A50 GROWTH CORRIDOR Projects A and B Consultation Report Project A Project B Spring 2014 Contents Page Contents 1 Executive summary 2 Chapter 1: Consultation Overview 1.1 Background 4 1.2 The consultation exercise 5 1.3 The Purpose of this Report 6 Chapter 2: Response Overview 2.1 Stakeholder, Business and Public Exhibitions 7 2.2 Media Coverage 7 2.3 Number of Responses Received 8 2.4 Presentation of Consultation Responses 9 Chapter 3: Response Analysis 3.1 General Overview of the Detailed Responses Received 10 3.2 Section 1. Profile of Respondees 10 3.3 Section 2. Overview of Perceptions of the Projects 12 3.4 Section 3. Link from Park Avenue to Derby Road 15 3.5 Section 4. The ‘Free Text’ Responses 16 3.6 Section 5. Overall View of the A50 Growth Corridor 19 3.7 Comments from the Events 20 3.8 Presentation of Feedback analysis 21 Chapter 4: Conclusions 4.1 Consultation Principles 22 4.2 Consultation Outcome 24 Appendix A: Stakeholders (those with property potentially affected invited to the consultation 25 Appendix B: Stakeholders (Civic/Local Authority) invited to the consultation 26 Appendix C: Businesses invited to the consultation 28 Appendix D: Properties receiving individual invitation to the Consultation event 30 Appendix E: Attendees at Stakeholder and Business Events 32 Appendix F: Exhibition Plans 34 Appendix G: Attendees at Stakeholder and Business feedback analysis events 37 Appendix H: Consultation questionnaire 38 1 Executive Summary Proposals to improve the A50 (T) around Uttoxeter were announced by the Chief Secretary (Rt Hon Danny Alexander MP) on the 4th December 2013 as part of the updated National Infrastructure Plan (NIP), as follows: “The Government will provide funding to support improvement to the A50 around Uttoxeter starting no later than 2015-16 (subject to Statutory procedures) to support local growth, jobs and housing; this project will be subject to the usual developer contributions.” (NIP Dec 2013) Paragraph 3.10 This statement was also confirmed and reference made to the NIP on 5th December 2013 by Chancellor George Osborne in the Autumn Statement. In anticipation of this announcement, Staffordshire County Council (SCC) assigned the Major Project Team to analyse and develop the A50 Growth Corridor and in particular Projects A and B around Uttoxeter. Once the Projects had reached a preferred option stage, a fully integrated communications and engagement plan was prepared. The intention was to raise awareness, understanding and support for the Projects on the A50 Growth Corridor to the north of Uttoxeter and the positive impact they would have on Staffordshire’s economy in terms of housing and employment. A series of linked events were staged to allow stakeholders, businesses and the general public to see and comment on the proposals before any planning application was submitted. The principle of the consultation was to allow comment on the preferred Projects and identify any potential areas for improvement whilst giving the Major Project team sufficient time to consider consultation feedback and further develop the Projects prior to any planning application submission. Publicity for the consultation was integral to ensuring maximum exposure for the events. Therefore a combination of direct invitations together with press, radio and TV interface was used to encourage participation. Events were spread over two weeks at times and location aimed to make input as straightforward as possible. Four events were staged. A dedicated Stakeholder consultation event on the morning of 25th February followed immediately afterwards by a consultation event for the General Public. A dedicated Business consultation event on the morning of 3rd March followed immediately afterwards by a consultation event for the General Public. The events were attended by over 750 people. Feedback forms were prepared and available for attendees to complete at the event or alternatively they could be returned in a pre-paid envelope. There was also the facility to complete the form on line. Such was the level of interest in the projects that 342 completed feedback forms were received together with a further 49 emails and 12 letters. Closure of the feedback process, originally scheduled for Monday 10th March, was postponed until Thursday 13th March as a result of the level of interest shown by members of the public. 2 All feedback was compiled and analysed and as a result 8 common areas of concern were identified along with a considerable number of positive comments in support of the preferred Projects. The 8 common areas of concern are: A. Environment Issues B. Effects on Residents C. Local Highway Network D. Business Impact E. Design F. Town Centre G. The Parks Inn H. Pedestrian / cyclist facilities Where reasonable, the design of Project A has been changed as a result of the consultation. 