Issue - meetings

The report seeks authorisation to make, publish and subsequently secure the side road order and traffic regulation orders which are required to deliver the Somer Valley Enterprise Zone scheme.

Cllr Paul Roper, Cabinet Member for Economic and Cultural Sustainable Development, introduced the report, moved the officer recommendation and made the following points:

·  The development is about creating in the region of 1,300 local jobs for the communities of Midsomer Norton, Radstock and Paulton.  These are communities that have been deprived of meaningful local employment in the four decades since the demise of the major employers in the area.

·  There is a strong commitment to our market towns and villages as evidenced by initiatives such as the Radstock Town Centre action plan that has enabled funding to be secured for multiple projects with the prospects of more to come. Over £3.7M is also being invested in Midsomer Norton with the redevelopment of the Town Hall and creation of a new Market Square space outside. In addition, a Midsomer Norton Town Centre Action Plan is under development, and this should enable the Council to gain access to grant funding should it become available. It is important to invest in and improve our market towns for the benefit of residents.

·  The initiative to develop this site has been taken and tens of millions of pounds of funding has been secured.

·  One of the commitments made to help ensure success was to improve the road running from Farrington Gurney to the Thickett Mead Roundabout. The road is to be upgraded, to remove pinch points, add a segregated cycle lane, bus stops, walkways and widen carriageways to deliver safe secure travel in all modes to and from the SVEZ.

·  This decision is a necessary precursor to enact the carriageway works and to enable us to make the necessary changes to the transport infrastructure.

Cllr Paul May seconded the motion and made the following points:

·  The wider Paulton, Midsomer Norton and Radstock areas have seen an enormous loss of jobs for the local workforce even dating back to the closure of the mines in the area. In addition, there has been considerable new housing, so the result has been that many people have to travel long distances for employment.

·  The concept of re-creating significant employment opportunities locally has been a long-term need for many years and the Old Mills / Great Mills area is the best location for this. The scheme has been a proposal since 2016, and we do need to make progress.

·  This proposal represents the sensible next steps in delivering the scheme and is an open, public, and legally accountable mechanism.

Cllr Sarah Warren welcomed the proposal and explained that this is one half of the route from Midsomer Norton to Farringdon Gurney, and the other half will be progressed in the coming years through a separate fund, the City Region Sustainable Transport Fund, and to a different timeline.  Together these two interventions will ensure there is a safe, LTN1/20 compliant link for those who want to walk, wheel or cycle between these two conurbations. The plans set out in the report are indicative at this stage, and there will be further  ...  view the full minutes text for item 61