Planning and Regulatory Committee Tuesday, 9 July 2019, County Hall, Worcester - 10.00 am Minutes Present: Mr R C Adams (Chairman), Ms P Agar, Mr G R Brookes, Mr P Denham, Mr A Fry, Mr I D Hardiman, Mr P B Harrison, Mrs A T Hingley, Dr C Hotham (attended for items 6 - 11), Mrs J A Potter, Prof J W Raine (attended for items 1 - 8) and Mr C Rogers Also attended: Mr A A J Adams, Mrs E B Tucker and Mr S J Mackay attended as local councilors for items 7, 5 and 6 respectively. Available papers The Members had before them: A. The Agenda papers (previously circulated); B. A copy of the summary presentations from public participants invited to speak (previously circulated); and C. The Minutes of the meeting held on 26 March 2019 (previously circulated). 1016 Named None. Substitutes (Agenda item 1) 1017 Apologies/ Apologies were received from Mr R M Bennett and Mr J Declarations of A D O’Donnell. Interest (Agenda item 2) 1018 Public Those presentations made are recorded at the minute to Participation which they relate. (Agenda item 3) 1019 Confirmation of RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting held Minutes on 26 March 2019 be confirmed as a correct record (Agenda item 4) and signed by the Chairman. 1020 Proposed The Committee considered an application under Pershore Regulation 3 of the Town and Country Planning Regulations 1992 for proposed Pershore Northern Link Northern Link Road comprising the construction of a new highway and Date of Issue: 2 August 2019 Page No. 1 Road road bridge to the north of Pershore in Worcestershire. comprising the The scheme would provide a direct link between the existing A44 / B4083 roundabout (north of the Oxford - construction of Worcester - Wolverhampton (OWW) railway line) and the a new highway B4083 roundabout (south of the OWW railway line) to and road bridge provide a critical connection between the A44 and B4083 to the north of Wyre Road and access to the Pershore Trading Estate. Pershore in As part of the northern link road a new road bridge would be constructed which would cross the OWW railway line Worcestershire. to the east of Pershore railway station on land between The scheme the A44 / B4083 roundabout and the Wyre Road / Ascot would provide a Road roundabout, Pershore, Worcestershire. direct link The report set out the background of the proposal, the between the proposal itself, the relevant planning policy and details of existing A44 / the site, consultations and representations. B4083 Roundabout The report set out the Development Management Team (north of the Manager’s comments in relation to: the Principle of the Development, Alternatives, Traffic, Highway Safety and Oxford - Public Rights of Way, Landscape Character and Visual Worcester - Impact, Residential Amenity (Air Quality, Dust, Noise and Wolverhampton Vibrations Impacts), Water Environment, Ecology and (OWW) Railway Biodiversity, Historic Environment, Other Matters (Safety and Integrity of the Railway, Contaminated Land, Utilities, Line) and the Cumulative Effects and EIA Team and Expertise). B4083 Roundabout The Development Management Team Manager (south of the concluded that the proposed development gained policy OWW Railway support from Policies SWDP 4 and SWDP 47 of the South Worcestershire Development Plan. The route of Line) to provide the Pershore Northern Link Road was safeguarded for a critical transport infrastructure under Policy SWDP 4. The connection Reasoned Justification to Policy SWDP 47 stated that "in between the directing development to the north of the town it is A44 and B4083 important that infrastructure improvements are secured. These include provision of the Northern Link Road from Wyre Road and the A44 / Wyre Piddle bypass roundabout to Keytec 7 access to the Business Park.” Pershore Trading Estate. The applicant had confirmed that option development had been undertaken throughout the design process. as part of the This included a number of rail overbridge bridge options. Northern Link In view of this, the Development Management Team Road a new Manager considered that the applicant's approach to the road bridge consideration of alternatives was acceptable in this would be instance. constructed The application was accompanied by a Transport which would Assessment, which stated that the proposal was not cross the OWW expected to generate trips, however the additional Page No. 2 Railway Line to capacity the proposal would provide made it a more the east of attractive route compared to other busier alternatives. The wider area net trip impact would be zero, and the Pershore scheme would not only benefit the local area, but the Railway Station wider highway network by taking trips from other on land congested routes / junctions. between the A44 / B4083 The Public Right of Way of Footpath PS-565 crossed the application site and adjoined Footpath WP-508. The Roundabout applicant proposed to close these two Public Rights of and the Wyre Way for health and safety reasons throughout the Road / Ascot duration of