Traffic Calming Update (June 2024)
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.