wellbeing and amenity – both positive and negative – that would result from the introduction and operation of the new railway and its facilities is set out below, along with initial proposals for mitigating potential adverse effects. Potential disruption during construction is addressed separately, with an explanation of how it could be mitigated where practicable.

Potential impacts and mitigation

The project would require earthworks to carry the railway through the undulating landscape north-east of Bedford. Commencing from Clapham Road, south of the Clapham and Clapham Green, the railway would be prominent as it drops from viaduct onto an embankment up to around 10m high and then passing into a cutting up to 14m deep. Proposed blocks of woodland as well as landform would be important in limiting the extent of visibility, but visual impacts from the earthworks are expected from several nearby roads and footpaths, as well as from some locations within the golf club to its west and North Brickhill country park to its east.   

Existing views from residential properties and PRoW in this route section are often limited by the undulating topography, woodland belts and vegetation lining country roads and property boundaries. However, they are more expansive north-east of Clapham Green where the landscape is more open and the large-scale new structures – such as the new embankments, viaducts and overbridges – would be prominent additions to views. Removal of vegetation along roads and field boundaries would further open up views but replacement planting and mitigation planting would, in time, fully or partially screen the new structures.     

Baseline noise levels are generally low, characterised by typical rural sources such as roads, agricultural activity and the natural sounds of the countryside. The B660 Sunderland Hill north of Ravensden is a busier road; otherwise, all roads are minor ones and expected to be lightly used. The need for any noise mitigation through barriers and bunds will be determined as the EIA progresses.

The avoidance of community severance and isolation would need careful design and planning through maintenance of good access across the alignment, for example for Ravensden, Wilden, Sevick End and East End south of the alignment, and Colmworth, Channel’s End and Colesden north of the alignment, as well as for numerous more isolated farms and houses. The proposals in this route section include a number of crossings for existing roads and PRoWs to maintain connectivity in the area. The design of these crossings considers how the visual continuity and access between communities could be secured and will be subject to further development.

Desk-based research has identified agricultural land within the draft Order Limits in this route section. Most of this is expected to be Grade 2, which would be classified as best and most versatile (BMV). The remainder is expected to be Grade 3, which may be classified as BMV depending on future survey results. Ongoing design development will take agricultural land and farm holdings into consideration to reduce impacts.

In terms of land management, arable cropping dominates, with large, highly mechanised farms. Livestock operations are also present including large, indoor poultry and/or pig production units. Initial studies indicate that some 15 holdings of various sizes would be affected.  

The project would require the permanent acquisition and temporary use of certain land and property. In this route section, it would require the demolition of a barn structure within a field off Thurleigh Road and a structure within a field south of Colesden Lodge Farm. In addition, acquisition of land from four residential properties off Ravensden Road and Colesden Road would be required. Land from one business property, a recycling services, off Sunderland Hill would also need to be acquired.

EWR Co recognises the effects these impacts would have and will be working with affected parties as the designs are further developed, seeking to agree measures to reduce the impacts of the proposals where possible and enter into agreements with property owners where property would need to be acquired or used. Further information is provided in the  Guide to Compulsory Acquisition and Compensation . 

Temporary construction impacts 

There would be four main construction compounds proposed in the Clapham Green to Colesden route section: at the interface with the Paula Radcliffe Way and River Great Ouse viaduct; adjacent to Sunderland Hill; off Chequers Hill (supporting the new viaduct construction in the Wilden area); and adjacent to Colesden Road (supporting the passing loops construction).   

Construction compounds would be partly interconnected by on-site construction routes that would run alongside the new rail corridor and enable some construction traffic to avoid the public highway network. Where heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) would be required to use local roads, they would take the shortest suitable route between compounds and the strategic road network. HGVs would access the area from the A6. For compounds on the west side of this route section, construction traffic is expected to use the A6. The construction compounds close to Thurleigh Road and further to the east side of this route section would use either the A421 or the A1. Tranquillity would be reduced along the route section due to the noise and activity generated by construction and construction traffic.

All routes crossed by the project and requiring new connections over or under the railway would be maintained through provision of alternative access for the duration of construction, with the aim of maintaining current levels of access. This would apply equally to footpath and bridleway crossings, where temporary diversions may be required.

Potential impacts from construction, such as increased noise, reduced air quality and increased dust would be controlled through various good practice measures set out in the draft CoCP, which would be mandated through contract arrangements and closely monitored throughout construction. Noise impacts may still arise for limited periods, associated with certain construction activities.

The natural environment 

Context

On leaving Bedford the project would move from the Great Ouse floodplain to the open, largely arable countryside of the Bedfordshire Claylands, which extend through to Colesden. The fields are bordered by ditches and streams – all draining south into the Great Ouse – and hedgerows, which are the predominant habitats along the route in this section.

There are no statutory or non-statutory designated sites within the draft Order Limits, although four county wildlife sites (, , , and ) are located adjacent to the project, which form important parcels of ancient woodland and habitats of principal importance (HPI) alongside the project.

Further semi-natural habitats beyond these are sparse compared with other route sections, although there are parcels of ancient woodland and other woodland HPIs present in the area. Further east and south of Rectory Farm near Wilden, the broader valley of South Brook supports occasional lowland meadows and pastures priority habitat, but these are over 1.5km from the project.

