DVSA LGV Test Centre

Car_54

facade wrote: »

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

I'd do some research into what was previously standing on the site of the new build as well, anything except meadowland is going to be trouble....

Unless the OP's solicitor is spectacularly incompetent, the routine searches would throw up any previous industrial use, and prompt a toxic soil survey.

facade

Car_54 wrote: »

Unless the OP's solicitor is spectacularly incompetent, the routine searches would throw up any previous industrial use, and prompt a toxic soil survey.

There are a lot of spectacularly incompetent solicitors about

Just a few local to me...

http://www.expressandstar.com/news/local-news/2016/08/31/toxic-soil-is-to-be-cleaned-up-in-gardens-outside-wolverhampton-homes/

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/toxic-timebomb-in-city-gardens-12851

http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2015/01/12/government-may-foot-bill-in-multi-million-willenhall-contaminated-estate-clean-up/

Why on Earth would you buy a house on the site of an old gasworks in the first place?

I pass a new development of very expensive houses on the way to work. I know that there are mine shafts somewhere on the land, as I am a local, and I'm sure that is where the old pit head was, so I checked the 19th century OS maps from that Scottish repository. In those days they were capped with timber and topfill...... :eek:

There is a big development on what used to be the local pig farm when I was a child. I know that when we had that big outbreak of foot & mouth in the 1970s they slaughtered the pigs and buried them, I can find people who will point out where. I bet the people living on top of the burial pits don't know.....

Herzlos

dannyrst wrote: »

Once I've reserved the plot (fully refundable) I'll ask to go on site and stand at the plot for a while to see what happens. I can also park about 10m up the road and listen from there.

It might be worth having a drive around the local area just before the centre opens, and at a few random times. If it's an HGV test centre you might find a lot of vehicles parked waiting for their appointment slot.

System

Tests are usually between 8am and 4pm. Basically the test involves driving at a certain speed down this lane then doing a controlled stop. Its not an emergency stop like you do in a car and you can actually fail the test for stopping too quickly. Its over in seconds and you'll maybe have no more than a couple an hour at the absolute most.

bigadaj

facade wrote: »

There are a lot of spectacularly incompetent solicitors about

Just a few local to me...

http://www.expressandstar.com/news/local-news/2016/08/31/toxic-soil-is-to-be-cleaned-up-in-gardens-outside-wolverhampton-homes/

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/toxic-timebomb-in-city-gardens-12851

http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2015/01/12/government-may-foot-bill-in-multi-million-willenhall-contaminated-estate-clean-up/

Why on Earth would you buy a house on the site of an old gasworks in the first place?

I pass a new development of very expensive houses on the way to work. I know that there are mine shafts somewhere on the land, as I am a local, and I'm sure that is where the old pit head was, so I checked the 19th century OS maps from that Scottish repository. In those days they were capped with timber and topfill...... :eek:

There is a big development on what used to be the local pig farm when I was a child. I know that when we had that big outbreak of foot & mouth in the 1970s they slaughtered the pigs and buried them, I can find people who will point out where. I bet the people living on top of the burial pits don't know.....

They should and generally are fully remediated.

Whether that's mine workings, contamination or other then a combination of local authority, environment agency and nhbc oversight should see problems addressed and resolved.

However having done a fair bit of that type of work I still haven't bought a new house on a new development, with historic issues or not.

And the nice meadow would probably be worse as it's far more likely to flood.

dannyrst

Herzlos wrote: »

It might be worth having a drive around the local area just before the centre opens, and at a few random times. If it's an HGV test centre you might find a lot of vehicles parked waiting for their appointment slot.

Driven around multiple times. The site backs onto the test center but it's about a 10 minute drive to get around to the actual place, so anyone waiting would park up in the industrial estate area.

The reversing bit is on the opposite side of the building to my house, so hopefully that and the fencing between the house will deflect some of the noise.

bigadaj

dannyrst wrote: »

Driven around multiple times. The site backs onto the test center but it's about a 10 minute drive to get around to the actual place, so anyone waiting would park up in the industrial estate area.

The reversing bit is on the opposite side of the building to my house, so hopefully that and the fencing between the house will deflect some of the noise.

For new builds the developer will have to have completed a noise assessment as part of the planning application.

This should be available on the council website.

dannyrst

All I could find was this:

A long section of the southern boundary of the site is shared with the former HGV
testing station. Although the testing station is now vacant, it does have an established use
for HGV testing and as such, an acoustic boundary fence is proposed to be placed along
the boundary to ensure that noise impacts to the proposed residential properties are
minimised. This will also ensure that any commercial use which may be proposed on this
adjoining commercial site would not be compromised in its operations by the positioning of
residential properties in reasonably close proximity to the boundary.

I'm pretty sure it isn't vacant, given it still has the DVSA signs up and I can still find details of it on the government websites for test centers. The local council website is down at the moment so I will try that later to get more info or contact details so I can ask if noise readings have been taken.

gpc273

The LGV driving test no longer has an brake test included, it was dropped several years ago, so you won't have the sound of screeching tyres.
Vehicles on the site, if its still in use, will be moving at a fairly sedate pace.

Where is the site? Many former VOSA sites which incorporated the LGV driving test area are for sale including Beverley, Cardiff, Calne, Edinburgh, Kidderminster, Northampton, Southampton, Wolverhampton and Wrexham.Many more are going as the DVSA (formerly VOSA and DSA) look to consolidate their estate and move operations to ATF's.

dannyrst

It is in Steeton, West Yorkshire. I can still find details of it on government websites but not much pops up when I google? Maybe it is closed.

I guess the question still remains given, as the above from the planning permission states, it could well be used for similar activities again.