Issue - meetings

To receive an update on the A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet Improvements Scheme Development Consent Order.

Executive Councillor: J Neish.

The Cabinet has:

(a)  considered the key issues outstanding following consultation with specialist officers and Cambridgeshire County Council Local Highways Authority and commented as necessary;

(b)  confirmed the Council’s continued support of the A428 proposed scheme from Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet; and

(c)  delegated authority to the Executive Councillor for Strategic Planning, in consultation with the Strategic Growth Manager, to

(i)  confirm the Council’s continued in principle support for the scheme on or before the final deadline, subject to satisfactory resolution of outstanding matters; and

(ii)  finalise the preparation and submission of the documents required from the Council as part of the remaining deadlines within the Examination in Public.

With the aid of a report by the Strategic Growth Manager (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) the Cabinet received an update on the A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet Improvements Scheme Development Consent Order.

By way of background, the Executive Councillor for Strategic Planning advised that an update had previously been reported at the Cabinet’s June 2021 meeting with the Council working in collaboration with Cambridgeshire County Council as the Local Highways Authority and South Cambridgeshire District Council. Attention was drawn to the key matters highlighted in paragraph 4.1 of the report which were currently under discussion. In doing so, the Executive Councillor for Community Resilience and Wellbeing made comment on the trees planted alongside the A14 which had now died which was acknowledged by the Executive Councillor for Strategic Planning.

In noting the views of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Performance and Growth), specifically paragraph 5.5, the Chairman confirmed that traffic management studies were not taking place in St Neots. Having had their attention drawn to minor changes to the wording and structure of the recommendations proposed within the report, that Cabinet

RESOLVED

(a)  to consider the key issues outstanding following consultation with specialist officers and Cambridgeshire County Council Local Highways Authority and made comment as necessary;

(b)  to confirm the Council’s continued support of the A428 proposed scheme from Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet; and

(c)  to delegate authority to the Executive Councillor for Strategic Planning, in consultation with the Strategic Growth Manager, to

(i)  confirm the Council’s continued in principle support for the scheme on or before the final deadline, subject to satisfactory resolution of outstanding matters; and

(ii)  finalise the preparation and submission of the documents required from the Council as part of the remaining deadlines within the Examination in Public.

The A428 Development Consent Order Update is to be presented to the Panel.

By means of a report by the Strategic Growth Manager (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book), the A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet Improvements Scheme Development Consent Order Position Review was presented to the Panel.

The Panel heard that dialogue between Huntingdonshire District Council, Cambridgeshire County Council and Bedfordshire County Council was open and ongoing, following an enquiry from Councillor Chapman on the matter.

Councillor Roberts stated that, whilst he appreciated the timescales involved in the project, this should not be at the detriment of the detail, especially on biodiversity matters. The Panel heard that timescales are set by the Planning Inspectorate and have to be adhered to.  All matters continue to be addressed until the Examination close, at which point, the Inspector will consider any matters outstanding.

Following a further question from Councillor Roberts, it was confirmed to the Panel that the difference between County and District Council standards and HS2 standards as referred to in  the cultural heritage section related to archaeological aspects.  

Councillor Chapman observed that multiple traffic management studies were currently ongoing within St Neots but expressed concerns that the findings of each study may not take the resulting outcomes of the other studies into account. This point was noted.

Having welcomed the report, the Panel thereupon

RESOLVED

that the Cabinet be encouraged to endorse the recommendations contained within the report.