Heyhouses Ward Conservatives: December 2007

Keeping Residents In Touch

The role of District Councillor has changed dramatically since the year 2000. Government policy and public awareness has meant that Councillors need to be more accountable than ever before to their electorate. Technology has also moved on and in Heyhouses your Conservative Councillors are at the forefront of adopting e-mail alerts, Blogs and Newsletters such as the Heyhouses Harrier to keep you up to date. Our monthly mobile Ward surgeries are also a vital face to face opportunity for residents to keep in touch with us. Finally the Heyhouses Branch committee, made up of volunteers, plays a vital supporting role in campaigning and fund raising. If you would like to play a more active role in your area and would like to become part of the team, then please get in touch. We hope you enjoy the Blog.

Thursday, 6 December 2007

LCC M55 Link Road Working Group - 6th Nov

Lancashire Local Fylde
Heyhouses M55 Link Road Working Group

Notes of Meeting held on 6 November 2007
Office of County Councillor Bernard Whittle, County Hall

Present:
County Councillor Bernard Whittle, Chair
County Councillor Tony Martin, Cabinet Member for Sustainable Development
County Councillor Joyce Stuart
Councillor Brenda Ackers
Councillor David Chedd

In attendance:
Steve McCreesh, Highway Consultancy, Environment Directorate
Ray Worthington, Public Transport Policy, Environment Directorate
Tony Donnelly, Local Plans, Fylde Borough Council
Paula Fodor, District Partnership Officer, Fylde

Apologies:
County Councillor Tim Ashton
Jim Robson, Area North Manager, Highways

Steve McCreesh informed the meeting that the Cabinet Member for Sustainable Development had authorised the preparation of Compulsry Purchase and Side Road Orders to enable acquisition of the necessary land and rights of access for the southern section. Property Group had opened negotiations with the landowners. This would be reported to the next meeting of Lancashire Local Fylde on 27 November 2007.

Members were updated on a meeting of officers from Fylde Borough Council, Lancashire County Council and Lancashire County Developments Ltd, which took place on 15 October. It was agreed at this meeting that the two authorities would progress work on a study to assess what level of development in the area would be needed in order to necessitate the development of the road and to fund it. This would relate to the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment which would provide a picture of all the potential sites, brownfield and greenfield, for housing development in the borough. This was to be completed in early Spring 2008.

Tony Donnelly informed the meeting that Kensington Developments was expected to submit a number of planning applications before the end of the year. Kensington had publicly stated that if approval was given to the applications, it would provide the funding to build the road. It was agreed that the situation was far more complex than this and any decision made by Fylde Borough Council members would subject to being called in by the Secretary of State or Government Office North West. It was agreed that at present it was important to carry on with the design stage of the work.

Members discussed the current design for the road. The design called for the new road to be built alongside the current road. This was advantageous as it meant that a good foundation could be provided making the road more sustainable and it wouldn’t disturb the ecology of adjacent ditches. It was agreed that when staff resources allowed, the design would be re-visited to ensure that it was delivering best value.

It was agreed that Tony Donnelly would initiate a second meeting of officers when the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment was completed. The Lancashire Local Fylde working group would meet again in six months (April 2008) to monitor progress.