Agenda item

Lee Burchill (Major Capital Programme Manager) and Barry Stiff (Senior Project Manager) were in attendance for this item.

1.    Mr Burchill gave a technical overview of the Road Improvement Scheme and confirmed that funding from the Department for Transport’s National Productivity Investment Fund (NPIF) would cover a significant portion of the scheme’s costs.

2.    Mr Chittenden described his monitoring of the scheme’s development, in his capacity as a local member. He raised concerns that there had been inadequate public notice that the plan for the scheme had changed, from a three-lane highway with a low retaining wall to a four-lane dual carriageway with a four-metre-high wall. He stated that there had been a lack of consultation on scheme, as it was proposed, and that the scheme as it stood would negatively impact the rural landscape adjacent to the road.

3.    Mr Burchill confirmed that the proposed four-lane dual carriageway would ease future maintenance and ensured less disruption to traffic. Mr Stiff reassured members that extensive ecology surveys had been carried out and that the dual carriageway and three lane options were similar in overall footprint.

4.    Mr Brazier and Mr Jones confirmed that they were satisfied with professional assurance received in relation to the scheme.

5.    Mr Chittenden asked that further information related to the professional assurance received in relation to the scheme be shared with members and published. Mr Stiff agreed to share the scheme’s ecology and other advisory reports with members following the meeting.

6.    Mr Chittenden moved and Mr Lewis seconded a motion “that the Environment and Transport Cabinet Committee recommend that the Corporate Director of Growth, Environment and Transport investigate and ensure that all investigations, consultations and reports including landscaping and planning in relation to biodiversity are in place and prior to proceeding with the work it is brought back to this committee for final recommendation.”

7.    Members voted on the motion. The motion was lost.

8.    The chairman moved “that the Environment and Transport Cabinet Committee endorse the proposed decision of the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport to give approval to:

i) Adopt The Bearsted Road dualling scheme shown on Drg. No. 70040984-SK-0086 for development control, land charge disclosures and implementation;

ii) Retain the current scheme for widening Bearsted Road to three lanes scheme shown on Drg. No. 70040984-SK-0087;

iii) Delegate the decision to decide which of the two scheme options (Drg. No. 70040984-SK-0086 or Drg. No.70040984-SK-0087) is delivered to the Corporate Director of Growth, Environment & Transport under the Officer Scheme of Delegations following the views of this Committee and after prior consultation with the Cabinet Member;

iv) Give authority to enter into the appropriate land, development and funding agreements and the award of the construction contract, and all other acts and consents and any subsidiary contracts required to allow the scheme to be implemented;

v) Delegate to the Corporate Director of Growth, Environment & Transport under the Officer Scheme of Delegations following prior consultation with the Cabinet Member, any further or other decisions as may be appropriate to deliver the Bearsted Road scheme;

vi) Confirm that other decisions in Record of Decision 18/00026 remain extant.”

9.    Members voted on the motion. The motion was carried.

RESOLVED to endorse the proposed decision of the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport to give approval to:

i) Adopt The Bearsted Road dualling scheme shown on Drg. No. 70040984-SK-0086 for development control, land charge disclosures and implementation;

ii) Retain the current scheme for widening Bearsted Road to three lanes scheme shown on Drg. No. 70040984-SK-0087;

iii) Delegate the decision to decide which of the two scheme options (Drg. No. 70040984-SK-0086 or Drg. No.70040984-SK-0087) is delivered to the Corporate Director of Growth, Environment & Transport under the Officer Scheme of Delegations following the views of this Committee and after prior consultation with the Cabinet Member;

iv) Give authority to enter into the appropriate land, development and funding agreements and the award of the construction contract, and all other acts and consents and any subsidiary contracts required to allow the scheme to be implemented;

v) Delegate to the Corporate Director of Growth, Environment & Transport under the Officer Scheme of Delegations following prior consultation with the Cabinet Member, any further or other decisions as may be appropriate to deliver the Bearsted Road scheme; and

vi) Confirm that other decisions in Record of Decision 18/00026 remain extant.