Agenda item

Highway improvements including a new roundabout, junction, access, pedestrian/cycle connections and crossings; including landscaping and associated infrastructure and engineering works.

Officers:

Janine Wright, Principal Planning Officer

Tim Dukes, Principal Transport Development Planning Officer

Speakers:

None.

Key points raised during the discussion:

1.    The Principal Planning Officer introduced the item and noted that the application was for highway improvements including a new roundabout, junction, access, pedestrian/cycle connections and crossings; including landscaping and associated infrastructure and engineering works. Full details could be found from page 9 of the meeting agenda. An update sheet was published within a supplementary agenda.

2.    The Chairman noted that a site visit was held for Planning and Regulatory Committee Members.

3.    In regard to operating hours, a Member noted that the proposed hours were from 7am – 1pm on a Saturday. Due to the proximity of housing, the Member asked whether a later start time had been considered. Officers stated that the operating hours were suggested in conjunction with the County Noise Consultant as well as the Applicant and was considered to be acceptable. The officer added that any out-of-hours working was required to be included in the Construction Management Plan.

4.    Members noted that officers believed that the applicant would be undertaking community involvement with local residents.

5.    A Member asked whether the proposed new roundabout could cause traffic issues elsewhere. The Principal Transport Development Planning Officer explained that there was a theory that changing one junction could move an issue, such as a bottleneck, elsewhere however the proposal was a part of a wider scheme along the A320 and potential improvements to Junction 11 of the M25. The Officer said that officers had worked to the best of their ability to prevent traffic issues from moving into the surrounding area.

6.    A Member asked that a condition be included which stated that, during discussions with residents, that local ward councillors were used as a conduit to transfer information. The Member stated that involving local councillors would aid conversations with developers throughout the development. The officer highlighted an informative which stated that the applicant was required to include details of the safe use of existing road diversions during the construction period in the Construction Transport Management Plan. Further to this , Officers agreed to include an additional informative to state that consultation with residents included the local ward councillors.

7.    Members noted that the applicant was required to submit a landscaping plan and within this would be provisions that state that if any of the planted  trees were to die within a five year period then they would need to be replanted. Members also noted that Condition 11 included provision for failed retained trees.

8.    Members noted that paragraph 245 of the officer’s report provided detail related to night working.  

9.    The Chairman moved the recommendation, including the additional informative discussed during the debate, which received unanimous support.

Actions / further information to be provided:

None.

Resolved:

The Committee agreed that the application be referred to the Secretary of State under paragraph 10 of the Town and Country Planning (Consultation) (England) Direction 2021, and in the absence of any direction by the Secretary of State, to PERMIT subject to the conditions and informatives set out in the report and agreed during the committee meeting. .