Traffic Calming Update (June 2024)

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WNC have provided an update to the questions proposed in May 2024.

Q1. Please can you clarify what would happen if planning conditions were not met by WNC or the developer? Is it possible for the road to open without the planning condition being discharged? Other than a planning condition, are there any contractual obligations to fulfil the delivery of the road? Are there any legal penalties etc.

Planning approval for application ref. 19/00045/CCDFUL was granted on 11th June 2019. Here are the precise terms of condition 25.

“Prior to the new road opening the applicant shall consult with Boughton Parish Council to agree the extent and detail of a scheme of measures for ameliorating the impact of traffic from the permitted development on Boughton village. The scheme as may be agreed shall be submitted to the County Planning Authority and implemented in full prior to the new road opening.

Reason: To ensure traffic is effectively monitored and managed across the highway network following the completion of the new road having regard to Policies S10 and Policy C2 of the West Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy Local Plan (Part One) (2014).”

The Northampton North West Relief Road (NNWRR) will be fully open to traffic once Persimmon have completed the construction of the new road on their site that ties-in with the NNWRR. The date currently anticipated is 2026. However this is subject to Persimmon’s progress and updates.

Q2. Is there any update on when the reconvened meeting with Ward Councillors will be?

I will discus this with our directors and Cllr Larratt next week and contact you again to suggest a date for a meeting mid-July 2024 if convenient for Cllr Larratt and the Ward Councillors. I will attend it with our consultants.

Q3. There is reference to another option being considered, is there any further information on this for parishioners? What stage is the option currently at? Has traffic modelling been commissioned?

Since December 2023, traffic modelling has been progressed. We will discuss options when we next meet in July 2024.

Q4. Please can you clarify why the previous traffic modelling was discussed with Boughton first and now the approach is to discuss the new traffic modelling with Ward Councillors first? If the Ward Councillors support the new proposal but Boughton parishioners don’t, where does this leave us? Whilst timescales may be very vague at this stage, if parishioners could at least understand the process / project milestone it would really help.

Please refer to my response to Items 1, 2 and 3.

Q5. The Northampton Chronicle reported on 18 April that Persimmon have confirmed “it is our ambition to begin construction on this section of the road in Summer 2024….the estimated completion date with this in mind would be February/ March 2025” Is this WNC’s understanding?

Only Persimmon can provide clear updates in line with the planning process they have to comply with.

Traffic Calming Update (May 2024)

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For an overview please see:- https://boughtonparishcouncil.co.uk/traffic-calming/traffic-calming-february-2024

For the last update please see:- https://boughtonparishcouncil.co.uk/traffic-calming/traffic-calming-update-march-2024

WNC’s project manager for the NWRR has recently changed. This has inevitably caused some delay in receiving updates. The latest update from the WNC project manager is as follows:-

“I have had to seek further guidance from colleagues whilst other teams are liaising with Persimmon. Hence I may not be able to share any updates until early Summer as I need to collate clear information before answering your questions. In advance, many thanks for your understanding.”

The Parish Clerk awaits an update on the following questions:-

Q1. Please can you clarify what would happen if planning conditions were not met by WNC or the developer? Is it possible for the road to open without the planning condition being discharged? Other than a planning condition, are there any contractual obligations to fulfil the delivery of the road? Are there any legal penalties etc.

Q2. Is there any update on when the reconvened meeting with Ward Councillors will be?

Q3. There is reference to another option being considered, is there any further information on this for parishioners? What stage is the option currently at? Has traffic modelling been commissioned?

Q4. Please can you clarify why the previous traffic modelling was discussed with Boughton first and now the approach is to discuss the new traffic modelling with Ward Councillors first? If the Ward Councillors support the new proposal but Boughton parishioners don’t, where does this leave us? Whilst timescales may be very vague at this stage, if parishioners could at least understand the process / project milestone it would really help.

Q5. The Northampton Chronicle reported on 18 April that Persimmon have confirmed “it is our ambition to begin construction on this section of the road in Summer 2024….the estimated completion date with this in mind would be February/ March 2025” Is this WNC’s understanding?

Traffic Calming Update (March 2024)

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The Parish Clerk asked the project manager of the NWRR the following questions:-

Q1. How long do Ward Councillors have to provide feedback to you?

The work WCN have been undertaking has been an interactive process, firstly discussing with the Boughton Parish Council and subsequently having discussions with all three Moulton Ward Councillors, the three Ward Councillors of Kingsthorpe North and the Portfolio Holder for Transport, Cllr Larratt. This took place prior to Christmas and we’re looking to reconvene in the coming few weeks.

Q2. If the proposal is agreed by Ward Councillors, do you have a particular timescale in mind?

Condition 25 requires the proposal to be agreed by Boughton Parish Council.  The development of the options has been considering the wider impacts to the Local Highway Network, as displacement of traffic to a significant scale to areas such as Pitsford and Holcot is not desirable. Any engagement on the solution and implementation needs to be complete prior to the main part of the North West Relief Road being open. More on this below.

Q3. The WNC website states completion of the works are projected for summer 2024, is this still correct?

Yes, in terms of the work Balfour Beatty are undertaking for WNC, the scheme is still scheduled to be complete in Summer 2024. However, only the new causeway section between Brampton Lane and Northampton Road will be open to traffic, with the main stretch of the road dependant on Persimmon completing their infrastructure and providing the link down to New Sandy Lane.

Q4. Has a date been published for when Permission aim to finish their section of the road?

Unfortunately not. WNC are in frequent dialogue with Persimmon, pushing for them to get started on site, but we have yet to receive a formal programme from them. Provision of an acceptable programme of their works is a condition of their planning permission.

Q5. Presumably condition 25 applies when the whole road is open?

This is correct. WNC are conditioned to provide further off site mitigation at three locations and having an understanding of the Persimmon programme is key to ensuring that we time our works for the purpose which they were required and not simply provide additional capacity ahead of NWRR opening.

Q6. What types of stakeholder engagement could the parishioners expect? An exhibition, a feedback form, a vote?

Some initial discussions have taken place with your Ward Members, but they are in their infancy. A preferred option and its principals need to be agreed and Condition 25 is unclear on the process for agreeing this. However, it is clear that it is the Boughton Parish Council to agree what is implemented.

Q7. If Ward Councillors do not agree to the proposal – what is the next step?

This has not been agreed as yet. As mentioned above, we are exploring another option and developing a presentation to those Cllrs who we met with prior to Christmas.

Q8. If the proposal is taken to stakeholder engagement and there is a strong sense of opposition – what happens then?

Again, Condition 25 is silent on this and this is something which requires prior agreement.

I appreciate that some of these answers don’t provide the clarity you were probably looking for, but these are matters which all parties are aware of and it is understood that these need to be properly considered.

 

History of the Traffic Calming proposals (February 2024)

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Summary of Traffic Calming Scheme in respect of the NWRR (February 2024) (pdf)

As the hyperlinks do not work in the PDF, they are copied below.

https://www.westnorthants.gov.uk/current-minerals-and-waste-planning-applications/north-west-relief-road

https://www.westnorthants.gov.uk/current-minerals-and-waste-planning-applications/north-west-relief-road