This Council welcomes the commitment by government to invest in the Oxford-Cambridge corridor and to enable it to make a nationally significant contribution to economic growth.
This Council sees the construction of the central section of the East West Rail line as being transformational for the regional economy, allowing sustained growth and geographical expansion of our high value industries such as life sciences, IT and digital.
This Council believes that at this stage in the design process it is essential for all route options to be evaluated. The selection of route options must be based on analysis of how they support and unlock housing and employment growth and how they fit with our existing development strategies.
This Council acknowledges that infrastructure investment on this scale carries enormous risks in its impacts on the environment while also presenting us with an unprecedented opportunity to make positive contributions to the net biodiversity and natural capital gain of the areas affected. This Council therefore commits itself to promoting environmental enhancement of benefits (such as flood management, water availability, noise and air pollution mitigation, health and landscape/amenities) along the corridor and asks that this is included in the route evaluation criteria.
This Council recognises that East West Rail and the growth of the corridor more generally will bring significant change to existing communities. It will work closely with those affected from the earliest stages of the project and will ensure that the delivery bodies do likewise.
This Council will continue to collaborate with the East West Railway Company on the route options and on analysing their benefits and impacts.
This Council will coordinate its work with all the local partners as well as the East West Rail Consortium, of which the Council is a long-standing member.
This Council requests that the Leader and Chief Executive write to the East West Railway Company, the Department of Transport, Network Rail and our MPs to express our aspirations for East West Rail in these terms.
Decision:
Following amendment with the consent of the mover, Council AGREED the following motion:
This Council welcomes the commitment by government to invest in the Oxford-Cambridge corridor and to enable it to make a nationally significant contribution to economic growth.
This Council sees the construction of the central section of the East West Rail line as being transformational for the regional economy, allowing sustained growth and geographical expansion of our high value industries such as life sciences, IT and digital.
This Council believes that at this stage in the design process it is essential for all route options to be evaluated. The selection of route options must take account of analysis of how they support and unlock housing and employment growth and how they fit with our existing development strategies.
This Council acknowledges that infrastructure investment on this scale carries enormous risks in its impacts on the environment while also presenting us with an unprecedented opportunity to make positive contributions to the net biodiversity and natural capital gain of the areas affected. This Council therefore commits itself to promoting environmental enhancement of benefits (such as flood management, water availability, noise and air pollution mitigation, health and landscape/amenities) along the corridor and asks that this is included in the route evaluation criteria.
This Council recognises that East West Rail and the growth of the corridor more generally will bring significant change to existing communities. It will work closely with those affected from the earliest stages of the project and will ensure that the delivery bodies do likewise.
This Council will continue to collaborate with the East West Railway Company on the route options and on analysing their benefits and impacts.
This Council will coordinate its work with all the local partners as well as the East West Rail Consortium, of which the Council is a long-standing member.
This Council requests that the Leader and Chief Executive write to the East West Railway Company, the Department of Transport, Network Rail and our MPs to express our aspirations for East West Rail in these terms.
Minutes:
Councillor Aidan Van de Weyer moved the following motion as set out on the agenda:
“This Council welcomes the commitment by government to invest in the Oxford-Cambridge corridor and to enable it to make a nationally significant contribution to economic growth.
This Council sees the construction of the central section of the East West Rail line as being transformational for the regional economy, allowing sustained growth and geographical expansion of our high value industries such as life sciences, IT and digital.
This Council believes that at this stage in the design process it is essential for all route options to be evaluated. The selection of route options must be based on analysis of how they support and unlock housing and employment growth and how they fit with our existing development strategies.
This Council acknowledges that infrastructure investment on this scale carries enormous risks in its impacts on the environment while also presenting us with an unprecedented opportunity to make positive contributions to the net biodiversity and natural capital gain of the areas affected. This Council therefore commits itself to promoting environmental enhancement of benefits (such as flood management, water availability, noise and air pollution mitigation, health and landscape/amenities) along the corridor and asks that this is included in the route evaluation criteria.
This Council recognises that East West Rail and the growth of the corridor more generally will bring significant change to existing communities. It will work closely with those affected from the earliest stages of the project and will ensure that the delivery bodies do likewise.
This Council will continue to collaborate with the East West Railway Company on the route options and on analysing their benefits and impacts.
This Council will coordinate its work with all the local partners as well as the East West Rail Consortium, of which the Council is a long-standing member.
This Council requests that the Leader and Chief Executive write to the East West Railway Company, the Department of Transport, Network Rail and our MPs to express our aspirations for East West Rail in these terms.”
