Issue - decisions

The New Communities Portfolio Holder resolved

1.      that the Highways Agency be informed that South Cambridgeshire District Council

a)      supports the A14 improvement scheme in principle.  However, there may be matters of detail, or alternative proposals, that could prompt it into making representations at the public inquiry, particularly as Local Planning Authority and Local Environmental Health Authority.   Such details could include treatments or designs intended to address the impact on existing or planned development, noise mitigation, air quality, landscape, ecology, drainage issues and so on.   The Council reserves the right to make such representations should it be necessary in the light of submissions yet to be made by other parties and assessed by South Cambridgeshire District Council.

b)      urges the delivery of the scheme as soon as possible.  The improvements are necessary in order to deliver the Growth Agenda, and improve journey times and road safety for the travelling public.

c)      urges the Highways Agency to work with Cambridgeshire County Council (as Local Highways Authority), South Cambridgeshire District Council and those parish councils along the route, in preparing a construction management plan and minimise general traffic rat-running through villages during the A14 improvement works. 

d)      seeks commitment from the Highways Agency to engage and consult with the local authority on the detailed design stage of the whole route, in particular regarding the following issues:

a.      Barriers and other mitigation measures and their installation. 

b.      Construction Environmental Management Plan.

c.      Construction Noise & Vibration Management Plan to agree noise and vibration mitigation measures.

d.      Landscape measures, including schemes for off-site planting.

e.      Ecology Matters

e)      Urges the Highways Agency to explore opportunities for the recycling of waste materials from the Northstowe development site.

f)        supports the revised route alignment to the north of Conington, which increases the separation between the village and the new A14.

g)      supports the provision of an A1198 junction with west-facing slips and emergency only east-facing slips.

h)      supports the revised junction arrangement at Fen Drayton and Trinity Foot allowing direct access to the Cambridge Services from both the A14 and Local Access Road, and urges the Highways Agency to consider the need for a footbridge allowing direct pedestrian access between Buckingway Business Park and Cambridge Services.

i)        supports the retention of the existing over bridge at the Bar Hill junction as a segregated route for non-motorised users.

j)        accepts that an all movement interchange at Girton is not currently justified, given the evidence provided by the Highways Agency.

k)      requests public scrutiny of the Highway Agency’s modelling data, and seeks confirmation that the Highways Agency has taken account of the latest position in relation to the Council’s Local Development Framework, particularly concerning revisions to allocations for development.

l)        reserves its position and seeks commitment from the Highways Agency to include it in discussions at detailed design stage to make sure that noise attenuation barriers at Orchard Park are provided to the highest international standards.

m)   supports and seeks commitment from the Highways Agency to include it in discussions at detailed design stage and provide, to the highest international standards, a noise attenuation barrier adjacent to the Blackwell Traveller Site, as well as additional planting there, which should improve the environment of the site.

n)      accepts that the forecast changes in air quality will mean that national air quality objectives would be met.  As part of its duties in Local Air Quality Management (LAQM), the District Council’s Health and Environmental Service will continue to monitor air quality at strategic points along the A14.  Should the predictions made in the modelling, such as improvements in fleet emissions, pollutant background concentrations, traffic figures and so on. not be achieved and, as a result, the air quality objectives are not met, then the Highways Agency will be required to engage with the local authority to investigate potential mitigation measures (which could include speed limits and traffic light phasing at junctions to reduce queuing).  These may be based on long term emissions reduction measures at the detailed design stage, should information come to light before this stage, or at any point in the future as part of the LAQM process.

o)      does not object to the Scheme on the grounds of noise impact provided that adequate mitigation measures are fully implemented and maintained.

p)      supports the landscape measures proposed as part of the scheme and seeks confirmation that it will be consulted at the detailed design stage on landscape measures, including schemes for off-site planting. The Highways Agency is requested to provide further information on aspects of the Environmental Statement regarding the impact of the scheme on the setting of Cambridge and surrounding countryside.