the construction works and reopen them on Road completion of the development. Based on the advice of the County Footpath Officer and Ramblers Association, Roundabout, the Development Management Team Manager was Pershore, satisfied that the proposal would not have an Worcestershire unacceptable impact upon Public Rights of Way, traffic or (Agenda item 5) highway safety, subject to the imposition of an appropriate condition, requiring a CEMP for highway. Based on the advice of Wychavon District Council and the County Landscape Officer, it was considered that, subject to the imposition of an appropriate conditions, the proposal would not have an unacceptable adverse or detrimental impact upon the character and appearance of the local area, including views to and from the Cotswolds AONB. Based upon the advice of Worcestershire Regulatory Services, it was considered that, on balance, subject to the imposition of appropriate conditions, the proposal would not have an unacceptable adverse or detrimental impact upon residential amenity, in terms of air quality and noise impacts or that of human health. The Lead Local Flood Authority had raised no objections to the proposal, subject to the imposition of appropriate conditions, and the Environment Agency had also raised no objections. In view of this, the Development Management Team Manager considered that there would be no adverse effects on the water environment, subject to the imposition of appropriate conditions regarding mitigation measures to protect the water environment during the construction phase and as recommended by the Lead Local Flood Authority (detailed drainage scheme and management plan). Based on the advice of Natural England, Worcestershire Wildlife Trust and the County Ecologist, it was considered that subject to the imposition of appropriate conditions that the proposed development would have no adverse Page No. 3 impacts on the ecology and biodiversity at the site or in the surrounding area and would enhance the application site’s value for biodiversity. Based on the advice of the District and County Archaeologists and Historic England it was considered that the proposal would not have an unacceptable impact upon the historic environment, in accordance with Policies SWDP 6 and SWDP 24 of the South Worcestershire Development Plan. Taking into account the provisions of the Development Plan and in particular Policy WCS 17 of the Adopted Worcestershire Waste Core Strategy and Policies SWDP 1, SWDP 2, SWDP 4, SWDP 5, SWDP 6, SWDP 7, SWDP 21, SWDP 22, SWDP 24, SWDP 25, SWDP 28, SWDP 29, SWDP 30, SWDP 31, SWDP 32 and SWDP 47 of the adopted South Worcestershire Development Pan, it was considered the proposal would not cause demonstrable harm to the interests intended to be protected by these policies or highway safety. The Development Management Team Manager introduced the report and commented that members had visited the site and noted the proximity of the nearest residential properties and commercial units and visited both ends of the proposed route. Mr Robinson, a supporter of the proposal addressed the Committee. He welcomed the proposal in conjunction with the Pinvin Junction/re-designed traffic lights. This project was long overdue resulting in many years of frustration and causing chaos to the local infrastructure, not helped by Wychavon District Council allowing hundreds of houses to be built in this part of Northern Pershore. Representatives of the applicant had updated him and he was confident that the project would be completed successfully and hopefully on time, weather- permitting. Local residents had suffered for years with the current house building projects and assurances were needed that any more house building projects would be balanced by the right infrastructure, especially greenfield sites. He noted the Strategic Economic Plan and the 3 objectives namely world class business locations, special skills and developing competitive creativity. Positive comments had been received from the local county councillor, Pershore Town Council and Wychavon District Council. Mark Mills, County Highways did not address the Committee on behalf of the applicant but was available to Page No. 4 answer questions. The following query was raised with him: Would the slow worms be moved from the site before any work on site commenced? Mark Mills indicated that a relocation Strategy had been agreed with the County Ecologist which applied to all forms of wildlife in the vicinity of the site. The relocation of wildlife from the site would be undertaken during the summer months up to October before the hibernation period. Construction work would only start after that period when the whole site was assessed as sterile. In the ensuing debate the following points were raised: The local councillor strongly commended the proposals which had taken a long time to get to this stage. The only solution to the access issues experienced to the north of Pershore was to utilise this short route over the railway line.