Agenda item

To consider a report which highlights the findings of the recent pubic consultation on the proposed Congleton Link Road, recommends a preferred route for the road and seeks approval to undertake the further work necessary to submit a planning application for the scheme.

Cabinet considered a report which highlighted the findings of the recent pubic consultation on the proposed Congleton Link Road, recommended a preferred route for the road and sought approval to undertake the further work necessary to submit a planning application for the scheme.

The proposed Link Road was a key component of the Council’s economic growth strategy and new Local Plan, enabling job creation, delivering housing growth and addressing longstanding traffic congestion and environmental issues in the town.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet

1.    notes the findings of the Public Consultation report;

2.    approves the findings of the Preferred Route Assessment report, namely that a modified hybrid of the Red and Purple routes be taken forward as the preferred route;

3.    approves that the necessary steps are taken to protect the preferred route shown in Annex A from future development including introducing the necessary modifications (as a minor amendment) to the submission draft of the Local Plan Core Strategy at the earliest opportunity; this protection also to apply to the linking spur roads to Radnor Park and Congleton Business Park;

4.    authorises the Director of Economic Growth and Prosperity in consultation with the Portfolio Holder and other relevant Cabinet members to determine the proposed  boundaries of the ‘strategic locations’ as set out in the submission draft of the Core Strategy to reflect the preferred route as the boundary of development;

5.    approves a minor amendment to the submission draft of the supporting Policy Principles document of the Local Plan (Policy C0 2) to specify that the protected route status of the proposed new highway will extend to 100m either side of the proposed new centre line;

6.    approves that the alignment of the preferred route and spur roads be further developed and notes the costs of the project development to enable the submission of a planning application and further development of the business case and that the professional support required for this is provided by Jacobs through the Highways Contract with Ringway Jacobs;

7.    approves that officers commence detailed discussions immediately with affected landowners, local residents, businesses, parish councils and recognised community groups to refine the design details (including access arrangements and traffic management measures) and that supplementary formal consultation be undertaken to inform planning submission material;

8.    approves that a ‘pre-planning application’ consultation be held and that the details and arrangements be delegated to the Head of Strategic Infrastructure in consultation with the Portfolio Holder;

9.    notes the anticipated programme for the next stage of work;

10. delegates authority to the Director of Economic Growth and Prosperity to authorise entering into licences for the purpose of gaining access to third party land for the purpose of carrying out surveys or, in the event that the use of a licence is not possible or appropriate, to authorise the use of the Highway Authority’s powers to gain access to land pursuant to ss289-290 of the Highways Act 1980; and

11. agrees in principle that a capital provision be identified in 2015/16 to make allowance for possible acquisition of land/blight claims subject to a more detailed business case.