Issue - meetings

Report of the Head of Planning, Transportation and Environment (PTE/21/32), seeking approval to progress activities associated with the preparation of the Full Business Case (FBC) for the A382 Corridor Improvement scheme from Drumbridges to Newton Abbot in a Major Road Network bid to the DfT, attached.

An Impact Assessment is attached for the attention of Members at this meeting.

(Councillors Connett and Dewhirst declared personal interests in this matter by virtue of being Members of Teignbridge District Council)

RESOLVED

(a) that the preliminary scheme layout shown on the scheme plans (attached to the report in Appendix 1) be approved and delegated authority be given to the to the Head of Planning, Transportation and Environment, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Environment and Transport and relevant local member(s), to make minor amendments to the Scheme details and to progress towards a Full Business Case (FBC);

(b) that the commencement of the acquisition of land through negotiation and/or a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) and any associated Side Road

Orders be approved;

(c) that the funding of advance works for utility diversions, land acquisition and mitigation measures of £2.469 million in 21/22 and 22/23 and £1.5 million

in 23/24 be approved funded by Local Transport Plan (LTP) grant (which will be eligible for DfT grant funding, if the Scheme receives FBC approval; and

(d) that the Scheme proceed to tender and a Full Business case be prepared for submission to the Department for Transport at an estimated cost of £44.85 million of which £38.12 million will be funded by the DfT with the remaining £6.73 million funded by developer contributions and LTP grant.

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

(Councillors Connett and Dewhirst declared personal interests in this matter by virtue of being Members of Teignbridge District Council)

The Cabinet considered the Report of the Head of Planning, Transportation and Environment (PTE/21/32) on activities associated with the preparation of the Full Business Case (FBC) for the A382 Corridor Improvement scheme from Drumbridges to Newton Abbot in a Major Road Network bid to the DfT. The Report had been 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 A382 Drumbridges to Forches Cross Major Road Network (MRN) Outline Business Case (OBC) had been given programme entry by the Department for Transport (DfT) in May 2021.

The Report sought approval to progress activities associated with the preparation of the FBC including detailed design, approval to acquire land, approval to begin advance works like planting and land acquisition mitigation measures, and approval to go to tender to confirm the scheme cost prior to submitting the FBC. Further Cabinet approval would be sought prior to the submission of the FBC and award of construction contract.

The Scheme would enable the local plan development to come forward and improve access to Newton Abbot and the A38 by improving the A382 corridor for all modes. The scheme consisted of road widening, upgrading pinch point junctions, providing new roundabouts, and a new link to the south of the corridor. The scheme also included major upgrades to walking and cycling provision.

The locations of the improvements included the Drumbridges to Trago Roundabout, Trago roundabout, Trago roundabout to Forches Cross, Forches Cross, Whitehill Cross, Whitehill Cross to West Golds Way and Whitehill Cross to Churchills.

The majority of the Scheme’s funding was expected to come from a bid to the Department for Transport’s Major Road Network investment programme. This total cost included a local contribution of 15% which was a requirement of the MRN funding process. This local contribution would be a combination of LTP grant, section 106/Community Infrastructure Levy (local development contributions) and South West Exeter Housing Infrastructure Fund recycled developer contributions as agreed at Cabinet on 14 October 2020 (Report PTE/20/25).

Cabinet noted that whilst the expenditure was profiled to take place in 2025/26, the majority of the contributions were not expected until 2026/27 at the earliest which had been taken into account in forward funding reporting and monitoring.

For the Planning Application, environmental considerations for the whole scheme had been assessed through an Environmental Impact Assessment. It outlined the biodiversity impacts, landscape and noise assessment and the mitigations in place. Water Environment impacts had been assessed and a detailed Surface Water Sustainable Drainage Strategy (SuDS) produced. The noise impact was expected to be neutral as well as air quality.

The Scheme would lead to positive social impacts, by benefitting all road users including bus users through improved journey time reliability  ...  view the full minutes text for item 51