A Public Meeting called by Herefordshire Council to discuss the proposals contained in ‘Help plan the future of Herefordshire’.
These notes were taken by Here for Hereford to be available on www.hereforhereford.co.uk The Council intends to put their notes of the same ‘Whitecross meeting’ on their website.
There were around 220 people present at the meeting held from 7.00 to 9.00 p.m
1. The Chair for the Meeting was Alan Curless OBE. He explained that he was fully independent from Herefordshire Council and was not being paid to chair the meeting.
2. He introduced the other members on the panel:
Cllr John Jarvis (JJ) Leader of the Council
Dr Dave Nicholson (DN) Head of Strategic Planning and Regeneration
Mr Steve Burgess (SB) Transportation Manager
Mr Geoff Hughes (GH) Director for Places and Communities
Apologies for absence had been received from Cllr Mark Hubbard
Other Council Members and Parish Councillors were also present, including Cllrs. Brian Wilcox, Russell Hamilton and Bob Matthews.
3. Dr Dave Nicholson presented the video which accompanies the consultation documents on the Council’s website. He included slides from the summary document regarding the proposals, in particular the changes which had been introduced since last year reducing, for example, the total number of dwellings in the plan. He said that Three Elms would be served by the relief road on a western alignment; there would be an average of 50 dwellings built p.a. with 35% affordable, ‘green’ infrastructure, and a new primary school. In the Market Towns there would be a suite of criteria-based policies to allow for flexibility.
4. The Chair then read out the questions which had been submitted in advance by Here for Hereford, and the appropriate officers replied:
4.1. What is affordable housing (AH) and what percentage of AH is in the Plans.
A (DN): AH is not being met at the moment – we need low cost homes to rent, to sell and to share – in the UDP the percentage is 35%. We propose a higher percentage (40%) in prosperous areas (e.g. Ledbury), and 25% in less prosperous areas (e.g. Leominster).
4.2. If endorsed / funded, which comes first, and in what stages – the’relief road’ or the housing?
A (DN):
We are forging a plan for the long term future of Hereford. We wouldn’t need to do the road first as they will come together simultaneously, according to need and to funding. How can that happen? (rhetorical Q) A lot depends on the market, i.e competition between house builders, and on what other funds are available.
4.3 Why is the option of a second river crossing at Rotherwas not being formally considered?
A (DN) : It’s all about timing – we might need more road infrastructure to the East; we have listened to responses especially from the Enterprise Board. Whatever we do on the east is for Rotherwas and it is not a replacement for a western crossing.
4.4 Why has the option of Not Building a Relief Road not been properly tested?
A (SB): The ‘No road’ test has been done and tested on two occasions. More modelling work is currently under way; the interim results are reinforcing the need for the road.
4.5 How can we be sure the Council will take notice of submitted questionnaires?
A (DN): All consultation responses, including questionnaires submitted, are being analysed and fully reported on. We are analysing the responses – IOC’s and Here for Hereford’s.
4.6 What is the link between Bloor Homes, the Church Commissioners and the Council?
A (JJ) : It’s no different from any other link the Council has with developers. (See Herefordshire Council website notes of the meeting for a fuller account of this answer).
4.7 When will the Council complete the sustainable transport measures already in their Plan?
A (SB) : Sustainable transport measures were started in 2000. We have introduced 20 mph limits, traffic calming, cycle routes, an upgraded High Town, and there will be cycle routes and pedestrianisation as part of the new Cattle market development. It is an ongoing programme.
4.8 Can we have a meeting with officers regarding bed shortages in the County Hospital?
A (JJ) ‘I have spoken to the right people / to the Chief Executive of the Council and the Hospital Trust – their policies do not require any more beds; those are the facts – the hospital was designed so further beds would not be required. The policy is to get old people back in to the comfort of their own homes and to free up bed space. A meeting can be arranged with relevant officers to which three representatives from Here for Hereford could be invited.
5.
Cllr Matthews made his prepared speech, to which the Council will respond. He covered the following points:- essential to have a strong prosperous economy; ‘We need the Eastern route – the advice to Cabinet has been wrong’. Only the R Wye is the SAC, not the Lugg. Some of the ‘rare’ plants are no longer rare. ‘I can’t understand why we are not looking at this’.
Parsons Brinckerhoff were critical of all the routes, reference Environmental Impacts. Air quality needs to be considered and the Eastern route is less damaging to air quality. The Eastern route is cheaper. Cllr Matthews claimed that both MP’s say we should not listen to consultants, we should take the Eastern route. Where are the finances coming from? Cllrs need to tour the routes – a lot of elected members don’t even know the route. We need joined up thinking about moving housing and businesses to outside the City, freeing up brown field sites in the City for housing. Put the road and houses where they are needed. It is important that we protect high grade agricultural land. The plan needs to be target driven and not developer led and the new Localism Bill supports this. This is a decision for local people, not outsiders.”
