Apologies were received from Councillors BA Baker, DW Greenow, KS Guthrie and LC Tawn.

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

Councillor CA Gandy substituted for Councillor KS Guthrie, Councillor MN Mansell for Councillor LC Tawn, RJ Phillips for Councillor DW Greenow and Councillor NE Shaw for Councillor BA Baker.

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

Legal advice was given that Councillors did not need to declare an interest solely on the basis that the application before the Committee was a council application.

Agenda item 4 – 151314 - Existing Roundabout Junction of the A49(T) and B4399, to a New Roundabout with the A465, then joining the B4349.

Councillor FM Norman declared a non-pecuniary interest because she knew one of the objectors.

Councillor RJ Phillips declared a non-pecuniary interest as a former director and former Chair of the Enterprise Zone.

Councillor AJW Powers declared a non-pecuniary interest as a member of the Council noting that the Committee was considering a Council application.

To approve and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 18 May, 2016.

RESOLVED:   That the Minutes of the meeting held on 18 May 2016 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

New single carriageway (Southern Link Road) and associated works.

(New single carriageway (southern link road (SLR)) and associated works.)

Before consideration of the application commenced a Member raised a point of order and questioned why a report on appeals had not appeared on the agenda, as was customary, stating that he had wanted to discuss the outcome of a particular appeal as a matter of urgency.  It was advised in reply that the purpose of the meeting was to focus on the single application on the agenda and therefore no appeals report had been published.  There was no statutory requirement to submit an appeals report.  The Chairman commented that as he had previously stated the appeals report would appear on the agenda for the Committee’s meeting on 15 June.

Another Member referred to information that had been circulated by the Herefordshire Wildlife Trust reporting the finding of previously unreported species of plant in Grafton Wood.  This questioned the accuracy of the survey undertaken by the council’s consultants and it was asked whether the Committee could continue to consider the application in the light of this new evidence.  The Chairman ruled that this was not a point of order and could be addressed during the debate as the Member saw fit.

The Chairman outlined the procedure that would be followed at the meeting.

The Principal Planning Officer gave a presentation on the application, and updates/additional representations received following the publication of the agenda were provided in the update sheet, as appended to these Minutes.

The Chairman had extended the public speaking time from the customary 9 minutes to 45 minutes, allocating 15 minutes to Parish Councils, 15 minutes to objectors and 15 minutes to supporters.  In response to a request he had exercised his discretion and allowed a further 3 minutes speaking time for an objector whose property was directly affected by the proposal.

In accordance with the criteria for public speaking, Ms S Glover of Callow and Haywood Group Parish Council and Mrs C Protherough of Clehonger Parish Council spoke in opposition to the application. 

Mr A Priddle, Mrs E Morawiecka, Mr R Palgrave, Mr J Perkins, (local residents) Ms A Martin (Herefordshire Transport Forum), Mr D Thompson (on behalf of Mr Watkins – local resident) and Mrs J Harris (local resident) spoke in objection to the application. 

Mrs C Hennessey, (the applicant’s agent), Mr P Collins (local businessman) and Mr B Jackson (Chair, Hereford Enterprise Board) spoke in support of the application.

(The meeting adjourned between 4.05pm and 4.20pm.)

Councillor ACR Chappell an adjoining ward member spoke on the application making the following principal comments:

·        The Southern Link Road (SLR) represented the second phase of a bypass for the City and that was its principal purpose.  The majority of residents wanted a bypass. 

·        The scheme would allow heavy goods vehicles to be taken off the A465 Belmont Road to the benefit of residents. 

·        Access to the Rotherwas Industrial Estate needed to be improved.  The link was a vital piece of infrastructure that would secure the economic  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

Date of next site inspection – 14 June 2016

Date of next meeting – 15 June 2016