The open arable countryside provides suitable habitat for badger, brown hare and farmland birds such as lapwing and skylark. The extensive network of hedgerows, ditches and arable margins link the woodlands adjacent to the route and are key to supporting the biodiversity interests in this route section.

Several ponds are located within the draft Order Limits, which may offer more notable habitats and species. There is at least one Water Framework Directive (WFD) surface water catchment potentially impacted, namely the . The route would cross three ordinary watercourses: Ravensden Brook, South Brook and a tributary of Renhold Brook.

Potential impacts and mitigation 

Direct impacts on ancient woodland through habitat loss would be avoided. Protection from indirect impacts on the network of ancient woodlands and other retained habitats (including HPI) will be a key consideration for design and mitigation proposals, including management through the draft CoCP to address risks of air pollution, as well as mitigating against habitat fragmentation and disruption of habitat connectivity. The need for habitat replacement areas will be determined as part of the EIA.

Retention and conservation of HPIs and the safeguarding of the protected species they may support will be a key consideration for the project design and mitigation. Protective measures, as set out in the draft CoCP, would be implemented during construction to avoid direct and indirect impacts to protected habitats and species.  

To ensure legal compliance with relevant wildlife legislation, appropriate mitigation strategies for legally protected species found to be present will be developed in consultation with Natural England as the ecology baseline for the project evolves.  

Assessments will be undertaken to demonstrate that the project would not deteriorate the status of the Ouse (Newport Pagnell to Roxton) WFD surface water catchment that is crossed, or prevent the attainment of surface water and groundwater body objectives. Necessary mitigations could include riparian planting and reinstatement of natural bed and bank materials.

Protective measures for surface water and groundwater bodies in the area would be needed to mitigate potential impacts on ecology, water quality and other hydrological and hydrogeological characteristics. These measures will be set out in the draft CoCP and prescribe measures that protect surface water and groundwater resources, including impacts to the hydrological or groundwater regime or water quality. With appropriate design and mitigation in place, an assessment of each crossing will demonstrate how fluvial flood risk would not be increased by the project. The assessment will also seek to address the risks of and mitigation for surface water and groundwater flood risk.

The Landscape and the historic environment

Context 

The undulating landscape around Clapham and Clapham Green, with extensive woodland and small-scale fields bordered by hedgerows and hedgerow trees, has an enclosed character. Rural roads link settlements in the area but large areas of the landscape are only accessible by tracks and footpaths. North-east of Clapham Green, the land along the route rises to a plateau and the landscape becomes more open, with expansive fields in arable production and sparse or gappy hedgerows.  

The river terraces of the Great Ouse north of Bedford and south of St Neots attracted early prehistoric activity as evidenced by dense flint scatters from Palaeolithic and Mesolithic periods. Hengiform monuments at the confluence of watercourses within Biddenham Loop, north-east of Bedford, date to the Neolithic period and suggest the area was of significant spiritual importance. There is evidence of Iron Age settlement of small unenclosed and enclosed farmsteads visible in cropmarks. By the Roman period, the area between Clapham and Colesden was a landscape of farmsteads and small hamlets, enclosed fields, open grazing and woodland, connected by a network of local tracks and long-distance routeways.   

During the medieval period many of the villages along the route were established, including associated moated manors, such as at Birchfield and Palaceyard Wood to the south of Colesden, which are both scheduled monuments. The majority of the route section was under agricultural cultivation, initially as medieval open fields with the characteristic ridge and furrow, and later as an enclosure landscape of small field and hedgerow field boundaries.   

During the 20th century, the landscape saw the intensification of food production, resulting in the removal of hedgerow field boundaries, and this character has largely remained up to now. The small settlements of Ravensden and Wilsden outside of the main settlement of Bedford have remained small and the only major change is the development of the A421 Great Barford Bypass to the south of St Neots.  

The few listed structures along this route section include the Grade II listed , a non-designated historic landscape. There are also isolated farmsteads related to the enclosure landscape including: the Grade II listed ; near Ravensden; the Grade II listed ; and the Grade II listed .

Potential impacts and mitigation

The project would introduce large-scale structures, including embankments, viaducts, cuttings and bridges into the countryside, changing its character especially where the landscape is more open. Noise and movement generated by the passing trains on embankment or viaduct could reduce the tranquillity of the landscape.

Landscape mitigation earthworks and planting either side of the railway, including woodland, hedgerows and scrub planting together with grassland and wetland habitat creation would help integrate the raised structures into the landscape and, in time, partially restore the wooded character of the area and create visual screening in the longer term. This would include a mixture of woodland and grassland habitat creation either side of the railway and planting to reinstate and enhance habitat connectivity, notably to existing woodland blocks. 

Other survey work will be undertaken to understand the layers of history visible in the landscape with a view to mitigating impacts through landscape design, integrating the route into the historic landscape where possible. There may be opportunities to reinstate or reinforce historic landscape character, for example replanting lost hedgerows and filtering or framing views through tree planting.  

The listed buildings would experience temporary impacts to their setting from construction of the proposed works, including from the location of construction compounds and stockpiles. They would also experience permanent impacts from the severance of the rural landscape by the proposed works, reducing the ability to understand their historic context as part of the wider agricultural landscape. Mitigation would rely on an understanding of setting and its contribution to a building’s significance within the landscape. Sensitive integration of the route into this landscape setting would be key, for example through screening, reinstating or reinforcing historic and existing landscape character, or opening up views which allow the buildings to be better understood in their wider landscape.