HEREFORD’S £25 million southern link road could end in court, Herefordshire Council has been told.

Yesterday, cabinet backed the SC2 route option but didn’t get an easy ride.

 Members were warned that the consultation process by which SC2 was selected  ran the risk of judicial review and public inquiry.

Cabinet put its faith in legal advice given to the council’s own project consultants Parsons Brinkerhof  that said the process was sufficient.

 With cabinet support, SC2 can move to a planning application as soon as next month.

As proposed, SC2  leaves the A49 to pass through the centre of Grafton Wood and continue westwards over Grafton Lane and Withy Brook before veering north-west to a proposed new roundabout near the A465/B4349 junction.

The cabinet vote for SC2 was never in doubt. The council put out a press release confirming the result almost as soon as yesterday’s meeting was over.

 The release quoted Cllr Phillip Price, cabinet member for infrastructure, as saying:“I am delighted with the decision made by cabinet today. This road has been talked about by Herefordians for some forty years and at long last we have negotiated the first hurdle to making it a reality.”

In the chamber, however, Cllr Price found himself tangled up in a row over ancient woodland the road would pass through.

Responding to questions on status accorded to  Grafton Wood, Cllr Price said the site was of a “lesser ecological standard”  than Newton Coppice and Hayleasow Wood through which other route options would pass.

Questions were also raised about the extent of consultation with English Heritage over scheduled sites the road would impact on.

Much of the political opposition in the chamber was against the route as opposed to the building of a road.

“This is not about the need for a roads, it is about process,” said Cllr Peter Sinclair-Knipe.

Calling for “proper consideration” of a wider range of route options, he said:

“I don’t want to see this council and Herefordshire taxpayers footing the bill for something thrown out at judicial review or on appeal.”

 Cllr Anthony Powers, leader of It’s Our County, warned that the process by which SC2 was chosen was based on “deeply flawed” logic and consultation that would lead to judicial review and public inquiry.

He said: “Other routes were dismissed for going through ancient woodland so why not SC2?”

Independent leader Cllr Bob Matthews said the new road would do little to reduce traffic on Belmont Road when the “clear priority” for the city was a route crossing the Wye to the east.

Cllr Felicity Norman said no convincing case had been made for a road borne out of an “obsession with Rotherwas” at the expense of economic development in other parts of the county.

Amongst speakers supporting the road, Cllrs Phil Edwards and Dave Taylor pressed the case for the “silent majority” who wanted it built.

SC2 was recommended to cabinet on the basis of a route options appraisal by  Parsons Brinkerhof.

The resulting report found four of the initial eight options represented “feasible  solutions” with the other four sifted out due to environmental considerations.

Public consultation took place in July / August where the results of the four route appraisal of these four routes were set out and feedback was invited.

Following consideration of  this feedback detailed appraisal of  a number of alternative alignments took place.

Cabinet was told that the council’s own project team has reviewed the resulting report and is “satisfied” with its conclusions and the highest score being given to SC2.

SC2 also scored highly in the public consultation and legal advice suggest the appraisal process - to date - is sound enough to go up against objections.

The route is also a projected £1 million-£1.6 million cheaper than the other options.

A  planning application for the road is expected next month for a Spring determination date.

The construction timeline sees the road built by early 2018.

SC2 – HEREFORD’S PROPOSED SOUTHERN LINK ROAD

Cabinet has backed a route pitched as improving connections between the A465, A49 and the Rotherwas industrial estate/enterprise zone.

As proposed, SC2 would be a single carriageway connecting the B4349, the A465 and the A49.

Environmental factors were crucial to the determination of the chosen route with designated ancient woodlands like Newton Coppice and Hayleasow Wood within the development area.

Four route options were rejected as affecting ancient woodland.

Leaving the A49 at the Rotherwas access road roundabout, much of SC2 passes through farmland but a section does cut through the centre of Grafton Wood - which has no environmental designation and a low tree density – to cross over the Hereford-Cardiff rail line and under Haywood Lane in reaching a new roundabout near the A465-B4349 junction.

An impact is recognised on the significance of Grade II* and Grade II listed buildings at Haywood Lodge and the setting of Grade II listed buildings at  Clehonger Court, a Grade II listed milestone and potential effect on buried archaeological remains in four fields.

FUNDING SC2

THE cost of SC2 is covered by a provisional allocation of £27m in government secured through the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership to support the overall South Wye Transport  Package (SWTP).

Any match funding required to deliver the overall package is anticipated to come from private sector contributions and existing transport capital  allocations.

The £500,000 costs of carrying out route appraisal and consultation have been met through council’s revenue budget.

A confirmation of SC2 as the preferred route means the council could capitalise the costs of a planning application and detailed design, land and construction.

Capital costs associated with the scheme are estimated at £1.6 million funded through council’s transport capital allocation.

That allocation is estimated to be £600,000 this year and £1 million in 2015/16, pending the drawing down of government funding.

The current estimated cost for SC2 is £25 million. Any remaining funding goes into other initiatives identified in the SWTP.

SC2- THE RISKS

Residents and statutory bodies could lodge successful objections if the council’s appraisal process is not seen as robust - though legal advice suggests the process so far is sound.

Funding could be withdrawn if a preferred route is not selected and a planning application submitted in accordance with the project programme.

Whilst a provisional allocation of government funding has been made to fund the SWTP, the council will be required to complete further funding  submissions to the Department for Transport.

Delays to funding  being released by the Department for Transport could see in a delay to the delivery of the scheme and the need to continue covering costs from existing funding.

THE OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED

SC2A - a variation on SC2 with the road crossing underneath the Hereford-Cardiff rail line.

SC5 - a route located further north of SC2/SC2A and south of Merryhill Lane crossing underneath the railway line and Haywood Lane.

SC7 - similar to SC5 but more twisted in nature to avoid environmental constraints.