In February 2008 Astral submitted revised planning documentation called the Supplementary Environmental Assessment (SES).

The following documents were included:

- Carbon Audit and Summary of Need
- Soakaway Assessment Report
- Revised Environmental Assessment including updated Transport Assessment (TA)

The documents can be found on St Helens web site. Click here to access the documents - note you need to scroll down to the end of the page on the web site.

The revised TA includes more details on HGV forecasts and modifications to local road junctions (17 in total) to cope with the expected unprecedented increase in traffic, including conversion of some roundabouts and junctions to traffic lights. Click here to see a detailed breakdown of the junction
modifications.

The revised TA also includes proposals to link HGV flows off site to the existing motorway traffic management system (traffic lights) implemented at the M6 J22 access spurs - an indication that problems are expected without these controls. No indication is provided on how these vehicles will queue on site.

There are no changes to the plan to relocate M6 J22 further North to the point where Parkside Road crosses the M6 today. The revised TA does, however, include a proposal to add an extra motorway lane north bound from the point where traffic enters the M6 from the M62 to the new M6 J22 (at Astral's expense) - again a indication of increased traffic levels expected at this point which is already congested at peak times.

There are no changes to the original proposal to use CCTV to control HGV movements on local roads, a system which PAG has grave concerns about, the proposal appearing to be highly bureaucratic and erroneous in attempting to link HGV operators to site occupiers through governance via St Helens local authority. The proposal appears to have no legislative controls and of course does not cover 'white van man' who would be exempt from the 7.5 ton limit.

The new master plan together with some animated highlights is provided below:

Summary of modifications:

New rail line to allow traffic to enter the site directly from the North and East. This has been added in spite of the fact that Astral explicitly stated that it was not required in their original submission. Coincidently the line passes through the site of Newton Park Farm (NPF). At the NPF inquiry in 2007 PAG convinced the inspector that NPF listed buildings could be accommodated in situ - no surprise then that Astral have inserted a new line to force the relocation of NPF listed buildings so as not to impact their total warehouse footprint (the core revenue stream for Astral).

New warehouse layout to the West of the M6 to accommodate the new rail access line. Note the overall warehouse footprint for the site remains unaltered at 715,000 square metres.

The bio-diesel power station has been relocated from its original location to south end of the sidings shown in purple to a new location shown above. Astral still intend to run a methane power plant in the original location at the end of the sidings.

The approximate path of the existing Parkside Road is shown in red, as per the original plans. The old road will be superceded by a new link road to the East.