Agenda item

Cabinet Member: Highway Delivery & Operations

Forward Plan Ref: 2020/043

Contact: Aron Wisdom- Programme Lead (HIF 1) Tel: 07776 244856/Gavin Belcher, Senior Transport Planner Tel: 07557 082580

Report by Director of Growth and Economy (CA7).

The Didcot Garden Town Housing Infrastructure Fund (known as HIF1) project is a vital package of highway measures to enable sustainable growth in the South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse district areas as identified in relevant policy documents.  Officers undertook a public consultation on the preferred options that were identified during the feasibility design process and in response to a previous consultation exercise. Cabinet is requested to approve the preferred route alignment of the HIF1 project to allow the preliminary design to progress. A funding agreement as now been signed with Government securing £218m of the £234m project costs.

Preferred alignments for the four schemes that constitute the HIF1 programme have been informed by a detailed and multi-stage optioneering exercise to identify the appropriate interventions. 

A public consultation exercise was undertaken in March/April 2020 to seek the views of local people on these preferred alignments so that, where appropriate, these comments could be incorporated into the preliminary design process. The consultation yielded many comments to be considered and the schemes themselves are predominantly supported by those responding.

It is recommended that Cabinet approve the preferred alignment for HIF1. This approval is being sought as a political mandate is required to ensure that due process is undertaken and officers are given authority to proceed on this basis. 

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

(a)          Approve the identified preferred alignments as illustrated in Figure 1 as the basis to progress into the next stage of scheme design for the four schemes that constitute the Didcot Garden Town Housing Infrastructure programme.

(b)          Note the various optioneering exercises that have informed the preferred alignments set out in paragraphs 24 to 30.

(c)          Note the findings of the recent consultation exercise set out in paragraphs 31 to 36 which sought the views of local people and other stakeholders to be taken into consideration in the next stage of design, yielding a predominantly positive response to the preferred scheme alignments.

NB: Slight variations to alignments maybe required during the next design phase. Any significant changes would be brought back for decision or managed through the CPO process as necessary.

The Didcot Garden Town Housing Infrastructure Fund (known as HIF1) project is a vital package of highway measures to enable sustainable growth in the South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse district areas as identified in relevant policy documents.  Following a public consultation on the preferred options that were identified during the feasibility design process and in response to a previous consultation exercise. Cabinet considered a report seeking approval of the preferred route alignment of the HIF1 project to allow the preliminary design to progress.

Councillor John Sanders, Shadow Cabinet Member for Environment (including Transport) broadly welcomed the proposed investment but queried the level of infrastructure provision when compared to the numbers of houses planned. Councillor Sanders commented that although there was provision for affordable homes he was worried how affordable they would remain in a rising

Market. He asked whether there was a timetable for the funding. Finally Councillor Sanders queried whether there were plans for the developments to be zero carbon emission homes as it was easier and cheaper to build this in from the start.

Councillor Walker, Cabinet Member for Highway Delivery & Operations responded to the comments pointing out that the whole report was about the provision of infrastructure. He thanked Councillor sanders for his comments and advised that there would be an all councillor briefing on 29 July where councillors would be able to feed such comments in.

Eric Owens, Assistant Director, Growth & Place introduced the contents of the report highlighting the four projects set out in the report.

Eric Owens responded to questions and comments from cabinet members:

·         The timescales set out in the report were tight but achievable. There were margins built in but there were also risks as there would be with any major undertaking of this size: this was why officers were working hard to ensure robust programme control.

·         In relation to concerns expressed by Councillor Lindsay-Gale on the impact of the proposals on Nuneham Courtenay Eric Owens recognised that officers were alive to the need for future solutions to meet those concerns.

During discussion Cabinet:

·         Supported the proposals and commended officers for the considerable work done to bring it to this stage. .

·         Highlighted the importance of the proposals in achieving economic and social prosperity, particularly in the context of recovery from the  pandemic.

RESOLVED:            to:

(a)          Approve the identified preferred alignments as illustrated in Figure 1 as the basis to progress into the next stage of scheme design for the four schemes that constitute the Didcot Garden Town Housing Infrastructure programme.

(b)          Note the various optioneering exercises that have informed the preferred alignments set out in paragraphs 24 to 30.

(c)          Note the findings of the recent consultation exercise set out in paragraphs 31 to 36 which sought the views of local people and other stakeholders to be taken into consideration in the next stage of design, yielding a predominantly positive response to the preferred scheme alignments.

NB: Slight variations to alignments maybe required during the next design phase. Any significant changes would be brought back for decision or managed through the CPO process as necessary.