Issue - meetings

That:

1)        the deliverable route option to provide the alignment for the North Wokingham Distributor road and its progress through detailed design to a full planning application and the funding necessary for this be agreed;

2)        Officers continue the process of securing land required to deliver the deliverable route option;

3)        the expenditure of £1.25m, with a profile of £250,000 in Year 1 and £500,000 in both Years 2 and 3, be agreed.

The Executive considered a report setting out the proposed deliverable route option to provide the alignment for the North Wokingham Distributor Road (NWDR) which would ensure appropriate mitigation of traffic impacts from the development of the North Wokingham Strategic Development Location (SDL) on existing residential areas.

The Deputy Executive Member for Planning and Highways reported that the NWDR was essential to service the SDL and would allow it to be developed.  Councillor Halsall highlighted the recommended route as outlined in the report and the fact that not making a decision could potentially result in a loss of a £24m Government grant and no road.

Councillor Mirfin made a statement on his position as an Emmbrook Councillor.  He advised that although he had campaigned hard for option B, which was now apparently untenable due mainly to the cost, flood land and potential loss of Government grant, in order to move the road forward for the benefit of the majority of Emmbrook residents he would be supporting the latest iteration of the route as this would mean that the developers would no longer be able to prevaricate about signing up contractors for their section of their road.  This should mean that construction vehicles should be able to access from Twyford Road sooner rather than later which would minimise the impact from access from the Toutley end of the site.  Councillor Mirfin went on to say that he had not taken this decision lightly but could not support any further protracted discussions that could result in the loss of Government grant which could then result in the development going ahead with only the means of access and egress for the new residents through the existing Emmbrook Roads.  He recognised that this view differed from some of the Emmbrook residents but felt that it was the only remaining option to ensure that total disruption was kept to a minimum for all existing residents.

The Executive Member for Environment highlighted the importance of considering flooding issues and taking note of them, particularly as it was something that the public were very concerned about.  Therefore one of the main reasons for the proposed route was because no suitable option could be found across the flood plain.

RESOLVED That:

1)        the deliverable route option to provide the alignment for the North Wokingham Distributor road and its progress through detailed design to a full planning application and the funding necessary for this be agreed;

2)        Officers continue the process of securing land required to deliver the deliverable route option;

3)        the expenditure of £1.25m, with a profile of £250,000 in Year 1 and £500,000 in both Years 2 and 3 be agreed.