Agenda item

Report of the Interim Director of Economic Growth.

To consider the above petition bearing 612 signatures. The Petition Organiser has been invited to the meeting for the consideration of this item.

The Cabinet Member for City Services considered a report of the Interim Director of Economic Growth, that responded to a petition requesting the Council to carry out no further work on the bus gate in Green Lane until a suitable construction access route had been agreed and made public to the Kings Hill development and until detailed building plans had been made available and also made public.

The petition contained 612 signatures and in accordance with the City Council’s procedure for dealing with petitions, those related to road safety were heard by the Cabinet Member for City Services.

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The works in question were on Coventry’s highway network and were connected with the Kings Hill development site, which was in Warwick District.  The Kings Hill development was granted outline planning permission on 24/12/2021 by Warwick District Council.  Two access points to the site are on, or impact on, Coventry’s local highway network and these have been the subject of planning applications to the City Council.  The bus gate forms one of these access points on Green Lane.  The bus gate would provide access to the Kings Hill development site for public transport, pedestrians and cyclists only.

Work had commenced on the construction of the bus gate by Lioncourt, the developers, in line with the planning permission granted.  This work was being undertaken in advance of the works starting on the main site itself and the City Council has made it clear that the bus gate was not intended for any other vehicles, particularly construction vehicles.  The main site would be developed in due course and several conditions would need to be discharged by Warwick District Council before it could proceed.  One condition relates to the Construction Management Plan (CMP) for the Kings Hill site.  The City Council would be consulted on this plan prior to it being approved and would oppose the use of Green Lane by construction traffic associated with the Kings Hill development.  Works on the Green Lane bus gate would be undertaken by the Councils Direct Labour organisation on behalf of Lioncourt, giving the Council direct control over the construction management under the provisions of a legally binding highway works agreement.

The Petition Organiser and Councillor Heaven attended the meeting and spoke in support of the petition, raising the following concerns:

• Despite questions from Finham Parish Council as to why the bus gate on Green Lane was necessary, answers had not been received.
• Lack of information and clarity on the Kings Hill CMP and no confirmation of a suitable construction access route; the only current access being off Green Lane.
• Additional traffic on Green Lane was creating additional road safety concerns for residents especially as there were two schools in the area.
• Finham Parish Council were not being kept informed of the progress of the development.
• Traffic leaving the development should do so at the junction of Kings Lane, not via Green Lane.
• Despite only buses being permitted to use the bus gate, pollution would still be emitted by them.
• An ancient hedgerow and a well established and old tree near to Green Lane had been cut down despite local objections.

Officers responded to the Members and Petition Organisers concerns advising of the following:

• The bus gate on Green Lane was necessary in order to serve the Kings Hill development by public transport in the most effective way possible whilst maintaining access to public transport for current communities.
• Access to the bus service by residents of Green Lane and the surrounding area would be lost if the access off Green Lane was used by traffic to access the development. The purpose of the bus gate was to enable buses to link the Kings Hill development with the existing local community and ultimately run into the city centre in the most efficient way.
• Construction traffic for the Kings Hill development would be managed by a CMP which would object to any construction traffic using Green Lane to and from the site. Construction traffic would use the A46 from the Stoneleigh Road.
• The development was at outline approval stage and the CMP would be included in a forthcoming Reserved Matters Application (RMA).
• It was hoped work on the bus gate would be undertaken during the school summer holidays.
• A phased CMP would be tied directly to each RMA over the project’s lifecycle.
• Statutory consultees were formally consulted and asked to feed into the process and the results of these public consultations were published on the WDC and CCC websites.

Officers addressed the Cabinet Member’s safety concerns regarding pupils at Finham Primary School, clarifying that the proposed bus gate would have no direct impact on the school.  As buses already operated on Green Lane, the project would not introduce additional traffic. Furthermore, general development construction vehicles would be strictly prohibited from using Green Lane and the only construction vehicles permitted would be those directly building the bus gate. 

Officers advised that they would exercise their statutory enforcement powers as a highways authority if necessary and would collaborate with Warwick District Council to ensure a coordinated, cross-boundary approach.

Representatives of Savills UK and Lioncourt Strategic Land also attended the meeting to recognise and alleviate the concerns of Finham Parish Council and provide assurance regarding construction traffic routing.

The Cabinet Member stressed the need for ensuring lines of communication remained open between the developers, Finham Parish Council and residents in the area moving forward.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet Member for City Services advise the lead petitioner on why the works are being undertaken following a grant of the planning permission by both Warwick District Council and Coventry City Council, together with progress on development and traffic management steps being taken to deliver the works.