q)      objects to the lack of provision of a mammal pass for water voles on watercourse 18 (Washpit Brook), and would encourage the Highways Agency to provide mammal passes on culverts as standard. 

r)       objects to the lack of provision for the protection of the bat flight path in the Hilton area where large numbers have been observed.

s)      seeks a commitment from the Highways Agency to monitor newly created habitats every second year over a ten-year period, and to include it in discussions during the detailed design stage on ecology matters, particularly in investigating the provision of safety fencing for livestock and wildlife, where appropriate.

t)        supportsthe general provision made for non-motorised users.  However, objects in principle to the lack of consideration of crossings over the A14 along the Cambridge Northern Bypass at the Histon and Impington and Fen Ditton junctions, pending the outcome of the A14 Cycle Crossing Study.  The Council seeks commitment from the Highways Agency to include it in discussions during the detailed design of the NIAB bridge to ensure its suitability for non-motorised users.

u)      supports the provision of lay-bys, which should help deal with the current shortage of lorry parking along the route, and urges the Highways Agency to consider off-site provision for lorry parking to discourage unauthorised lorry parking in villages along the route of the A14.

2.         that authority to make any detailed changes to the objections, and negotiate any withdrawal of objections, be delegated to the Corporate Manager (Planning and Sustainable Communities) in consultation with the relevant Portfolio Holder or Portfolio Holders

The New Communities Portfolio Holder agreed that Costain Skanska Joint Venture be told that South Cambridgeshire District Council’s response to the proposed draft Traffic Order on the A14 loop road at Girton interchange was as follows:

1.         The Council has no objection in principle to the proposal to retain the A14 west bound loop Road at the Girton Interchange subject to a traffic regulation order restricting access to emergency and maintenance vehicles only.

2.            Landscape mitigation should be extended to the whole of the retained area, which is currently:

·                      A mixture of established scrub and low woodland planting to the central area - there should be management of existing woodland, including new planting / glades / establishment of turf margins to and widening of the existing road verges and planting.

·                      New planting to the western mitigation area.

·                      Established scrub and farmed land at the eastern mitigation area.  The ‘existing pond’ to the east seems to have been filled with vegetation and including areas of scrub (probably shrub willow) - there should be management to re-establish the eastern pond or, if retaining willow, establish a new pond in mitigation area currently farmed.

3.                     Planting to ensure strong links between mitigation areas should be a minimum of 20 metres deep.

To sign up to a joint statement of support for the A14 Ellington to Fen Drayton proposals along with Cambridgeshire County Council, the city and district councils, and other key stakeholders.

This statement includes the following general principles: support for the orange route Ellington to Fen Drayton, support for the separation of through traffic from local traffic, with limited junctions, maximum environmental ameliorative measures, and urges the Highways Agency to deliver the scheme as soon as possible to assist with delivery of the Growth Agenda and in particular Northstowe. 

To submit the following comments to the Highways Agency:

The Council supports the scheme in general terms in order to improve road safety, accessibility, air quality, economic development, and to reduce congestion and the impact of noise on existing communities.  However, there will be a need for careful consideration to be given to mitigating the environmental impacts of the proposals through the development of strategies for spoil, landscape, noise, air quality and ecology.

Whilst the Council has no preference between the routes, it seeks a minor realignment to route the road north of Conington to increase the gap between it and the village, so that the road runs as close as possibly to the Conington landfill site and as far as possible away from the village.

The Council supports the non-inclusion of an additional interchange for the new A14 with the A1198 as it considers that it would simply add additional traffic to the A1198, and is concerned about the impact on a number of villages along the A1198.

The Council supports the Highways Agency’s intention to ensure most footpaths and bridleways will not be severed by the new road.

The Council considers that the scheme should be given the highest priority and be delivered at the earliest opportunity.  It is essential that the Bar Hill to Girton section is the first phase of the scheme to be implemented in order to facilitate the new developments close to Cambridge especially the new town of Northstowe.  These developments form part of the Government’s objectives for the delivery of its Growth Areas. 

Council RESOLVED to