Agenda item

Report of the Director of Climate Change, Environment and Transport (CET/23/101) seeking approval for the Dinan Way Extension which would provide a link between the existing section of Dinan Way and the A376, attached.

An Impact Assessment has been prepared for the attention of Members at the meeting, is attached, and can also be found at - Dinan Way extension, Exmouth - Impact Assessment (devon.gov.uk).

RESOLVED

(a) that the scheme layout shown on drawing A10020-52A General Layout (attached to the report at Appendix 1) for tender and construction, subject to legal and land assembly agreements being completed or a compulsory purchase order being confirmed be approved;

(b) that the necessary Traffic Regulation Orders be advertised and if no objections received, be made and sealed;

(c) that the Director of Climate Change, Environment and Transport, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Environment and Transport, be given delegated authority to award the construction contract for the Scheme subject to the overall scheme cost being within a cost envelope of £13.025m; and

(d) that the Director of Climate Change, Environment and Transport, in consultation with the Local Members and Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Environment and Transport, be given delegated authority to make minor amendments to the scheme design.

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

The Cabinet considered the Report of the Director of Climate Change, Environment and Transport (CET/23/101) which sought approval for the Dinan Way Extension, 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.

The Report outlined the background to the scheme in terms of the progress made to extend Dinan Way to the A376 as well as the current issues such as high car volumes within Exmouth and along the A376 and the impact of new development. Whilst the majority of Dinan Way provided a good quality route, the final connection to the A376 was a weak link along residential streets or single-track country lanes.

In January 2023, it was announced that the Destination Exmouth package, consisting of the Dinan Way extension and improvements around Exmouth Gateway (where the Exe Estuary, rail station and A376 met in the town centre), had been successful in securing £15.7m of Levelling Up Funding.

It was proposed to construct a 6.5m wide carriageway approximately 830m long from the junction of Dinan Way / Hulham Road to the A376 Exmouth Road. A roundabout would form the junction at each end of the road.

A new shared use pedestrian and cycle path along the southern side of the Dinan Way Extension would provide a facility for pedestrians and cyclists from the northeast of Exmouth to access the A376, with bus stops provided for future routes and footpaths around the Wotton Valley area.

Provision of the Dinan Way Extension would provide the opportunity to close Summer Lane to through traffic, providing an alternative, higher quality route for pedestrians and cyclists.

The scheme would improve connectivity across the whole town for all modes and improve the environment for residents and safety for people by creating new walking and cycling links.  The scheme would also provide options for more direct bus routes as well as reducing congestion and improving journey times.

The scheme required land acquisition and the negotiations with affected landowners were ongoing.

A public consultation had been held in June 2015 and a statutory consultation as part of the planning application process. There were many stakeholders involved in the scheme and all had been consulted throughout the process.

The scheme was well aligned with a range of the Strategic Plan priorities by supporting economic recovery and helping communities be safe, resilient and connected. The table in the Report summarised how the proposals would impact achievement of relevant Strategic Plan actions.

The estimated overall cost of Dinan Way was £13.025m. Levelling Up Round 2 (LUF2) had allocated £15.766m to fund the scheme and the Exmouth Gateway, with local contributions from others totalling £1.752m. The estimated expenditure profile was outlined in section 7 of the Report.

An Impact Assessment had been prepared for the meeting and could be found at - Dinan Way extension, Exmouth - Impact Assessment (devon.gov.uk). Whilst the scheme would have an adverse impact on residents living along this scheme and construction works may generate noise and cause wider traffic disruption for a short period of time, in summary, the scheme would improve connectivity for people living and working in the northern and eastern parts of Exmouth with the rest of Devon and remove large volumes of traffic from unsuitable residential roads and country lanes. It would also improve walking and cycling connectivity in the area through improved links to the Exe Estuary Trail.

The scheme had been through detailed design and land acquisition was ongoing.

The matter having been debated and the options and alternatives and other relevant factors (e.g. financial, sustainability and carbon impact, risk management, equality and legal considerations and alignment with the Council’s Strategic Plan) set out in the Director’s Report having been considered:

it was MOVED by Councillor Davis, SECONDED by Councillor Hart, and

RESOLVED

(a) that the scheme layout shown on drawing A10020-52A General Layout (attached to the report at Appendix 1) for tender and construction, subject to legal and land assembly agreements being completed or a compulsory purchase order being confirmed be approved;

(b) that the necessary Traffic Regulation Orders be advertised and if no objections received, be made and sealed;

(c) that the Director of Climate Change, Environment and Transport, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Environment and Transport, be given delegated authority to award the construction contract for the Scheme subject to the overall scheme cost being within a cost envelope of £13.025m; and

(d) that the Director of Climate Change, Environment and Transport, in consultation with the Local Members and Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Environment and Transport, be given delegated authority to make minor amendments to the scheme design.