Cabinet received a verbal update from the Director of Place and
Economy on the Cullompton Town Centre
Relief Road
The
Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Regeneration outlined the
following:
- As
Cabinet would be aware; there was significant effort and
achievement in securing Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF) monies
from Homes England in order to enable the delivery of the long
awaited Cullompton Town Centre Relief
Road (CTCRR).
- In
securing funding and commencing delivery, the Council was able to
begin to address long running infrastructure challenges within
Cullompton and enable the delivery of
additional homes at North West Cullompton and the first elements of new housing to
the east of the M5, at the site of the proposed Garden
Village.
- Agreements had now been completed with Homes England and Devon
County Council in order to allow the drawing down and utilisation
of funding. Devon County Council would
also continue to act as the Council’s delivery partner (as
highways authority) in relation to the CTCRR.
- The
first phase of works to enable relocation of the Cricket club had
completed through works to deliver the new cricket
square.
- Devon County Council had completed the acquisition of several
land parcels in order to enable delivery of the road. This included
the acquisition of the land required from Tesco. Furthermore,
several of those transactions occurred before the end of the last
financial year – thereby making good use of the funding
available from Homes England within the financial year.
- Discussions continued with affected landowners where land
interests or compensation still needed to be acquired or
finalised;
- Further works was currently underway in relation to the cricket
club – with outfield works to complete the creation of the
pitch now underway, and;
- Works to refine and finesse the design and engineering
components of the scheme were underway in order to get to a fixed
design to allow tendering to occur.
- The
intention remained to commence the main body of construction works
during 2026 with completion and road opening in 2028. However,
earlier enabling works were also expected to occur during this
calendar year.
- Members would be aware of the positive news shared via the
MP’s offices regarding the decision to fund the Cullompton and Wellington railwaystations and looked forward to further
information on this cascading down from Department of Transport
(DfT) and Treasury in due
course.
- Positive decision in relation to the J28 Strategic Outline
Business Case by Treasury in order to address congestion issues
around the junction and wider town, but also to unlock the next
phase of growth for Cullompton –
including further delivery of new homes to the east of the M5 and
beyond the current cap of 500 homes.
Discussion took place with regards to:
- The
timeframe around the planned works to be completed.
- Any
foreseeable delays on the project?
- Clarification about the 500 homes open at Culm Garden
Village.
- The
proposed plans on the railway station.
- The
lack of growth over the last 20 years and this needed to happen now
to better the lives of the residents.
- Clarification around the Strategic Outline Business Case (SOBC)
on Cullompton railway station and any
potential delays.