Archived decisions

Contact: Peter Syddall, ext 6050

1. Summary

1.1 The following decisions are sought:

(i) That the Fleet Town Centre Improvement Proposals are taken forward through preliminary and detailed design, including appropriate consultations, to scheme implementation.

(ii) That the financial contribution received by the County Council in accordance with the Section 106 Agreement referred to in paragraph 7.2 of this report be used towards transportation elements of the Fleet Town Centre Improvement Proposals.

(iii) That the Fleet Inner Relief Road be declared an abandoned scheme, which the County Council as local highway authority no longer proposes to construct.

(iv) That Hart District Council be advised of these decisions and to take the necessary steps to omit the Fleet Inner Relief Road as a proposal from the next review or replacement of its development plan.

2. Reason

2.1 Transport improvement proposals for Fleet Town Centre have been developed over approximately the last three years, including public consultation in late 2001, under the guidance of the North East Hampshire Transportation Strategy (NEHTS) Panel. The preferred scheme was refined and modified during 2002, in the light of comments received and following considerable liaison with Hart District Council and local interest groups (including the Fleet Town Centre Management Group). The proposed scheme (including modifications dated 2 December 2002) was formally considered by Hart District Council's full Council on 27 March 2003, which resolved to support the proposals. It is now necessary to undertake further design in preparation for implementation.

2.2 Funding for the scheme is available for the transport proposals, through a Section 106 Agreement, in relation to development at Elvetham Heath. It is considered that the Fleet Town Centre Improvement Proposals, including all transportation measures, will be of benefit to the public and that expenditure of the financial contribution received by the County Council in accordance with Clause 4.16 of the Section 106 Agreement, referred to at paragraph 7.2 of this report on transport elements of the said Proposals, constitutes a proper use of the financial contribution. Additional funding is proposed to be provided, subject to the level of financial support from Central Government, as part of the County Council's draft capital programme for 2005/06.

2.3 On 13 February 2002 the NEHTS Panel resolved that the Executive Member for Environment should make arrangements to abandon the Fleet Inner Relief Road. On 15 April 2002 the Executive Member for Environment approved the decision to make the necessary arrangements `for the County Council to abandon the Fleet Inner Relief Road as a named scheme within the Hampshire County Structure Plan 1996-2011(Review)'. However, the County Structure Plan is not now to be reviewed because of the changes in the planning system proposed in the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Bill that was introduced to Parliament in December 2002. It is appropriate in the absence of a review of the Structure Plan to clarify the County Council's position on the inner relief road.

2.4 The Hart District Local Plan (Replacement) 1996-2006 was adopted in December 2002. The Local Plan includes a proposal (T7) to construct the Inner Relief Road and safeguard the necessary land. However the supporting text states that this proposal must remain in the local plan by way of conformity with the structure plan, but also states that the `County Council is expected to remove this proposal from a future review of the Hampshire County Structure Plan; when that happens, the local plan will be altered to take account of that'. Hart District Council should therefore omit the proposal for the Fleet Inner Relief Road from the next review or replacement of its Development Plan.

3. Other Options Considered and Rejected

3.1 The decision to make arrangements to declare the Inner Relief Road as an abandoned scheme was taken by the Executive Member for Environment after consideration of its benefits against various scheme options for the town centre. One-way circulation systems for the town centre were also evaluated but rejected.

4. Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Decision Maker or a Member or Officer Consulted - None.

5. Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee - Not applicable.

6. Reason(s) for the Matter being dealt with if Urgent - Not applicable.

Approved by: Date:

Councillor K B Estlin

7. Background

7.1 The proposed town centre scheme is based on the measures put forward in the W S Atkins study report entitled `Fleet Town Centre Traffic and Environmental Improvement Scheme', March 2002. The measures for Fleet Road were modified in December 2002 (Atkins Drawing 4260221 Fleet Road Improvements Rev C 02/12/02). A location plan is attached and drawing 4260221 Rev C will be displayed at the meeting.

7.2 Funding for the scheme is available through contributions from the development at Elvetham Heath by virtue of a Section 106 Agreement dated 30 April 1997 between The Trustees of the Elvetham Estate (1), Hart District Council (2), Hampshire County Council (3) as varied by a Deed of Variation dated 29 September 1999 made between Beazer Homes Limited (1), Taywood Homes Limited (2), Thameswey Homes Limited (3), Safeway Stores plc (4), Hemisphere Property Services Limited (5), Hart District Council (6), Hampshire County Council (7), ("the Section 106 Agreement") made to the County Council and, subject to the level of financial support from Central Government, additional funding will also be considered through the County Council's capital programme. The Section 106 Agreement provides at Clause 4.16 for a financial contribution to be received by the County Council in accordance with the said clause to be expended on the Fleet Inner Relief Road or alternative transportation improvements in Fleet. The specific wording at Clause 4.16.2 (A) is:

`At any time prior to the completion of the Development HCC may elect to use the Contribution or any part thereof towards such alternative transportation improvements in Fleet as HCC considers to be of benefit to the public ("the alternative schemes") and HCC shall account to the Owner for the cost of the alternative schemes provided that in any event the Contribution shall only be used for the Fleet Inner Relief Road or the alternative schemes and no other purpose.'

7.3 In addition, Hart District Council has contributions available through the Section 106 Agreement `for the use for town centre parking or other traffic management measures only'.

7.4 The Strategic Planning Joint Advisory Panel recommended on 2 April 2003 not to roll forward/review the Hampshire County Structure Plan 1996-2011 (Review). The Executive Member for Environment approved this recommendation on 20 May 2003. Reference is made in Policy T19 of the Structure Plan to safeguarding land for the Fleet Inner Relief Road.

8012/PCS