Agenda item

The Sub Committee considered a report of the Director of the Built Environment regarding the Section 278 Highway Changes at the Bloomberg Development.

Members discussed matters relating the road safety and the significant cluster of accidents involving vulnerable road users along Cannon Street.  Members noted that the proposal at Cannon Street intended to introduce improvements similar to that delivered at Cheapside to address the road safety issue and enhance the street environment concurrently. 

The Sub Committee congratulated Officers on an excellent report.

RESOLVED – That

a)     the proposed highway changes shown in Appendices 2a and 2b to be progressed to detail design;

b)    an increase in budget of £452,000 to complete detail design as shown in Appendix 5 including a risk allowance to manage the impact of utilities on the project programme be approved;

c)    authority be delegated for any adjustments between elements of the £452,000 required budget to the Director of the Built Environment in conjunction with the Chamberlain’s Head of Finance provided the total approved budget of £452,000 is not exceeded;

d)    the next Gateway be dependent on funding sources sought  and / or secured as follows:

-       If “Parking Reserve Fund” and / or “CIL – Neighbourhood / Unallocated” funding is sought, then the project will progress to Gateway 4a as approval from the Corporate Priorities Board and the Resource Allocation Sub Committee would be required;

-       If “CIL - Department of Built Environment” and / or “voluntary contribution from developer” funding is secured then the project can progress to Gateway 4b as approval of the Court of Common Council is required for projects over £5 million in value. 

e)    implementation of elements of the proposal currently awaiting funding - being (a) the southern side of Cannon Street, and (b) Bucklersbury and the northern end of Walbrook - be confirmed at Gateway 5 and can be held in abeyance until such time as funding is available. 

f)     Officers to authorised to enter into any legal agreements required to progress the proposed highway changes including to secure any voluntary contributions from the developer. 

g)    construction material with critical lead-in times be pre-ordered before Gateway 5 approval provided funding is received from the developer.  (This to ensure construction can commence in a timely fashion to meet the developer’s programme.)  Such agreement to be delegated to the Director of the Built Environment in consultation with the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Streets & Walkways Sub Committee.