Agenda item

Report of the Head of Planning, Transportation and Environment (PTE/19/19) requiring approval to construct Moor Lane Improvements, Exeter, attached.

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

(Councillors Connett, 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 Planning, Transportation and Environment (PTE/19/19) seeking approval to construct the Moor Lane Improvements, Exeter. This was 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 Cabinet noted that the Moor Lane junction, on the east of Exeter, experienced congestion on most of the approach arms during peak periods due to a mix of through traffic and traffic leaving Sowton Industrial estate.  This proposed scheme aimed at relieving this congestion as well as being identified in the Council’s Transport Infrastructure Plan, Exeter City Core Strategy and East Devon Local Plan as one of the measures required to accommodate the Exeter and East Devon Growth Point.

The Moor Lane roundabout improvement, along with Park and Change at the Science Park, and Exeter Cycle routes, formed the East of Exeter National Productivity Investment Fund (NPIF) package.  The NPIF package was part grant-funded by the Department for Transport and an additional £618,500 of grant funding towards Moor Lane roundabout had been secured from the Highways England Growth and Housing Fund.

The proposed improvements were to widen the Moor Lane approach (from Sowton Industrial estate) to provide an additional lane into Moor Lane Roundabout and increase vehicular capacity at the junction.  The northbound exit of the Ambassador Drive / Emperor Way would be widened for a short length to safely provide for the movement north onto Ambassador Drive/Cumberland Way.  The lane markings on the Honiton Road westbound approach and circulatory would also be amended to permit two lanes to turn right into Ambassador Drive and reduce the queuing that occurred on this approach.

Facilities for pedestrians and cyclists would also be enhanced including localised widening of shared use paths, removal of current obstructions and widening of the refuge islands on the western arms of the Emperor Way and Oberon Road roundabouts.

An overview of the design for the Moor Lane Improvement Scheme was shown in Appendix A, with Appendices B1, B2 and B3 showing the 3 main areas of works in greater detail as well as being described in full in the Report.  

Also highlighted was the consultation processes that had taken place both as part of the Local Plans for Exeter and East Devon District Council which had been scrutinised through the Examination in Public process and that information on the proposed design was sent to local businesses, Chamber of Commerce and key stakeholders in early March 2019.

The overall construction cost of the proposal was estimated at £2,226,578 to be funded as £692,786 from NPIF grant, £618,520 grant received from Highways England Housing and Growth Fund and £915,272 from S106 contributions received from Hill Barton Farm (£750,000 plus indexation).

The Cabinet noted that ecological surveys had been undertaken for areas where trees needed to be removed and vegetation cleared, and no protected species were affected. To mitigate the slight decrease in biodiversity and loss of trees, a planting scheme of native shrubs and trees along the edge of the Honiton Road Park and Ride site had been prepared in liaison with local Members.

The Head of Service’s Report contained an Impact Assessment which had been circulated for the attention of Members at the meeting. This noted the improvements that would be realised in terms of unlocking housing at Cranbrook, improved access to employment opportunities and improved journey time reliability as well as better crossing facilities which would help accessibility across side roads for people who used wheelchairs or prams.

The proposals had no adverse impact on a specific audience, although some negative impacts would be realised as a result of traffic management during the construction works. This would be mitigated as far as possible by liaison with the Council’s highway co-ordination, local businesses and traffic management groups.

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

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

RESOLVED

(a) that the construction of a highway junction improvement at Moor Lane Roundabout, as outlined in Appendix A, at an estimated cost of £2,226,578 be approved; and

(b) that delegated authority be given to the Head of Planning, Transportation and Environment, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, Development & Waste and relevant local Members, to make minor amendments to the scheme details.

[NB: The Impact Assessment referred to above may be viewed alongside Minutes of this meeting and may also be available at:  http://new.devon.gov.uk/impact/].