Hampshire County Council

Executive Member - Environment

23 July 2003

Buildings, Land and Contracts Panel

25 July 2003

Executive Member - Policy and Resources

25 July 2003

Project Appraisal: Portchester Home Zone

Report of the Director of Environment

Item 6X
(amended decision sheet)

Item 5

Item 3 (i)

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

EXECUTIVE MEMBER - ENVIRONMENT

PROJECT APPRAISAL

PROJECT:

PORTCHESTER HOME ZONE

COMMENCEMENT DATE:

JANUARY 2004

COMPLETION DATE:

DECEMBER 2004

PLANNED YEAR OF START IN ACCORDANCE WITH CAPITAL PROGRAMME: 2003/04

1.

FINANCE (Client Department, Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services [Estates Practice] and County Treasurer)

Current

Capital

Estimate

Programme

(at July 2003

(at July 2003

prices)

prices)

Capital Expenditure

£'000

£'000

Land to be purchased

Nil

Nil

Construction

800

800

Fees

200

200

1000

1000

Less developers/

800

800

other contributions

200

200

Financial provision for total scheme

Total Cost

1.

From Committees own resources

(a) Capital programme (as above)

200

(b) Other - Highway Maintenance

251

451

2.

From other resources

(a) Department for Transport grant

499

(b) Fareham Borough Council

50

(c)

TOTAL

1,000

Value of land for this project in HCC ownership £ nil

Variations from capital programme

Revenue implications *

£'000

% variation

to Committee's

budget

Net current expenditure

Nil

Nil

Capital charges

96

0.103

TOTAL net expenditure

96

0.103

* The project funding requires coordination from both its funding source and the timing of the expenditure. The following explains the detail:

£000s

499

Department for Transport grant (to be spent by February 2005)

200

LTP (2003/04 programme)

50

Contribution from Fareham Borough Council (approved 7 July 2003)

250

Highway Maintenance (2004/05/06 programmes)

2.

STATEMENT OF NEED/JUSTIFICATION FOR PROJECT

(Client Department)

The proposed Portchester Home Zone, comprising Sunningdale Road, Castle Grove and Myrtle Avenue, is a residential area constructed in the early to mid 1900s situated close to the centre of Portchester. The area contains in excess of 200 houses and is located between Portchester Community School to the west; Castle Primary School to the east; Portchester shopping precinct to the north and a local distributor road to the south. (A location plan and a site layout plan are attached).

In July 2001 Fareham Borough Council advertised a proposed Parking Prohibition on Grass Verges Order together with on-street parking restriction to ensure safety and assist access by emergency vehicles. The proposals raised considerable concerns from many, including the local MP, and the County re-thought its strategy. After further consultations with residents, a number of other issues were raised, including `rat-running', vehicle speeds and the amenity of the area, and the idea of a Home Zone was considered.

In September 2001 the Borough Council resolved to support a bid for Home Zone Challenge funding. In October 2001 the County Council submitted this bid with two others to the former Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions under the Home Zone Challenge Fund Initiative.

In April 2002 confirmation was received that the bid for the Portchester scheme had been accepted with a grant of £499,000 being allocated. This scheme is one of 61 schemes nation-wide which is being monitored to enable best practice guidelines to be developed by the Department for Transport to facilitate future programmes to be developed.

The Home Zone has been designed to address the issues raised by the residents concerning parking, speed, `rat-running' and local amenity. However, the process, in itself, has gone beyond these physical aspects to creating a better community spirit and engendering community ownership of the project which is being encouraged to continue with hopefully the establishment of a Home Zone Association.

3.

ROAD IMPROVEMENT PROPOSAL (Client Department)

National/County Network and Policies

Following the trial of eight pilot projects of the Home Zone concept, the Prime Minister announced on 24 April 2001 the intention to accelerate the growth in the programme for Home Zones in England and established the £30 million Challenge Fund. Local authorities were encouraged to participate to help expand the promotion of this concept and the Portchester scheme forms the demonstration project within Hampshire. The scheme goes well beyond a road improvement, capturing wider Government policies including Planning Policy Guidance Notes 13 and 3, Returning Roads to Residents, Designing Streets for People and wider sustainability issues. Portchester falls within the South East Hampshire Transportation Strategy area.

Details of Scheme and Design Standards

The scheme will provide a very low speed environment with enhanced parking arrangements, new street lighting with resurfaced carriageway and footway with street planting and furniture to improve the overall area.

A 20 miles per hour (mph) zone will be extended from West Street to include Jubilee Road and the whole of the Home Zone area. Features within the Home Zone are being designed to reduce speeds to 10 mph.

The scheme involves topographical surveys, detailed design and consultation. Considerable community engagement was sought throughout the project to ensure the community planning concept was followed. Before and after surveys as well as monitoring are also included.

The concept being innovative, the scheme will conform to current guidelines available as well as to relevant Department for Transport Standards and will be subject to a safety audit.

Environmental Impact

The proposed scheme, creating a safer environment, will encourage walking and cycling as well as reducing vehicle speeds. Additional landscaping and trees will enhance the environmental quality of the area.

The aim of the scheme is to ensure the streets are places for people, not just traffic.

Land Requirements

No land acquisition required. All works to be confined within existing public highway limits.

Statutory Procedures

It will be necessary to implement the necessary Traffic Regulation Orders to extend the 20 mph zone and the appropriate area will need to be designated a Home Zone.

Temporary road closures are likely to be needed during the construction process.

Public Consultation

Extensive public consultation has been carried out, including two exhibitions, a week long drop-in session and eight residents' working groups. Regular newsletters are circulated to all residents in and adjoining the Home Zone area. Other interest groups, such as the Access Group, Portchester Society, Portchester Civic Trust and others including emergency services, have been consulted.

Local Borough and County Councillors have been fully involved in this process.

Local Member's View

The local Member, Councillor Price, is supportive of the scheme.

Facilities for the Disabled

The creation of a Home Zone will enhance safety and mobility for the disabled. The road layout is anticipated to reduce vehicle speeds to be in the order of 10 mph and the creation of a single shared surface will assist many. A clear way adjoining the walls of private property, is also being maintained to assist those who are `uncomfortable' with a shared surface. Tactile paving will be inserted at gateways and appropriate locations.

Maintenance Implications

The resurfacing of footways, carriageways and lighting will reduce the short term maintenance needs, and in the long term will have no additional implications. Street planting is being carefully considered to provide a low maintenance need and there will only be a marginal increase on the current environmental costs of maintaining grass and trees. The Borough Council has been involved in detailed discussions and is content with the ongoing maintenance commitment. It is hoped that the establishment of a Home Zone Association will assist in this maintenance.

Crime and Disorder Act 1998

Enhanced street lighting will assist in ensuring higher visibility of all areas of the street.

Sustainability

Materials are being chosen with a view to sustainability, with use of recycled and renewable sources where practicable. Modern lighting will be energy efficient and reduce light pollution.

4.

ROAD IMPROVEMENT - ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED

(Client Department)

As the Home Zone is directly funded under the Department for Transport Challenge Initiative then the concepts of a Home Zone have to be adhered to.

Designs have been formulated with a Residents' Working Group together with `open' workshops and exhibitions. Numerous detailed aspects have been considered, including changing traffic management arrangements by creating three separate culs-de-sac or one-way streets. Options have also been explored in the road layout, including street lighting and other detailed design aspects.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background papers

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

NB the list excludes:

1.

Published works.

2.

Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

TITLE

LOCATION

Home Zone Project File

Environment Department

Hampshire Highways South