Contact: Steve Jenkins, ext 6907 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 The following decision is sought:

That approval be given for the Chief Executive to conclude appropriate legal agreements with the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA), the Highways Agency and the County Council in order to secure improvements to the junction of the A27(T) and Harts Farm Way.

2. Reason

2.1 This decision supports Aim 3 of the Corporate Strategy achieving economic propriety by providing improved access to a major new development.

2.2 To secure improvements to the junction of the A27(T) and Harts Farm Way to provide safe and adequate access to a proposed mixed use B1 office, B2 industrial and B8 storage and distribution development at Penner Road in Havant.

3. Other Options Considered and Rejected

3.1 The County Council could opt not to enter a legal agreement. This option has been rejected as it would not secure the off-site highway works required to ensure the development site can be safely and adequately accessed.

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. Introduction

7.1 An outline planning application has been submitted to Havant Borough Council for the development of 20,200 square metres of B1 (Business), B2 (General Industrial) and B8 (Storage and Distribution) on land at Penner Road in Havant. A maximum of 400 car parking spaces will be provided on-site. Planning conditions restrict the amount of each permitted use class and the proposed level of car parking meets the County Parking Standard.

7.2 The application site is located to the north of Penner Road. It is bound by Penner Road to the south, Southmoor Lane to the west, existing employment uses to the north and existing residential development to the east.

7.3 Havant Borough Council as local planning authority has approved the planning application, subject to the conclusion of an appropriate legal agreement with the County Council.

7.4 The local Member, Councillor Mrs Wride, has been informed of the proposals.

8. Transport Proposals

8.1 Access to the site is from Penner Road, which joins Southmoor Lane at a simple priority junction. Southmoor Lane joins Harts Farm Way at a mini-roundabout junction with Brookside Road and Brockhampton Road. Access to the strategic road network is then via Harts Farm Way and its junction with the A27(T).

8.2 The developer has produced a Transport Assessment which has concluded that the development traffic will have a material impact on the operation of the A27(T) and Harts Farm Way junction (see attached Plan to be includedplan). The County Council and Highways Agency have agreed the transport assessment and are requiring the developer to carry out off-site highway works in order to accommodate the likely development traffic. The County Council has agreed with the Highways Agency that the County Council would act as the Highways Agency's agent in respect of that part of the works on or to form part of the trunk road. An agreement is required under Section 6(5) of the Highways Act 1980 in order to formalise these arrangements.

8.3 The junction is currently a mini-roundabout, which forms the most southerly arm of a dumbbell arrangement either end of a bridge across the A27(T) (see attached plan). The developer has agreed to improve the junction in two stages:

8.4 Before any development commences, the developer will erect temporary traffic signals at the top of the A27(T) westbound off-slip and on the A27(T) overbridge. The provision of temporary signals will regulate

traffic movements at the junction and improve its operation (see attached plan). The details of the temporary traffic signals are currently being finalised.

8.5 Prior to the occupation of 16,500 square metres of development, or after one year of implementation of development, whichever is the sooner, the developer has agreed to replace the temporary traffic signals with a permanent traffic signal-controlled junction, which will adequately and safely accommodate the existing traffic on the network and that generated by the proposed development when fully occupied.

8.6 The developer has agreed to design the permanent traffic signal-controlled junction to accommodate cyclists. Controlled cycle crossings will be provided to tie into the proposed A27 cycleway which is currently being promoted by the Highways Agency.

8.7 The permanent traffic signal-controlled junction will also accommodate pedestrians by providing a new length of footway into Harts Farm Way. This footway will link into the pedestrian facilities on the A27(T) overbridge and cross the westbound off-slip onto Harts Farm Way via a new controlled crossing. The new footway will tie into a future footway on Harts Farm Way, which will be provided by forthcoming development sites (see attached plan).

8.8 The permanent traffic signal-controlled junction will be constructed on land both within the existing highway and outside it. The land outside the existing highway is in the ownership of Havant Borough Council, which has agreed to the free dedication of this land.

8.9 The developer has agreed to pay to the County Council a commuted maintenance sum equivalent to 20% of the cost of the traffic signals, this will cover the future maintenance of the signals.

9. Financial Implications

9.1 In the event of the proposal being implemented, the applicant has agreed, at no cost to the County Council, to carry out the above highway improvement works at the junction of the A27(T) and Harts Farm Way which have been costed at:

(i) £20,000 to provide temporary traffic signals for a maximum of one year; and

(ii) £700,000 to construct the permanent traffic signal-controlled junction.

8229A/SJ