Agenda item

Public Question Time

To receive questions from the public (for a period of up to 15 minutes)

Minutes:

The Chairman invited questions from members of the public who had submitted their questions in advance of the meeting in accordance with the rules of the Council’s Constitution and the Virtual Meeting Procedure Rules amended by the Council on 15 July 2020.

 

The Chairman confirmed that two questions had been submitted, as detailed below.  Both questions were for the Leader of the Council, Councillor Dr Walsh, to respond to and both questions related to the Arundel By-Pass and the recent route confirmation from Highways England.

 

The first questioner asked if the Council had considered the deleterious impact of building an elevated dual carriageway 50 m away from a 12th century church [the Grey route] would have and the destructive social effect  on the community of Binsted who had nowhere else to gather or bury its dead.

 

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Dr Walsh confirmed that the Council had supported the Magenta option and that Highways England (HE) had chosen the grey route as its preferred option.  As Leader of the Council he would be invited to consider a Local Impact Report on the details of the road and its impacts that HE would be providing and at that time the Council would be able to consider what stance it wished to present at a formal examination of the road scheme.  The Leader of the Council provided an assurance that effects this route would have to be considered as part of that process.

 

 The questioner asked a supplementary question which was that West Sussex County Council has stated in its submission to the consultation in 2019 that the impacts associated with regard to the Grey route have been under estimated because the environmental assessment has not taken into account the impacts on the Avisford Grange area of Walberton or the impacts this would have on the historic environment the latter included Binsted St Mary’s Church and also severance of the view along the Binsted rock valley.  Did the Leader agree with WSCC that the environmental impacts of Grey had been underestimated by Highways England?

 

Councillor Dr Wash responded confirming that he had not seen a statement nor had formed an opinion as the local impact survey had not been received.  On receipt, the Council would be able to discuss and consider and come to an opinion on that survey which would be important in making sure that gret as possible mitigation measure would be put in to place if the grey route was proceeded with.

 

The second questioner raised concerns of the welfare of his two sons who attended the Walberton and Binsted CofE Primary School.  The Council was asked ow it ensure that the children in attendance would ot be subjected to the damaging health and attainment effects of increased noise and air pollution caused by the new bypass and the 3 years of construction that would take place.

 

Councillor Dr Walsh responded stating that as Leader of the Council, he welcomed the announcement that HE were supporting an offline option.  He stated that he also acknplwedged that whilst this route would be beneficial to some communities, others would be impacted and so he would continue to urge HE to mitigate the impact of the proposals on local residents which include all of the matters raised this evening.  The proposal would be subject to an examination by the Planning Inspectorate who would consider these points and this Council would be required to prepare a local impact report clearly setting out the concerns raised regarding the preferred route.

 

            (A schedule of the full questions asked and the responses provided can be found on the Pubic Question Web page at: https://www.arun.gov.uk/public-question-time )

 

The Chairman then drew Public Question Time to a close.