A338 PACKAGE SCHEMES STAKEHOLDER GROUP MEETING MINUTES/ACTIONS FROM MEETING HELD 1 st March 2017 Attendees: Ian Kalra Mike Read Claire Clark Peter Cottrell Stuart Durant Hollie Hinde David Harrop Paul Davies Nigel Walters Terry Williams Edwin Davies Ian Kendall Heidi Moxam Kellyann Newcombe Rob Gough Dorcas Williams Kathy Rosenthal Steve Allen Rob Jenkins Amy Spreadbury Kevin Holmes Kevan Watson Geoff Dale Bournemouth BC/ A338 Package SRO Dorset CC/A338 Package Project Director Bournemouth BC/A338 Project Manager Friends of the Elderly (Retired Nurses National Home) Wessex Water Bournemouth Passenger Transport Terence O Rourke Bournemouth Hospital Dorset Police National Express National Express JP Morgan JP Morgan Friends of the Elderly (Retired Nurses National Home) Village Hotel Bournemouth Village Hotel Bournemouth Bournemouth Taxi Trade Association PRC Streamline Taxis PRC Streamline Taxis Apologies: Ryan Arif Natalie Curry Mike Gale Julian McLaughlin Chrys Rampley John Green Paul Weller Annabel King Emma Baker Rachael Mills Carly Earnshaw Wessex Water Poole Borough Council Road Haulage Association Bournemouth Tourism Management Board More Bus Dorset CC Dorset CC Page 1
Item Notes/Actions 1 Introductions IK welcomed everyone to the meeting and introductions were made around the table. Apologies were stated and recorded. Actions 2 Project Introduction and Context Project Introduction IK explained Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) background and funding - Growth Deal 1 Airport area and surrounding links - Growth Deal 2 Wessex Fields development site Following the success of the A338 Maintenance Scheme that has now been completed, the LEP were keen to package the A338/B3073 schemes as one project within the BIG Programme which consists of Hurn, Chapel Gate, Parley Cross with Blackwater, Wessex Fields and the Widening being identified as one element. The latter is the main focus for this meeting. IK gave an overview of the projects and explained how the project team is set up with joint working between BBC and DCC with BBC taking the lead and IK appointed SRO. MR has been appointed as A338 Project Director. There is a good history of working together on projects such as the LSTF schemes. There is a need to minimise the disruption for the travelling public. IK explained that the LEP have agreed to take forward the 3 schemes as one project and have also increased the funding allocations for Blackwater junction and Wessex Fields. Key point is that LEP funding only covers the Half Junction for Wessex Fields (Phase 1) to open up development and provide an extra link to Bournemouth Hospital area and potentially provide some relief for Castle Lane East. However, there is a need to design with the future Full Junction and bridge alignment to ensure that if funding became available this could be built. IK outlined the development land is allocated as B1 development and will create 2000 jobs - Phase 1 (Half Junction only) Release 500 of 2000 jobs - Phase 2 (Full Junction and new bridge) release remaining 1500 jobs IK said that the Project Team will be commissioning a study on cycling provision between the 2 schemes as important to encourage sustainable travel. A338/B3073 Blackwater Junction West Junction new and improved junction slightly to the west of the existing junction. Majority can be built off line and therefore easier to build, however, land is required. East Junction extra lanes provided to increase capacity. More technical scheme as land drops away to the river. Sheet piling and retaining wall required to support Page 2
widened carriageway. Discussions are underway with the contractor to minimise disruption as it is challenging due to the lack of road space to work within. Ideally would programme West Junction first in Sept 2017 as this is easier to construct and would cause less disruption, followed by East junction in 2018. However, this is dependent on land negotiations and therefore it is likely that the East Junction will be constructed first and commence in Autumn 2017 and last for 9 months. The slip road will be extended heading south onto the A338. As part of the scheme design looking at reducing the A338 limit to 50mph and the B3073 limit to 40mph. There will be a significant increase in the capacity of the signalised junction, but no works on the overbridge of the A338 due to current constraints. The slip onto the A338 will be improved with an increase in the length of the merging lane. The Blackwater schemes are the maximum of what can be achieved in scale and space and funds available. Wessex Fields The purpose of the Wessex Fields link road is to unlock development at the back of the hospital in Wessex Fields and the surrounding area. 2,000 new jobs can be accommodated within the development site once the full junction is completed. Land acquisition is currently going well. The LEP is funding the Half Junction (Phase 1) and the majority of this can be built without too much traffic disruption, except for the tie-in to the existing carriageway. Phase 2 would be more disruptive to traffic, primarily due to the construction of the new overbridge across the