Agenda item

Report of the Head of Highways, Infrastructure Development and Waste (HIW/18/31) on proposals for the Realignment of the A379 at Slapton Line, attached.

(Councillors Biederman, Brazil, Dewhirst, Greenslade, Hannaford and Whitton attended in accordance with Standing Order 25(2) and spoke to this item).

The Cabinet considered the Report of the Head of Highways, Infrastructure Development and Waste (HIW/18/31) circulated prior to the meeting in accordance with regulation 7(4) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012 on the intended approach to the reinstatement of the length of the A379 at Slapton Line, which was closed following storm damage in early March 2018.

Storm Emma (on 1^st and 2^nd of March 2018) with gale force winds, surge conditions, high waves, coupled with high spring tides caused the partial loss and undermining of the carriageway along the central section of the A379 to the north of the Slapton village junction.  Damage was sustained over more than 400 metres, on either side of the length of road which had been previously re-aligned.

The work of the Slapton Line Partnership since 2001 (when the road was previously damaged) included the first iteration of a Coastal Zone Management Study (2004), which set out a future approach to the management of Slapton Line in the face of ongoing coastal change including proposals for the realignment of further lengths of the A379 to prolong its anticipated lifespan.

There had been an ongoing process of dealing with coastal resilience and adaptation measures at Slapton Line since then including investment in coastal defence works along Slapton Line, particularly at Torcross and a ‘Beach Management Plan’, for which national funding would be sought later in the year.

Following Storm Emma, the road between Torcross and Slapton Junction could be cleared and re-opened, which happened the following week, but the damage north of the Slapton turn-off required the closure of the road. Whilst some of the previous plans, which had accurately predicted the locations of greatest vulnerability and could allow a relatively fast-track approach to the reinstatement of the road based on the existing planning permission, it became apparent that a revised design would have to be adopted for the northern section of the proposed realignment, which required the submission of a new planning application, supported by an environmental impact assessment.

The plan at Appendix 1 to the Report illustrated the general location of the two sections of damaged highway to be reinstated, to the either side of the 2001 realignment.  The southern realignment, shown by Appendix 2, would be implemented based on the 2007 planning consent. The northern realignment, shown by Appendix 3, varied the 2007 design by extending it by a further 110m to the north and, for part of its length, by a few metres to the west. 

The Report further outlined a proposed timetable for the implementation of the proposed road reinstatement which included Scheme design, costing and contract preparation (May 2018), planning application and environmental impact assessment (May / June 2018), select scheme contractor (June 2018), realignment construction work (Summer 2018), finalise restoration of original, damaged, carriageway (Early Autumn 2018) with a view to the reopening of the road in late autumn, nothwithstanding that timings might be affected by the progress of the planning application.

The Council had been provided by the Department of Transport with £2.5 million of capital funding for the required works at Slapton Line. Following detailed design, estimated costs and timelines, a financial letter would be submitted to the Cabinet Member with responsibility for Resources, in order to enhance the capital programme, funded by the Department for Transport flood resilience fund grant.

The proposed works took the form of a highway management scheme which sought to reinstate an existing road, therefore no significant equality and public health issues were likely to result from the intended implementation of the scheme.

Slapton Line was a highly sensitive environment recognised by its SSSI and NNR designations.  These issues were addressed through the environmental assessment linked to the 2007 planning permission and were being updated and refined through the further work to accompany the new planning application.

The matter having been debated and the options and/or alternatives and other relevant factors (e.g. financial, sustainability, carbon impact, risk management, equality and legal considerations and Public Health impact) set out in the Chief Officer’s Report and/or referred to above having been considered:

It was MOVED by Councillor Hughes, SECONDED by Councillor Hart, and

RESOLVED that the proposed reinstatement of the A379 at Slapton Line, plus other associated remedial works, funded by the dedicated, emergency funding provided by Central Government, be approved.