Agenda item

1.

Question from Alan Bailey to the Cabinet Member for Customer and Regulatory Services, Councillor Martin Horwood

As a result of their appeal, the Kendrick work can start on Shurdington Road and given the other work that has started there are a number of questions that need urgent answers by the Planning Authority.

Can the Council explain what steps are being taken to ensure that:

a.    residents along Shurdington Road are kept fully informed?

b.    the work continues in a safe manner?

Response from Cabinet Member

I share the questioner’s concerns that the public should be kept informed by those responsible and that the work is carried out safely. Planning permission was originally granted for the construction of 12 new dwellings, to include road and drainage infrastructure, parking and landscaping through an outline planning consent in June 2020 (19/02303/OUT). Following this a Reserved Matters application was submitted in January 2021 and prior to determination of that application an appeal was lodged by the developers for non-determination. The decision making on the application has then transferred to the Planning Inspectorate and a decision to allow the appeal was made on 17^th June 2022.

(a)   Residents were consulted throughout the planning application process both at outline and reserved matters stages and their comments taken into account by the Council and Planning Inspector in making their decisions. The onus is now on the developer to carry out the development in accordance with the planning permission and conditions attached. Should there be any deviation to the approved scheme residents can alert the Planning Enforcement Team and we will investigate. It would be good practice for the developer to keep their neighbours informed as work progresses.

(b)   The Local Planning Authority do not cover the remit of safety in terms of construction and the onus is on the developer to ensure that they carry out the development in a safe manner. Notwithstanding this the Council did attach a planning condition requiring the developer to agree a Construction Method Statement which provides for information relating to the construction phase i.e. hours of operation, parking, routes for construction, methods etc. The Council has recently considered and subsequently approved an application to agree to the details of this condition following consultation with the Highways Authority Gloucestershire County Council (Discharge of Condition application reference 22/01185/DISCON). The Construction Method Statement specifically includes details of the hours of work as well as information including Community Liaison and Complaints Procedure. A display board will be on site and include all relevant information in connection with the works and the developer will undertake a letter drop and include signage to inform local residents. Furthermore there is a requirement on the developer to engage with the Highways Authority as part of a Section 278 agreement to make alterations to the public highway and in that respect the Highway Authority take a lead on ensuring that the works to the highway are safe.

2.

Question from Alan Bailey to the Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency, Councillor Alisha Lewis

All Councils have agreed to create safer streets. In response to questions by me CBC said they were working with GCC. In response to a question by me GCC said that money was going to be available. Given GCC has said money will be available.

What progress has been made toward safer streets in Leckhampton?

Response from Cabinet Member

CBC is supportive of safer streets and has proactively engaged with GCC through the process of developing the latest iteration of the Local Transport Plan, with our formal consultation response being informed by the ‘Connecting Cheltenham’ report commissioned by this authority.

This response sought the following:

• Development of the local transport network to put people first;
• Prioritisation of walking and cycling for short trips, as well as effective public transport for localised journeys;
• A shift towards low carbon geographic connectivity (trains and vehicles) for longer journeys;
• A step change improvement in sustainable travel.

We suggested a target outcome: ‘that the way people move around Cheltenham should enhance and not harm health and wellbeing.’

At the moment, we recognise that in some locations the speed, volume, noise and air quality issues caused as a result of the way people move around Cheltenham in vehicles harms living conditions and discourages playing out, walking and cycling.

The report suggests a range of measures to try and address this, including the introduction of 20 mph zones in the town centre and within local centres on key radial routes.

Full details of the Connecting Cheltenham report can be found here:

https://www.cheltenham.gov.uk/info/61/climate_and_sustainability/1649/connecting_cheltenham

Whilst CBC can make constructive suggestions about improvement issues relating the town’s roads and encourage increased support for sustainable transport modes, we are not the Highways Authority and ultimately, investment decisions are made by GCC.

GCC has many issues to balance in deciding how to prioritise highway-related investment and is having to grapple with a backlog of disrepair and a deficit in national funding, as well as considering how to assist with the necessary transition to a low carbon future in light of the growing climate crisis.

I have shared your concerns with Jason Humm, the new Director of Transport and Highways at GCC and he has requested that his team respond to you directly.