A338. A338 Widening Ideally an additional lane all the way to Wessex Fields but this requires extra funds and these will need to be bid for via the Challenge Fund. 3 Scheme Layouts The scheme layouts were explained in more detail by MR along with the relevant drawings for clarification. These plans will be finalised ahead of the Public Exhibitions that commence on 6 March and referred to in section 6 of these minutes below. Land Acquisition The Wessex Fields development site has now been purchased by BBC. IK stated that the Head of Property had been waiting for the final layout of the Wessex Fields scheme ahead of commencing further negotiations with Christchurch and Wessex Water and these will now be progressed. MR acknowledged that Hurn faced more challenges. Agreement has been made to go through with the CPO process although the preferred option was to undertake positive negotiations. Page 3
4 Timescales/Programme Blackwater Junction In relation to the programme, the 1 st phase will be Blackwater East Junction due for start on site in Autumn 2017 and the 2 nd phase will follow with the West Junction in Spring 2018. Chapel Gate and Hurn are envisaged to be within a similar timeframe subject to the outcomes of land negotiation discussions. Wessex Fields Wessex Fields Phase 1 is scheduled for a start on site in Spring 2019 and completed by March 2021. Phase 2 (Full Junction) does not currently have funding in place. A338 Widening A Challenge Fund Bid will be submitted for the slip road widening in September 2017 for 2018/19. 5 Wessex Fields Planning Application A planning application will be submitted in late summer 2017 for the Full Junction (Phase 1 and Phase 2), although only the Half Junction will be constructed during Phase 1. There are considerable challenges in terms of the timeframes. A Pre- Planning Application has already been submitted to the Local Planning Authority in order to aid the process. A Screening Report will be submitted ahead of the Scoping Report to assess the requirement for an Environmental Impact Assessment within the next few weeks. Discussions are already underway with the Statutory Consultees, most notably Natural England due to ecological and environmental effects that will need to be addressed and a mitigation package put in place. BBC has now purchased the development land and a Master Plan for the area is currently being devised. This will give BBC control over the outcomes. The design of the scheme reflects the environmental considerations that includes primarily veteran trees, bats and dormice and also issues regarding the existing nursing home within the site. Other challenges include costs of design in terms of layout. Construction on the Half Junction will commence in Spring 2019 and the money has to be spent by Spring 2021. There is some float within the programme to allow for further negotiations during the planning process, land acquisition and the Challenge Fund bid for future maintenance. There is a good business case for the Full Junction and acquiring planning permission will enable the scheme to be constructed once future funding is secured. 6 Communications Partnership Working (LEP/Dorset CC/Bournemouth BC) IK explained that there is communications working across the project between the LEP, Dorset and Bournemouth. A workshop was held in December that brought all of the project team together. BBC communications team will be leading with close working between DCC and LEP comms. LEP is providing the key overall message in relation to the strategic programme. Page 4
There are challenges and it is a tight timeframe. Where there are works on the ground, it is about managing expectations and close relationships with partners/stakeholders are key. The aim is to build on the success of the DCC maintenance scheme in terms of communications and keeping the public informed. Upcoming Public Exhibitions Public Exhibitions will be held at 4 separate venues from the week beginning 6 March until 22 March. The schedule was distributed amongst the group. The venues are: the Littledown, the Village Hotel, Hurn Sports Centre and Holdenhurst Village Hall over 7 days. The plans will be available for viewing between 2-8pm each day, and officers will be in attendance between 4-7pm to answer any questions. IK advised that there would be a scheme website, twitter, facebook etc. The website address and Blog can be found at A338.info 7 8 Open Discussion There were a number of questions from the floor throughout the presentation and the topics covered were broadly as follows and were addressed during the meeting: Funding Build time/traffic disruption/advance warning on VMS Detail relating to Parley Cross, Hurn and Chapel Gate A possible AFCB stadium/housing Position of the link road within the development site and whether a single lane is sufficient/sterilisation of land The previous Troika Park and Ride application on the site Existing Nurses Home for the Elderly within the site Rat running through the site/traffic modelling Date of Next Meeting Members will be informed of the next meeting in due course, anticipated to be in 3 months time, which will be June/July 2017. Page 5