After a planning meeting in February recommended an extra month to investigate the proposed 2010 rollercoaster at Alton Towers, we take a look at the supplementary report which is likely to be pivotal in any decision that will be made on Thursday, 12th March:
Visual and Noise concerns
– A visual impact exercise has been carried out and has determined the coaster will not be visible outside the park. The colour of the track, supports and cars should soften the appearance from within the park too.
– It’s also been noted that the new coaster is 2.8m lower than Corkscrew.
– Staffordshire Moorlands District Council (SMDC) have consulted Runnymede Environmental Health regarding the noise report (which was based on an attraction at Thorpe Park, Surrey) and have been advised that no complaints have been received regarding that ride.
– It’s been suggested a noise monitoring condition should now be attached to the planning decision, to ensure breaches of noise levels laid out in the plans can be dealt with quickly.
Conservation and Archeology
– The ride station design has now been revised and will not be as bulky as it was originally designed to be. The Conservation Officer is now happy with the design and has no further objections.
– Objections suggesting woodland management is unecessary due to previous agreements have been raised. It’s now been advised that the previous agreemnt only covered the coachpark and flume area, so the £100k Alton are suggesting for further woodland management is beneficial.
– There may be buried archaeological remains within the application area, so a condition has been suggested to ensure that a full archaeological plan is drawn up to deal with any such remains which are found.
Other issues
– A contribution to highway monitoring has been agreed with Alton Towers to the sum of £50,000.00.
– Although the relief road is mentioned as being scrapped, “the applicants have confirmed that they are willing to provide this financial contribution” to mitigate the impact of any additional traffic generated.
TowersTimes look forward to bringing you the details of any decision later in the week, and hope that it will officially begin the long road to the start of the 2010 season, when the rollercoaster will hopefully open.
