To confirm the 2019/2020 programme of work within the approved funding allocation and spending the additional grant of £150k received in 2018/19.

On 15 February 2019 Council approved the revised capital programme. This included provision of £3.5m in 2019/2020 for the Hereford Transport Package. This report recommends approval to spend this budget in accordance with the feasibility case which supported the Hereford Transport Package capital bid and is contained in Appendix 1 of this report.

That:

(a)          the Director for Economy and Place is authorised to take all necessary steps to progress detailed design and consultation including commissioning external professional advisors to inform future decisions on the Hereford Transport Package to a maximum further cost of £3.65m to deliver:

Completion of detailed design of the bypass to a standard for a planning application in accordance with an agreed costed programme.

1.         An option for proceeding with Hereford growth proposals (Local Plan Core Strategy) without the provision of a bypass was considered and discounted during the Core Strategy process. Not progressing this work will mean the HTP objectives and core strategy growth targets cannot be achieved.