In responding to Cllr Matthews, JJ comments that he want to put two things right: Both MPs do NOT say the western route is not the right way to go. The A49 to A49 route has to go west.
He also says Cllr Matthews’ speech will be fully considered by the Council at a later date.
6.
Questions from the floor:
6.1 Is it a bypass or a relief road?
(JJ): ‘Jesse Norman has now said Western Route is now the preferred route to use as a bypass. ‘Relief road’ is a technical term and I use ‘bypass’ as it avoids confusion. A49 to A49 is a bypass. Cabinet members had wanted the bypass to go east but evidence from consultants said the road could only go west, so we will go west.
6.2 Is Three Elms’ site owned by Church Commissioners? A: ‘Prospective development is led by Church Commissioners. Yes’
6.3 I understand the need for development for our children and grand children and a relief road and I live near Belmont, but when will we know the exact route?
(SB): The exact route can only follow when we have agreed the strategic plan and then work can begin on routes in April 2013.
6.4 Queries policy re first needing to improve traffic in Hereford, then needing to build houses, and now building a road for houses, and even with relief road there will still be congestion.
SB: With the relief road, modelling shows there will be a 10% reduction in traffic on the Greyfriars Bridge by 2031.
JJ: The Belmont road emphasises the need for the relief road and this will enable us to detrunk the A49. The Highways Agency controls the A49 and the lights and this is to the benefit of the A49. We are negotiating with them re needing to detrunk the A49, after the relief road route is complete, before some traffic reduction via sustainable measures can happen.
6.5 There is a proposal for 3 park and ride schemes and only one is south of the city. Is Park and Ride driven by traffic flows or the availability of the sites? SB: The locations are very much strategic up to 2031. Re the site to the south, the relief road would enable travellers from the A465 to use that hub.
6.7 Well done to Cllr Matthews, and Mr Norman MP firmly supports the eastern route. The western route means trucks will still go through Hereford as the bypass will be too long for them to go round. Wouldn’t it be cheaper to introduce better transport measures in the City now?.
SB: When you build new roads you release induced traffic. Yes, new roads do generate traffic, but we’ll be planning this out.
JJ : regarding Jesse Norman: we talked during the summer and it became clear we were talking about 2 very different things for two different issues. The Administration wants the A49 to A49 route – Jesse Norman wants a 2nd river crossing only – we’re looking at this but the ‘East is Best’ route is not doable. A lot of what Cllr Matthews just said is new to me. It is quite clear that if you could go East you would go East. Specialists say it is not doable. If we started to build East and spent £15 million and were stopped, what would you all say then?
GH: The full A49 to A49 is difficult to achieve on the east but we will have to look at it. We are doing full traffic modelling on the east and on infrastructure.
6.8 Herefordshire Council’s water study in 2009 showed that even after upgrading the sewerage treatment plants in Hereford in 2010/11, there would still only be a capacity for 3,500 new homes, so why plan to build more homes than that? ;
DN: Welsh water can accommodate 3,800 new homes peak. The water companies will wait for the LDF so they can be assured of the certainty of the plans. We need plans in place so that water companies can build them into their 5 year rolling plan. They are waiting for upgrades which will come after development.
6.9 One of the doctors at the County Hospital at 5.10pm today said that the hospital is being closed to any new patients because it is already full – how will the County cope with more residents?
A (JJ) Not sure of the reasons for closure but perhaps this gentleman will take up the offer of a meeting with officers and with Here for Hereford to learn more about this issue.
6.10 Will there be a consultation meeting on the south side of the city? 1,000 homes are planned at Bullingham which is developer led. Local people should have a say where the houses go, not the developers. When the plan for the houses and the road went to the High Court it was thrown out.
A (DN): Bloor homes is the developer for Bullingham. We need developers to build the bulk of houses. There is a meeting for Hollington ward this coming Wednesday night. The plan is to look for appropriate sites that are appropriate to use. Deliverability depends on developers to build these sites.
6.11 As through traffic is only 15 per cent and HGV’s will still drive through the City, won’t there still be congestion?
A (SB) A lot of our strategy relies on sustainable change. For the levels of growth we will need to see those sustainable measures come forward for the growth planned. We have not considered HGV usage modelling – we’re looking at housing related traffic growth, not HGV’s. An answer re the extent of increases in HGV usage will be provided to Mr. Caldicott.
