Agenda item
- Meeting of Cabinet, Wednesday, 12th October, 2022 10.30 am (Item 225.)
- View the background to item 225.
Report of the Director of Climate Change, Environment and Transport (CET/22/53) seeking approval to progress to tender and subsequently construction for the provision of a section of new link road between Elm Grove Road and the A379 Exeter Road, attached.
An Impact Assessment is also attached for available Members of the Cabinet to consider and is available on the website at https://www.devon.gov.uk/impact/dawlish-da2-infrastructure-delivery-september-2022/
Decision:
RESOLVED
(a) that approval be given for a scheme in Dawlish which assists in connecting Elm Grove Road and the A379 Exeter Road, and includes provision of a bridge with embankments, sustainable urban drainage together with cycle lanes and footpaths, as identified in the Local Plan, to proceed to tender and construction;
(b) that delegated authority be given to the Director of Climate Change, Environment and Transport, in consultation with the Local Member and Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Environment and Transport, to make minor amendments to the scheme design; and
(c) that an increase to the 2022/23 capital programme by £286,065 and 2023/24 by £5,564,465, funded by external contributions, be approved.
Minutes:
(Councillors Brazil, Hodgson, Whitton and Wrigley 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/22/53) which sought approval to progress to tender and subsequently construction of the provision of a section of new link road between Elm Grove Road and the A379 Exeter Road. 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 provision of a section of a new link road between Elm Grove Road and the A379 Exeter Road was allocated in the Teignbridge Local Plan in Dawlish (Policy DA2) and would support bus service, cycle lanes and footpaths (contained within Areas 3 and 4 of the DA2 allocation).
The scheme and associated development of approximately 860 dwellings had been allocated in the Teignbridge Local Plan for Dawlish located north-west of Secmaton Lane (DA2).
The proposals were outlined in full at section 3 of the Report highlighting that
Teignbridge Council would fund this Council to deliver part of the spine road through Areas 3 and 4 of the DA2 allocation (Figure 2 in the Report illustrated the various Areas) and that this Council would deliver a new highway bridge over the Shutterton Brook as part of their scope. The scheme would also assist in delivering the link road, by delivering the part of the carriageway section of the link road located within areas 3 and 4 to surface course level.
DCC delivery included 34m of highway and highway embankment within Area 4, 26m span highway bridge, up to 430m carriageway including highway embankment within Area 3 and highway associated Sustainable Urban Drainage features.
The bridge element of the works was being delivered pursuant to a planning consent obtained by DCC in August 2022. This was a full planning consent from Teignbridge Planning Authority under Application Reference 21/02872/FUL.
In terms of Planning Application Reference 19/01767/MAJ, this application had been submitted by the landowners of Area 3, and would grant consent for both the development of Area 3 as well as the link road.
The first section of link road connecting the A379 within Area 4 had already been delivered by Persimmon Homes. Figure 2 illustrated the proposed route of the link road through Areas 3 and 4 as well as outlining the 5 Areas of development which would be supported by the link road.
Consultation and community engagement had been undertaken by Teignbridge District Council during the preparation of the Local Plan and Development Framework Master Plan as well as part of the planning applications.
A funding agreement between Teignbridge District Council and this Council had been entered into, to cover the entire project capital expenditure. The Report outlined the full terms of that agreement. The current total estimated cost of the scheme, including design, planning, procurement, construction etc was estimated to be in the region of £6.2 million which included the prior year’s expenditure.
The link road and bridge infrastructure itself would reduce the traffic impact on local residential roads including Elm Grove Road.
The link road would help reduce emissions by providing better opportunities for active travel, public transport and possibly some marginal reduction in some car journey lengths, particularly in relation to short local journeys. The design also sought to reduce carbon emission levels via a reduction in imported materials as well as reducing plant and delivery operations.
An Impact Assessment had been circulated with the agenda for Members’ consideration and was also available on the website at https://www.devon.gov.uk/impact/dawlish-da2-infrastructure-delivery-september-2022/. This highlighted that the new link road infrastructure was designed to current best practice and sought to not discriminate its availability to all, for example the design would include provisions for non-motorised users.
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 Director’s Report and/or referred to above having been considered:
it was MOVED by Councillor Davis, SECONDED by Councillor Hart, and
RESOLVED
(a) that approval be given for a scheme in Dawlish which assists in connecting Elm Grove Road and the A379 Exeter Road, and includes provision of a bridge with embankments, sustainable urban drainage together with cycle lanes and footpaths, as identified in the Local Plan, to proceed to tender and construction;
(b) that delegated authority be given to the Director of Climate Change, Environment and Transport, in consultation with the Local Member and Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Environment and Transport, to make minor amendments to the scheme design; and
(c) that an increase to the 2022/23 capital programme by £286,065 and 2023/24 by £5,564,465, funded by external contributions, be approved.
(NB: The Impact Assessment referred to above may be viewed alongside Minutes of this meeting and is available at https://www.devon.gov.uk/impact/dawlish-da2-infrastructure-delivery-september-2022/).
Supporting documents:
- Dawlish Link - Elm Grove Road to A379 Exeter Road, item 225. PDF 819 KB
- Dawlish Link - Impact Assessment 2022, item 225. PDF 224 KB