A27 East of Lewes Improvements Statement of reasons accompanying the Made Orders 2019 A27 East of Lewes Improvements PCF Stage 3 – Planning Statement and Statement of Reasons Notice This document and its contents have been prepared and are intended solely for Highway England’s information and use in relation to the A27 East of Lewes Improvements PCF Stage 3, one of the schemes of the Regional Investment Programme. WSP assumes no responsibility to any other party in respect of or arising out of or in connection with this document and/or its contents. Document control The Project Manager is responsible for production of this document, based on the contributions made by his/her team existing at each Stage. Document Title PCF Stage 3: A27 East of Lewes Improvements: Statement of Reasons Author Luke Atherton Owner Tom Beasley, Highways England Distribution Highways England Consultees, WSP Team Document Status Final Issue Revision History This document is updated at least every stage. Version Date Description Author P01.0 23/08/2019 First Issue Luke Atherton P02.0 23/10/2019 Second Issue Luke Atherton P03.0 06/11/2019 Third Issue Luke Atherton P04.0 19/11/2019 Fourth Issue Luke Atherton P05.0 06/12/2019 Final Issue Luke Atherton Reviewer List Name Role Chris Ritchley WSP Project Manager Stuart Craig WSP Project Director Tom Beasley Highways England, Project Manager Approvals The Project SRO is accountable for the content of this document Name Signature Title Date of Issue Version Alan Feist Highways England Project SRO i A27 East of Lewes Improvements PCF Stage 3 – Planning Statement and Statement of Reasons A27 EAST OF LEWES IMPROVEMENTS STATEMENT OF REASONS: SHARED USE PATH Highways England Project no: HE PIN 552988 East of Lewes Improvements Prepared for Highways England Bridge House Walnut Tree Close Guildford Surrey GU1 4LZ WSP Kings Orchard 1 Queen Street Bristol BS2 0HQ Tel: +44-(0)1392-229-700 www.wsp.com ii QUALITY MANAGEMENT ISSUE/REVISION P05 Remarks First Issue Second Issue Third Issue Fourth Issue Final Issue Date 23/08/19 23/10/19 06/11/19 19/11/19 06/12/19 Prepared by Luke Atherton Luke Atherton Luke Atherton Luke Atherton Luke Atherton Signature LA LA LA LA LA Checked by John Pingstone Chris Ritchley Clare Williams Clare Williams Clare Williams Signature JP CR CW CW CW Authorised by Chris Ritchley Chris Ritchley Chris Ritchley Chris Ritchley Chris Ritchley Signature CR CR CR CR CR PIN: HE552988 Project number WSP ref: 70035418 Report number HE552988-WSP-EGN-SWI-RP-ZC-00005 \\uk.wspgroup.com\central data\Projects\700354xx\70035418 - File reference A27EastOfLewes iii PRODUCTION TEAM CLIENT Project Manager Tom Beasley Statutory Processes Manager Tracey Siddle Planning Lawyer Susanna Weatherstone WSP Assistant Town Planner Luke Atherton Principal Town Planner Clare Williams Associate Town Planner John Pingstone Project Manager Chris Ritchley iv TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................1 2 THE ENABLING POWER .............................................................2 3 THE SCHEME...............................................................................3 3.1 SCHEME LOCATION...................................................................................... 3 3.2 SCHEME DESCRIPTION ................................................................................ 4 4 DESCRIPTION OF THE ORDER LAND .......................................6 5 JUSTIFICATION ...........................................................................7 5.1 JUSTIFICATION FOR COMPULSORY PURCHASE ....................................... 7 5.2 JUSTIFICATION FOR SIDE ROADS ORDERS............................................... 7 5.3 THE NEED FOR AND BENEFITS OF THE SCHEME ................................... 12 5.4 SCHEME OBJECTIVES ................................................................................ 14 5.5 THE ECONOMIC CASE FOR THE SCHEME ................................................ 17 5.6 ALTERNATIVES EXCLUDING LAND TAKE ................................................ 17 6 POLICY, LEGISLATION AND GUIDANCE ................................19 6.1 LIST OF RELEVANT POLICY, LEGISLATION AND GUIDANCE ................. 19 6.2 CONFORMITY WITH RELEVANT PLANNING POLICY ................................ 22 6.3 SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT ...................................................................... 23 6.4 LIVING CONDITIONS ................................................................................... 24 6.5 DESIGN QUALITY ........................................................................................ 26 6.6 LANDSCAPE AND VIEWS ........................................................................... 27 6.7 HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT .......................................................................... 