6.12 The Victorians realised that Hereford needed lungs and we are not as bright as the Victorians. You are still looking at building houses at Three Elms and Holmer – what transport infrastructure are you building to support traffic into Hereford? On school days you can’t get in to Hereford for traffic.
A (SB) The modelling shows that the proposed growth will result in slower journey times. 6.13: There is a quoted rate of affordable housing for the market towns and Hereford. What is the percentage for rural areas?
A (JJ): Madley has been allocated 100+ homes. Any private market house will have to provide a contribution for affordable housing. If you do a Neighbourhood Plan the houses in it are not decreed by the council but by your Neighbourhood Plan. You can decide affordable housing sites.
6.14 We are repeatedly told that major contributions are needed from housing developers, but surely this is just not on? Do we have to wait until 2031 for completion of the road?
A (DN): We have the vision of where we want to get to in 2031. The government is to introduce a new infrastructure levy. We need development to fund the road;-we will use the levy. The road will come forward in phases and different links. This is a very brave step.
A (SB): We want a 20 per cent shift away from car usage. We need behavioural change – stop the short car trips. We have to do this, alongside the relief road. We are building green infrastructure.
6.15: I work at the hospital and it often runs dangerously close to capacity, particularly in the winter. I have grave concerns over this plan. Has anyone consulted with the emergency services?
A (GH): Emergency Services have been consulted. Hospital beds are tight at the moment as we send too many people to hospital. – we need to get people home more quickly.
6.16 ‘I don’t believe the HA will detrunk the A49 because the new road at Three Elms will go through a housing estate and residential streets, won’t it?’
A (GH): We’ve met the regional director of the Highways Agency, in a documented meeting. He says he will take it on after completion if it is constructed to an adoptable standard.
6.17 In business you always work out the plans and work out the costings. What sort of debt will our children be left with? How much are you expecting in S106 money and how much S106 money is the council sitting on?
A (GH): I will answer Mr. Hands re S 106 money in a written response. Re funding in general, once a plan is in place, we can ask for funding. There’s no government funding if we have no plans. It’s important to get the relief road ring fenced into the LDF to be able to receive funding for the proposals.
6.18 The Council’s leaflet says “Help plan the future…’ – Here for Hereford wanted to help people by putting information out to local residents of Herefordshire, but you refused the use of the information caravan. Why?
A (GH): He answers re what advice she should have been given. The caravan is not available for policy promotion contrary to the council’s policy. You can book space in High Town, but not the Caravan.
6.19: Can we add a leaflet to ‘Hereford Matters’?.
A (from JJ): Yes, can see no reason not to insert an advert
6.20 You showed us a video of lovely countryside, which is what makes Hereford special. We are sacrificing our lovely countryside in favour of a road – there are problems getting around the city, so shouldn’t we be pursuing smaller projects to help ease traffic?
A (SB): repeats his description of the small projects that are taking place.
6.21 How many of the 16,500 houses are in the plan already – and how many consents not yet built?
A (DN) : [answered later]: Up to April 2011, there were 2,945 housing commitments; any dwellings completed from April 2011 onwards count towards the 16,500.
6.22 Can you guarantee bus lanes across Greyfriars Bridge on A49 will not be introduced in the LDF?
A (SB) : There is too much highway devoted to bus lanes in the current plan but we are scaling these down – however, re-allocation of road space to cyclists etc will be needed.
6.23 The capacity for sewerage in Crest Homes is inadequate – how are you going to cope in the future?
A (DN) : We’ve sorted the Crest Homes problem; we’re in touch with Welsh Water and the helpful Environment Agency, we’ll work it out (NB Q.6.23 and answer not in Council’s notes)
6.24 from Three Elms – I am going to buy a property – where exactly are the 1,000 homes proposed to go?
A (DN) : There is no simple answer to where the 1,000 houses go as the sites haven’t yet been determined (only the strategic locations) but he will discuss outside of the meeting this particular question with the questioner.
6.25 WRR was rejected in consultation last year so is the ‘No Road option’ now being tested?
A (SB):. Detailed proposals of sustainable schemes need to be looked at. We need complimentary traffic management and it can’t be solely for the benefit of car drivers. We will take parking out of the city when we have park and ride… 6.26 Don’t we need sound answers now, as per the request from the Planning Inspectorate last year, with a justification for the proposals? ‘We are a year on and we still have no answers – it’s a major gamble with our money’.
A (DN): We remain convinced that Hereford has to grow and the relief road is part of that package. We know we need to show deliverability of the Relief Road before submission to the Inspector.
At 9.10pm the meeting was summarised by the Chair who confirmed the Council’s notes of the meeting would be on the Council’s website at some point soon; he conveyed his thanks to all for their attendance, and the meeting thanked him for conducting the proceedings.
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