Issue - meetings

To consider the revised Leicester & Leicestershire Strategic Growth Plan.

This report was considered by the Scrutiny Commission on 8 November. An extract from the minutes of that meeting is attached.

Updated recommendation:

2.         RECOMMENDATION

2.1       It is recommended that:

a)         The Strategic Growth Plan (SGP) “Leicester and Leicestershire 2050: Our Vision for Growth” be approved;

b)         The Chief Executive of each SGP partner authority, following consultation with the Leader of that authority and the Joint Strategic Planning Manager, be authorised to agree, prior to publication, any final minor amendments to the SGP which do not significantly change the overall content or purpose of the document;

c)         Members note and consider concerns raised at Scrutiny Commission regarding the potential connection of the A46 to the M69 which is of great concern, in particular due to the potentially devastating local impact this could have on the locality; and

d)         That Members note that the SGP does not include the proposed strategic rail freight proposal at junction 2 of the M69.

Note for Reference:

The Midlands Connect Stage One Study for A46: https://www.midlandsconnect.uk/publications

Appendix C 2.4 (Section 2) Preliminary Environmental Risk Assessment- please note this section of the environmental assessment with reference to the potential Leicestershire environmental impacts and in particular reference to local impacts in the vicinity of junction 2 of the M69 and Burbage woods.

Members gave consideration to the revised Leicester & Leicestershire Strategic Growth Plan (SGP). During discussion, members referred to:

·         A recent Leicester Mercury article which proposed 5,000 new houses along the A5 corridor – it was clarified that the term “A5 improvement corridor” referred to infrastructure improvements required along the A5 to accommodate existing growth. It was requested that the authority’s representative on the Members’ Advisory Group make representations against this

·         The issue of warehousing growth and impact of industrial development

·         The need for a safeguarded area to prevent building up to the A5 to allow for infrastructure improvements

·         The need to endorse the strategy to enable HBBC to continue to progress its local plan in a timely manner

·         The need for investment in rail services

·         The proposed rail freight terminal not being part of this document.

The views of the Scrutiny Commission were reiterated in relation to the rumoured link from the M69 or M1 to the A46 and the potentially devastating impact the location could have and members were reminded of a previous motion to Council which made representations that “The A46 Expressway, if delivered, should only connect to the M69 by way of a dedicated route from the A46 southbound to the M69 and from the M69 northbound to the A46. It is not required to support growth in the Hinckley & Bosworth area and should not connect to any existing junctions of the M69”. Members were reassured that, as these proposals did not form part of the SGP document, should they come forward there would be opportunity to input into them at that stage. Council was also reminded that the Scrutiny Commission had agreed to invite a representative of Midland Connect to its meeting in spring 2019.

The recommendations in the report were moved by Councillor Surtees and seconded by Councillor Allen.

Councillor Bray along with five other councillors requested that voting on the motion be recorded. The vote was taken as follows:

Councillors Allen, Bessant, Cook, Hall, Kirby, Ladkin, MacDonald, Morrell, Nickerson, Roberts, Smith, Surtees, Sutton, Ward and Williams voted FOR the motion (15);

Councillors Bill, Bray, Cartwright, D Cope; G Cope, Crooks, Hodgkins, Hollick, Lynch, Nichols and Witherford voted AGAINST the motion (11).

The motion was therefore declared CARRIED and it was

RESOLVED –

(i)            The Strategic Growth Plan (SGP) “Leicester and Leicestershire 2050: our vision for growth” be approved;

(ii)           Authority be delegated to the Chief Executive, following consultation with the Leader of Council and the Joint Strategic Planning Manager, to agree, prior to publication, any final minor amendments to the SGP which do not significantly change the overall content or purpose of the document;

(iii)          The concerns raised at the Scrutiny Commission regarding the potential connection of the A46 to the M69 due to the potentially devastating impact this could have on the locality be endorsed;

(iv)         It be noted that the SGP did not include the proposed strategic rail freight proposal at junction 2 of the M69.

To consider the revised Leicester & Leicestershire Strategic Growth Plan.

The Scrutiny Commission gave consideration to the revised Leicester & Leicestershire Strategic Growth Plan (SGP). It was acknowledged that this was a standardised report which was being presented to all authorities in Leicester and Leicestershire.

A member queried the proposed 38,000 houses on the A46 eastern bypass. In response it was noted that the defined route had not been determined but that the SGP had a strategy to deal with growth along that corridor in a reasonable way.

The benefits of endorsing the plan were set out, notably commitments to major infrastructure/transport improvements and projects including the A5. The risks to the authority of not continuing to be involved in discussions by failing to endorse the SGP were also highlighted and it was noted that this would mean the council could not progress its own local plan. The importance of retaining involvement in the debate was acknowledged and supported by the Commission.

Concern was expressed about the proposed rail freight depot, the link to the A46 and a recent document from Midlands Connect in relation to the A46 itself. In response, it was noted that the rail freight depot was not part of this plan but was a national scheme which would need to be addressed separately and that the SGP didn’t contain a link from the M69 or M1 to the A46 in the location stated and officers had not had sight of the document mentioned.

It was suggested by Councillor Lay that the SGP be acknowledged and a statement be included in the resolution to say “While we understand the benefits of the A46 eastern bypass, the connection is of great concern due to the potentially devastating impact of the location of this”. The Commission supported this recommendation.

It was requested that a representative of Midland Connect be invited to a meeting in spring 2019.

RESOLVED –

(i)            The Strategic Growth Plan be acknowledged;

(ii)           It be noted that the connection to the A46 is of great concern due to the potentially devastating local impact;

(iii)          A representative of Midland Connect be invited to a future meeting of the Scrutiny Commission.