29 6.8 ECOLOGY AND BIODIVERSITY .................................................................. 32 6.9 FLOOD RISK AND CLIMATE CHANGE ....................................................... 34 6.10 WASTE MANAGEMENT ............................................................................... 36 v 7 LAND INTERESTS .....................................................................37 7.1 COMMUNICATIONS AND NEGOTIATIONS WITH LAND INTERESTS ........ 37 8 PLANNING POSITION ...............................................................38 9 SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS ...................................................39 10 OTHER CONSENTS AND LICENCES .......................................40 11 EQUALITY DUTY .......................................................................41 12 HUMAN RIGHTS CONSIDERATIONS .......................................41 13 FUNDING STATEMENT .............................................................42 14 CONCLUSION ............................................................................44 15 OTHER INFORMATION .............................................................45 vi APPENDICES APPENDIX A - PURPOSE FOR WHICH COMPULSORY ACQUISITION POWERS ARE SOUGHT APPENDIX B - STATUS OF NEGOTIATIONS WITH LANDOWNERS vii 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1.1 This Statement of Reasons relates to the A27 East of Lewes Improvements and has been submitted by Highways England Company Limited to the Secretary of State for Transport. 1.1.2 On 13 December 2019 Highways England (HE) (the “highway authority”), as promoter of the scheme, made the following orders: a) The Highways England (A27 Trunk Road East of Lewes Improvement Scheme) (Shared Use Path) Compulsory Purchase Order 2019 b) The Highways England (A27 Trunk Road East of Lewes Improvement Scheme) (Shared Use Path) (Side Roads) Order 2019 1.1.3 This statement sets out the reasons and the public interest case to justify both the compulsory acquisition of land and work to side roads required for a shared use path for walkers, cyclists and horse riders along the A27 East of Lewes between Beddingham and Polegate (“the scheme”). It also sets out how the scheme meets the requirements of relevant policy and legislation. Highways England is the highway authority for the A27 and promoter of the scheme. 1.1.4 The scheme is required to support sustainable modes of travel, reduce severance for local communities, provide opportunities for improved accessibility for all users into the South Downs National Park. 1.1.5 Highways England has had regard to the purposes of the National Park in designing the scheme and choosing between improvement options, in accordance with its duty set out in the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 (amended by the Environment Act 1995). 1.1.6 It is part of the Department for Transport’s (DfT) Road Investment Strategy (RIS), covering the period 2015-2020. 1.1.7 Both a compulsory purchase order (CPO) and a side roads order (SRO) is needed to carry out the improvement scheme. The land required is in a variety of ownerships and East Sussex County Council (ESCC) are the highways authority for the side roads. 1.1.8 The scheme falls across the boundaries of two local authorities and one National Park authority. Wealden District Council, Lewes District Council and the South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA). The SDNPA is responsible for development and planning within the South Downs National Park (SDNP). 1.1.9 The CPO is made pursuant to Sections 239, 240, 246, 250 of the Highways Act 1980 (the “1980 Act”) for the acquisition of all interests (except any specifically excluded) in the land shown coloured pink (the “Order Land”) on the plan attached to the order (the “Order Plan”), and as described in the schedule to the order. The SRO is made pursuant to Section 14 and 125 of the 1980 Act. 1 2 THE ENABLING POWER 2.1.1 Highways England is a government company empowered with operating, maintaining and improving the Strategic Road Network (SRN) on behalf of the Department for Transport. The 1980 Act is the enabling Act under which Highways England may exercise powers of compulsory purchase. 2.1.2 Guidance published in July 2019 by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government entitled ‘Compulsory purchase process and the Crichel Down Rules’ (“the CPO Guidance”), states that authorities should look to use the most specific power available for the purpose in mind and only use a general power where unavoidable. Accordingly, the compulsory purchase order is made using the powers contained as follows; 2.1.3 A summary of the powers in the 1980 Act which are relied upon in relation to the scheme is provided below: a) Under Section 239, Highways England as the strategic