Agenda item

The Principal Planning Policy Officer presented a report that explained that Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs) form a strategic approach to identifying cycling and walking improvements that are needed at a local level. LCWIPs enable a long-term approach to the development of local cycle and walking networks, which the government had suggested should ideally be over a 10-year period.

The Panel was advised that LCWIPs were being developed for each of the Hertfordshire Districts and Boroughs with Hertfordshire County Council taking the lead together with consultants and working collaboratively with each district and borough to produce a document for each area, whilst also considering potential cross boundary links.

The Panel was advised that LCWIPs allowed greater access to funding streams, such as the active travel fund, and provided an excellent basis on which to inform active travel measures being sought through Section 106 agreements. LCWIPs form part of the government’s strategy to increase the number of trips made by on foot or by bike or by wheeling.

The Principal Planning Policy Officer said that the East Herts LCWIP was a high-level document clearly linking to other strategic planning documents such as the Local Transport Plan. She set out the main outputs of the LCWIP, which included network mapping and a written report that sets out the underlying analysis and provides a narrative to support identified improvements.

The Principal Planning Policy Officer said that while the LCWIP covered the whole district, due to resource constraints, it had needed to focus on the five main towns and the eight settlements listed as Group 1 Villages in the District Plan and the key linkages between them, with potential for future expansion to other areas in the future.

The Panel was advised that the joint partnership initiative between HCC and East Herts Council had seen the work underpinned by extensive community involvement through interaction with key stakeholder groups and two separate strands of public engagement and consultation periods.

The Principal Planning Policy Officer said that there were two key benefits of the longer than envisaged time taken it the production of the LCWIP. The additional public engagement phase had resulted in a huge level of response which had been invaluable in informing the development of the walking and cycling networks at an important stage.

The Panel was advised that the second benefit was that the emerging new Local Plan would require a number of technical documents to form part of its evidence base. The later than planned adoption of the LCWIP meant that it would be a more recently produced document when it reached the examination stage and more up to date as evidence.

The Chair thanked the officers for preparing the report on what had been massive undertaking in preparing the significant volume of material. The Panel talked about the long-term evidence base and the huge level of response and the evidence base impacting on future funding.

A concern was expressed that funding needed to be put in place at a national level to ensure that cycle paths and networks were in place to make it easier for people. The Principal Planning Policy Officer said that once the LCWIP was adopted, the two councils would have ability to apply for funding mechanisms and approach developers for the development and implementation of identified schemes, alongside seeking to resolve existing issues, such as tow-path repairs.

The Panel commented on managing the level of expectation regarding the new routes coming into place and also managing the sense of frustration about the funding provision not having been in place to deliver schemes previously identified. Cycling and walking groups were very passionate about the LCWIP.

The Principal Planning Policy Officer said that there was now a much greater emphasis at both national and local levels on how people could move actively between locations. She said that having this document in place would facilitate applications for funding streams.

A question was asked about changes to network mapping, and an error in the document regarding a road in Sawbridgeworth that was listed as being in Bishop’s Stortford.

The Principal Planning Policy Officer stated that the locational typographical error for Sawbridgeworth would be corrected, alongside a second instance for a comment that should apply to Hertford, before the document was finalised.

Councillor Dumont proposed, and Councillor Crystall seconded a motion that the Executive be advised that (A) the East Herts Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP), attached as Appendices E and F (1 to 7) be agreed as part of the evidence base to inform the new East Herts Local Plan and as a material consideration for Development Management purposes in the determination of planning applications; and (B) any minor amendments to the content of the East Herts Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) be delegated to the Director for Place, in consultation with the Executive Member for Planning and Growth.

After being put to the meeting and a vote taken, the motion was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED – that that the Executive be advised that (A) the East Herts Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP), attached as Appendices E and F (1 to 7) be agreed as part of the evidence base to inform the new East Herts Local Plan and as a material consideration for Development Management purposes in the determination of planning applications; and

(B)   any minor amendments to the content of the East Herts Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) be delegated to the Director for Place, in consultation with the Executive Member for Planning and Growth.

At 20:24 (8:24 pm), Councillor Glover-Ward proposed, and Councillor Crystall seconded, a motion for a short adjournment for a comfort break. After being put to the meeting and a vote taken, the motion was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED - the meeting be adjourned for a short comfort break.

The meeting reconvened at 20:30 (8:30 pm).