To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillors ACR Chappell, H Davies, B Hunt, AP Taylor and JD Woodward.

To receive details any details of Members nominated to attend the meeting in place of a Member of the Committee.

Councillors PA Andrews, DJ Benjamin and AT Oliver were noted as substitute members.

To receive any declarations of interest by Members in respect of items on the Agenda.

5. DMCE092576F - EDGAR STREET TO COMMERCIAL ROAD, INCLUDING BARRS COURT ROAD, BLACKFRIARS STREET, CANAL ROAD, NEWTOWN ROAD, HEREFORD.

Councillor GFM Dawe, Personal.

5. DMCE092576F - EDGAR STREET TO COMMERCIAL ROAD, INCLUDING BARRS COURT ROAD, BLACKFRIARS STREET, CANAL ROAD, NEWTOWN ROAD, HEREFORD.

Councillor MAF Hubbard, Prejudicial.

5. DMCE092576F - EDGAR STREET TO COMMERCIAL ROAD, INCLUDING BARRS COURT ROAD, BLACKFRIARS STREET, CANAL ROAD, NEWTOWN ROAD, HEREFORD.

MJ Willmont (Development Control Manager), Personal.

To receive any announcements from the Chairman.

The Chairman advised that the time allocated for public speaking had been extended to 6 minutes for each party.

demolition of existing buildings and construction of new highway, cycleway, drainage, landscaping and associated works between the a49 (t) Edgar Street and a465 commercial road, Hereford, along with a new road link to unclassified road 80332 Blackfriars Street and U80335 Canal Road, a new junction with Widemarsh Street and associated highway improvement works including to the junction of the A49(t) Edgar Steet and B4359 Newtown Road and the junction of A465 Aylestone Hill and C1127 Barrs Court Road, Hereford.

Wards: Central, Aylestone and Three Elms

demolition of existing buildings and construction of new highway, cycleway, drainage, landscaping and associated works between the a49 (t) Edgar Street and a465 commercial road, Hereford, along with a new road link to unclassified road 80332 Blackfriars Street and U80335 Canal Road, a new junction with Widemarsh Street and associated highway improvement works including to the junction of the A49(t) Edgar Street and B4359 Newtown Road and the junction of A465 Aylestone Hill and C1127 Barrs Court Road, Hereford.

The Head of Planning and Transportation introduced the application. He advised that it was vital that the application was determined with policy in mind and that the Secretary of State had not called in the application. Therefore the determination of the application fell to the Planning Committee.

The Principal Planning Officer presented the application and updates / additional representations received following the publication of the agenda were provided; the schedule of committee updates is appended to these minutes.

In accordance with paragraph 5.14.6.3 of the Council’s Constitution, Councillor MAF Hubbard, a Central ward member who had declared a prejudicial interest in respect of the application, addressed the Committee before leaving the Council Chamber for the duration of the item. He commented on a number of issues, including:

• The ‘It’s Our City’ campaign had received 10000 signatures in objection to the application in just 10 weeks.
• The road is included in the saved policies of the UDP but no further detail was given for the proposal.
• Consultation for the ESG Supplementary Planning Document was flawed and generated just 38 responses with just a third in favour.
• The report stated that one of the primary functions of the road was to redistribute traffic away from the inner ring road yet the planning officer admitted in his report that the road would not do this.
• The application before the committee was premature.
• The modelling software relied on assumptions as the plans were the urban village and retail quarter were not completed.
• The application for the road should have been put on hold pending the completion of the other key plans in order to determine what facilites the road would be serving.
• Concerns were raised in respect of the Air Quality Management Area. Allowing the application would have a detrimental effect on the AQMA.
• Herefordshire Council set up ESG Limited, surely the Council should not be permitted to determine the application.
• Natural England comments noted in respect of the canal basin and green infrastructure.
• The mixed cycleway and pedestrian footway would bring people directly into conflict with each other, this was directly against modern principles of developing urban streets.
• How would the local businesses be looked after, was there a budget in place to fund their relocation.

In accordance with the criteria for public speaking, Mr Faulkner and Mr James spoke in objection to the application, and Dr Nicholson, the applicant, spoke in support.

In accordance with paragraph 4.8.2.2 of the Council’s Constitution, Councillors PA Andrews and AM Toon, two of the Three Elms  ...  view the full minutes text for item 106.

Next Site Visit – 13 April 2010

Next Planning Committee – 14 April 2010

It was noted that the next meeting of the Planning Committee would take place on Wednesday 14 April 2010.