Issue - meetings

East-West Rail Bedford to Cambridge consultation response

Meeting: 13/03/2019 - Weekly Bulletin (Item 8.)

East-West Rail Bedford to Cambridge consultation response

The Deputy Leader agreed to approve the submission including revised wording reflecting the Cabinet minute from the meeting held on 6 March 2019.

 

This decision was first published on 11 March and so the deadline for call-in is 5pm on Monday 18 March.


Meeting: 06/03/2019 - Cabinet (Item 10)

10 East-West Rail Bedford to Cambridge consultation response pdf icon PDF 192 KB

Additional documents:

Decision:

On behalf of South Cambridgeshire District Council, Cabinet approved the draft consultation response to the East-West Rail Bedford to Cambridge consultation, attached as Appendix 1 to the report from the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development, subject to

 

1.    amendments to reflect the following:

 

·         On the approach to Cambridge section, removal of an expression of a preference, and focus instead on issues that should be taken into account, including emphasise the importance of connectivity, to the east of Cambridge, to the proposed Cambridge South railway station, and to other transport links;

·         an assessment of the impact on the amenity of communities located along the chosen route

·         an expression of the Council’s disappointment that trains using the route at least at the outset would be diesel rather than electric,

·         highlighting the necessity for measures to minimise any adverse impact on the environment and on heritage assets, and to explore opportunities for environmental enhancement, including to address flood risk.

 

2.    delegation to the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development, in consultation with the Deputy Leader of South Cambridgeshire District Council, to finalise the wording of the response.

Minutes:

Cabinet considered a report seeking its agreement to the Council’s proposed response to the current East-West Rail Bedford to Cambridge consultation.

 

Cabinet heard that representatives from 52 most affected Parish Councils in South Cambridgeshire had been invited to participate in a series of workshops. Comments included

 

  • Broad agreement with the concept and recognition of the benefit of an the east west rail connection
  • a perception that this project lacked a joined-up approach with the various other transport infrastructure initiatives in progress in the area
  • concern about the visual and ecological impact of the line, and the minimal detail in the consultation documents about these issues
  • The line would be designed with gradients to allow freight,  so there was concern over what this could mean for villages in terms of potential noise impacts overnight
  • concerns about parking associated with any station at Cambourne or Bassingbourn, and its potential impact to the surrounding areas.
  • On a positive note, the Parishes welcomed the engagement, and encouraged further quarterly meetings to be kept up to date and allow ongoing input as the project continues.

 

Councillor Hazel Smith highlighted the proposal’s potential implications for the development of new housing, but regretted that it did little to improve local transport.

 

Councillor Nigel Cathcart (local Member for Bassingbourn) was concerned about the scale of growth that might be located around a new railway station in South Cambridgeshire. The Cambourne route appeared to be the better option, but timescale was an issue.

 

In response to an email query as to the Council’s opinion on whether the railway required Strategic Environmental Assessment, officers provided a verbal update that this was a matter between the applicant – East West Rail Company – and those raising the question. However, the Council’s draft response did refer to the need to integrate the project with environmental and planning issues.

 

Following further discussion, and on behalf of South Cambridgeshire District Council, Cabinet approved the draft consultation response to the East-West Rail Bedford to Cambridge consultation, attached as Appendix 1 to the report from the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development, subject to

 

1.    amendments to reflect the following:

 

·         On the approach to Cambridge section, removal of an expression of a preference, and focus instead on issues that should be taken into account, including emphasise the importance of connectivity, to the east of Cambridge, to the proposed Cambridge South railway station, and to other transport links;

·         an assessment of the impact on the amenity of communities located along the chosen route

·         an expression of the Council’s disappointment that trains using the route at least at the outset would be diesel rather than electric,

·         highlighting the necessity for measures to minimise any adverse impact on the environment and on heritage assets, and to explore opportunities for environmental enhancement, including to address flood risk.

 

2.    delegation to the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development, in consultation with the Deputy Leader of South Cambridgeshire District Council, to finalise the wording of the response.