However the Committee also agreed to refer the application to the Secretary of State for Communities & Local Government. This is because, despite significant mitigation and compensation measures being put in place, the scheme is contrary to some policies in local development plans, such as preservation of landscape and biodiversity. The Committee decided that on balance the overall benefits and pressing need for the link road outweighed these factors.
If the Secretary of State decides not to call in the application the County Council's planning service will seek an undertaking that suitable mitigation and compensation measures are put in place. This will require maintaining landscaping areas and providing compensatory habitats.
Detailed studies by transport officers have predicted that the road will assist in the creation of up to 2,000 jobs valued at £44.8m. It will also allow developers the opportunity for access to build 1,100 new homes in north Bexhill, and in total over 3,000 new homes in Bexhill if the new strategy is supported.
It is anticipated the transport benefits to the region will include a reduction in casualties by an estimated 22 a year. Noise, pollution and congestion will be significantly reduced on the only current road between the two towns, the A259, speeding up journey times.
Councillor Michael Tunwell, Chairman of the Planning Committee said: "The contributions at today's meeting of the planning committee reflected the wide range of strong and deeply held views. The decision we have taken was based solely on planning considerations and the evidence before us and in the belief that overall the advantages offered by the Link Road were compelling."
Further information
In 2003 the Secretary of State for Transport asked East Sussex County Council to develop proposals for a link road, which had emerged as a recommendation from the transport study (South Coast Multi-Modal Study) of the south coast.
In January 2004, the Lead Member for Transport and Environment at East Sussex County Council approved six route options, which were taken to public consultation in February 2004. 65,000 addresses with circulated with option information, and exhibitions held at seven different locations. 2,558 questionnaires were received and analysed. The returns demonstrated strong support for the principle of the link road (84%), with two strongly supported options.
A route which was supported by statutory environmental bodies, modified to take account of detailed observations from the consultation, became the adopted option, which was submitted to Government for scheme approval.
In December 2004, the scheme was given approval in principle by the Secretary of State for Transport.
The application was submitted in May 2007 by the Council's Transport and Environment department to the authority's planning service, which advises the County Council's Planning Committee in its separate, statutory role as Planning Authority.
For more information on the development, visit our pages here: Bexhill to Hastings link road.
Reference:
2234
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