Issue - meetings

B Report of Head of Planning (Copy herewith)

2.1      Cabinet approved the principle of contributing up to £4.2m to expedite the building of the NWRR.

Councillor Hill submitted his Cabinet report and explained that he was delighted to see progress in expediting the building of the North West Relief Road. He explained that the County Council had already successfully bid for £8m of SEMLEP Local Growth Funds for the projects. It was noted that the delivery of the Relief Road was a key element in the Council achieving its housing trajectory, particularly in relation to the Sustainable Urban Extension at Kings Heath. It was reported that the developers of the SUE required a commitment that the North West Relief Road be completed in order to ensure that the impact of the traffic generated by the new housing could be managed and explained that if approved, construction could commence as early as 2019.

Mr Cross, spoke as Chair of the Whitehills and Spring Park Residents Association (WASPRA) and stated that the residents were in support of the relief road, but urged the Council to ensure that this would not become an ‘orbital road’. He explained that an additional orbital road was needed which would have to be a dual carriageway and suggested that without an orbital road, Northampton would become impenetrable due to congestion on urban roads.

Councillor Larratt stated that he concurred that there was a fundamental need in Northampton for an orbital road and commented that the North West Relief Road was a positive step and that additional progress would be made.

RESOLVED:

2.1      That the principle of contributing up to £4.2m to expedite the building of the NWRR be approved.