In introducing the motion, Councillor Van de Weyer reported that consultation was about to start on the route of the central section of the East West rail line and that it was important to raise awareness in advance of the consultation of the impact that the project could make on the regional economy. It was expected that the East West Rail Company would consult on more than one route and it was important that the benefits and impacts of each route were analysed. Councillor Van de Weyer argued that the more the Council got involved in the discussion, the more it could influence and shape the outcomes. He noted that he had already raised issues about mitigating environmental impacts and securing environmental enhancements along the route. Councillor Van de Weyer explained that another reason for putting forward the motion was to underline the need to look at a range of routes. He referred to a previous report by Network Rail examining some routes, but argued that a more comprehensive review was needed.
The motion was seconded by Councillor John Williams
During discussion upon the motion:-
· Councillor Nigel Cathcart commented that the Council had just adopted the Local Plan and had agreed the housing requirements for a significant period of time in the future. He noted that East West Rail and the associated growth in the corridor would be likely to draw more housing development to the District outside the scope of the Local Plan. This gave rise to questions and concerns that needed to be reviewed before the East West Rail proposals could be enthusiastically welcomed, however, with the caveats around housing growth, Councillor Cathcart acknowledged that if the project was going to proceed, it was important to engage with the process.
· Councillor Tom Bygott observed that East West Rail had the scope to transform the economy. He was pleased to note that the Council had now joined the East West Rail Consortium and was actively engaging within the organisation. Councillor Bygott was supportive of the motion but emphasised the need for all options to be evaluated and for the criteria for route selection to be looked at carefully. He also stressed the importance of protecting the countryside. With reference to the second sentence of the third paragraph of the motion, Councillor Bygott suggested that, as an amendment to the motion, the words “be based on” should be replaced by the words “take account of”. Councillor Van de Weyer, as the mover of the motion, agreed to accept this alteration.
(Note: Councillor Philippa Hart declared a disclosable pecuniary interest in this item and left the room during discussion and voting thereon).
Upon being put to the vote, votes were cast as follows:
In favour: (40)
Councillors Phillip Allen, Henry Batchelor, John Batchelor, Ruth Betson, Dr. Shrobona Bhattacharya, Anna Bradnam, Tom Bygott, Dr. Martin Cahn, Sarah Cheung Johnson, Graham Cone, Dr. Claire Daunton, Dr. Douglas de Lacey, Clare Delderfield, Sue Ellington, Peter Fane, Neil Gough, Jose Hales, Bill Handley, Geoff Harvey, Dr. Tumi Hawkins, Pippa Heylings, Mark Howell, Steve Hunt, Alex Malyon, Tony Mason, Peter McDonald, Brian Milnes, Dawn Percival, Judith Rippeth, Deborah Roberts, Nick Sample, Bridget Smith, Hazel Smith, Dr. Ian Sollom, Peter Topping, Aidan Van de Weyer, Heather Williams, John Williams, Eileen Wilson and Nick Wright
Against (0)
Abstain (1)
Councillor Nigel Cathcart,
Council
RESOLVED:
This Council welcomes the commitment by government to invest in the Oxford-Cambridge corridor and to enable it to make a nationally significant contribution to economic growth.
This Council sees the construction of the central section of the East West Rail line as being transformational for the regional economy, allowing sustained growth and geographical expansion of our high value industries such as life sciences, IT and digital.
This Council believes that at this stage in the design process it is essential for all route options to be evaluated. The selection of route options must take account of analysis of how they support and unlock housing and employment growth and how they fit with our existing development strategies.
This Council acknowledges that infrastructure investment on this scale carries enormous risks in its impacts on the environment while also presenting us with an unprecedented opportunity to make positive contributions to the net biodiversity and natural capital gain of the areas affected. This Council therefore commits itself to promoting environmental enhancement of benefits (such as flood management, water availability, noise and air pollution mitigation, health and landscape/amenities) along the corridor and asks that this is included in the route evaluation criteria.
This Council recognises that East West Rail and the growth of the corridor more generally will bring significant change to existing communities. It will work closely with those affected from the earliest stages of the project and will ensure that the delivery bodies do likewise.
This Council will continue to collaborate with the East West Railway Company on the route options and on analysing their benefits and impacts.
This Council will coordinate its work with all the local partners as well as the East West Rail Consortium, of which the Council is a long-standing member.
This Council requests that the Leader and Chief Executive write to the East West Railway Company, the Department of Transport, Network Rail and our MPs to express our aspirations for East West Rail in these terms.