Decision details

Highways England have submitted their application for a Development Consent Order (DCO) for the A428 improvements between Black Cat and Caxton Gibbet.  As one of the initial formal stages of this process, interested parties are invited to submit relevant representations to the PlNS appointed examiner so that these matters can be considered in more detail as part of the examination.

South Cambridgeshire District Council has been working alongside Huntingdon District Council and Cambridge County Council in respect of the A428 project. The three authorities have been reviewing the A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet DCO application and believe that discussion, further information, and changes to the application will be required in the areas set out in the attached response. This is based on the current understanding of the information and may be altered, added to or amended as the review continues and discussion with Highways England begins.

The relevant representations attached as part of this decision are an appropriate response to the details that have been submitted as part of the A428 Development Consent Order.

While the overall A428 road widening project is supported by South Cambridgeshire District Council, there needs to be further evaluation of some elements of the submitted DCO scheme to ensure that sufficient safeguards and mitigation measures are employed across a number of technical areas. 

Option 1 – To not make a representation.

Reason for rejection: This would be disadvantageous for the District as it would curtail any further opportunity to respond to the technical details contained within the DCO. The relevant representations are a precursor to our full response which is to follow in the coming months. It would not be possible to proceed to a full response without the initial relevant representations.