Agenda item

The Commission considered a report of the Chief Executive concerning the programme for responding to the consultation Draft Regional Plan and the current position on issues that will be taken into account in preparing the County Council’s response. A copy of the report marked ‘E’ is filed with these minutes.

The Commission also considered the preliminary outcome of the transport assessment of the draft proposals. A copy of the preliminary assessment is also filed with these minutes.

The Committee also considered written comments which had been received from Mr M. Hunt CC, a copy of which is filed with these minutes.

The Committee was advised of the following amendments which were required to the report and transport assessment:-

·                    Page 10 - Appendix 3 Main report – Under Long Term, Charnwood, the word ‘Thurmaston’ be substituted for ‘Thurcaston’;

·                    Page 24 - Transport Assessment – Paragraph 4.33 – after location 2, the words ‘east and south of Burbage’ be substituted for ‘north of Hinckley Northern Perimeter Road’.

The Commission was advised that:-

i)                    the five large sustainable urban extensions (SUE) sites referred to in the report were chosen as sample sites for the purposes of modelling the transport impacts and were not necessarily the sites proposed for development; that would be a matter for District Councils’ Local Development  Frameworks;

ii)                  the findings of the transport assessment were preliminary and therefore should be treated with some caution.

The following points were made by members during the discussion:-

·                    concerns remained about the short timescale for making comments, effectively set by the Government, and the lack of opportunities for members and the public to be involved in the proper consideration of all options at an appropriately early stage;

·                    the option for a new settlement should not be ruled out particularly if the option of a SUE in Loughborough and possibly elsewhere proved to be inappropriate;

·                    given the current levels of traffic congestion in Syston, and should the potential developments in the area proceed, Option T1 should be pursued in relation to the Syston Eastern Link Road;

·                    the importance of ensuring strategic employment sites were well-located in relation to future large housing developments.

RESOLVED

a)                 That the comments now made be drawn to the attention of the Cabinet;

b)                 That a further report be submitted to the next meeting of the Commission on 14^th December 2006.