Decision details

The Chair welcomed Adam Bunce from 2020 Consultancy and invited the Planning Policy and Conservation Team Leader to present his report. The Planning Policy and Conservation Team Leader introduced the Active Travel Study and explained how it supported the update of the Arun Local Plan and in particular sustainability and transport policies, but also aimed to improve the health of the community and the connectivity between places with non-motorised transport. He explained that the study was the first phase of this Local Plan update that mapped the District as a whole and identified the existing network and Active Travel opportunities. He then introduced Adam Bunce from 2020 Consultancy who gave a presentation.

The Chair thanked Adam Bunce and invited discussion from the Committee. Members raised many points including concerns over the amount of use of other people’s land, for example Highways being responsible for foot paths, and that this meant some cost would fall to other authorities and potential developers, whether this work was necessary as the connectivity between places and nodes of transport were already there and therefore whether the money could be better spent elsewhere, concerns over the sums of money involved in the project, the significant percentage of responses to the public consultation that came from one area (Arundel) and how that could distort District-wide priorities, the importance of designated cycle and foot paths, praise for the 3.5 metre width for paths, possible solutions to the fragmented sections in Littlehampton, the relationship to the Arundel to Littlehampton path along the riverbank and the project only relating to the Planning Authority Area and not those parts of the District within the South Downs National Park

To reflect the level of discussion, the Director of Place suggested revised recommendations to those in the report. These recommendations were then proposed and seconded.

The Committee

                     RESOLVED that

1)    the content of the study be acknowledged

2)    its use to inform the development of a revised Arun Local Plan be supported

3)    the use of the study as a material consideration for development management decisions in the Arun Local Planning Authority area be supported