3 Chapter 1 Consultation Overview 1.1 Background 1.1.1 The purpose of the consultation was to obtain the views of interested people, businesses and organisations on a major economic regeneration initiative, the A50 Growth Corridor in particular Projects A and B around Uttoxeter. Whilst the Projects are designed to create a substantial improvement for the Staffordshire economy, they also have the potential to have a significant impact on the locality in terms of housing and employment opportunities. The scheme will also ease traffic congestion, improve safety and reduce travel times on the trunk road and local network. The consultation was designed to maximise the opportunity for public input and reasonable design enhancement prior to submission of the planning application. In December 2013, the Government announced an updated National Infrastructure Plan featuring general funding for public and private investment in energy, transport, flood defence, waste, water and communications infrastructure up to 2030 and beyond. The plan also specified funding to support improvements to the A50 near Uttoxeter starting no later than 2015/16. The money will fund improvements to what is now called the A50 Growth Corridor, Projects A and B, to the north of Uttoxeter. These involve the installation of one grade separated junction (Project A) and the installation of a second grade separated junction together with the removal of two existing roundabouts (Project B) that currently cause very significant peak time traffic congestion. Improving traffic flow along one of the key arterial routes between the West and East midlands (from the M6 to the M1) will support major employers from Stoke-on-Trent and Derbyshire, including Toyota and JCB, as well as tourist attractions including Alton Towers, providing a much needed boost to the Staffordshire economy. Also in December, major Staffordshire-based employer JCB announced expansion plans with proposals to create 2,500 new jobs. In its announcement, JCB Chairman Lord Bamford stated: “The Chancellor’s announcement of the major A50 road improvement project is good news for businesses in this area. It allows companies like JCB to plan ahead with confidence, knowing that the road network will not constrain business growth and future investment.” The A50 is a major trunk road owned and maintained by the Highways Agency on behalf of the Secretary of State. Following the success of the i54 South Staffordshire Project, where County Council Major Projects Team is leading the installation of a new motorway junction onto the M54 to facilitate a new factory for Jaguar Land Rover, the County Council will deliver the A50 Growth Corridor as delivery partner of the Highways Agency. 4 Two separate Projects will be delivered: Project A - a junction to the west of Uttoxeter that will facilitate the economic developments at JCB’s Heavy Products/World Parts facilities and the approved St Modwen’s Industrial Development as well as the approved new 750 house development to the west of Uttoxeter; Project B – junction modifications which will serve the A518 traffic the north east of the town. The County Council propose to submit a planning application for Project A in Spring 2014. It is anticipated that the decision on the planning application will be made in late Summer 2014 and work is set to start on Project A in Winter 2014/2015 provided all planning procedures are completed satisfactorily. 1.2 The consultation exercise 1.2.1 In order to give the opportunity for the views of businesses, organisations and members of the General Public to be included in the consultation, careful consideration was given to information accessibility. Public exhibitions are the primary vehicle for the dissemination of information in these cases so these were planned for a location that was sufficiently large to give space to display all the information relevant to the preferred Projects yet closest to the centre of impact. Aspects including, disabled access, free parking and breakout space for more private conversations were all taken into consideration when choosing the venue and, with the above in mind, Uttoxeter Racecourse was chosen as the most appropriate venue. 1.2.2 The preferred Projects A and B are of considerable complexity and therefore the consultation events were manned by a team of professional staff with a range of specialities, able to answer the range of questions anticipated. Three distinct consultee groups were identified; Stakeholders, Businesses and the General Public; a Stakeholder being defined as either a person or organisation whose property could be directly affected by the Projects or a person holding a public office which could be affected by the Projects. Specific Stakeholder and Business consultations were staged on the same day as the General Public’s consultations but at different times. This allowed a combination of thematic presentations supported by Q & A sessions where topics relevant to those groups were explored. Detailed consultation logistics included: event separation, participant focussed times, range of material presented and refreshments for all participants.