Agenda item

Report of the Director of the Built Environment

The Sub-Committee considered a report of the Director of the Built Environment seeking Combined Gateway 3, 4 and 5 approval for environmental enhancements at Frederick’s Place. The Director of the Built Environment introduced the report and gave Members an overview of the scheme alongside a short presentation. Members noted a tabled letter from the Mercer’s Company requesting a change to the granite sett design, and were advised that the change, if approved, would not have cost implications or create conservation concerns. Members agreed the Mercers’ Company’s proposed design change.

Following assessment, it was proposed to raise the carriageway to footway level and repave it to improve accessibility. The Mercers’ Company had agreed to provide funding for materials in advance and wanted to tie the project in with their own development of several buildings that faced onto Frederick’s Place, due for completion in Summer 2019.

The Chairman reported that there had been recent public nuisance issues reported in the space, particularly relating to on-street drinkers, and that as a result the Mercers’ Company had proposed that they take ownership of the space so that it could be gated-off. A Member added that this would be cause for a licensing review if the problems persisted, as there was also the public health issue of broken glass on the street. A Member suggested that whilst this had been an ongoing problem for some time, the completion of both the Mercers’ Company development and the project under consideration may help.

A Member suggested making the space more pedestrianised by making it access-only for vehicles. The Director of the Built Environment responded that the Mercers’ Company had requested access for vehicles to make drop-offs.

A Member reminded officers to be mindful of consulting heritage and filming teams when devising projects, particularly when they relate to original areas such as Frederick’s Place, and added that a yellow line should not be put in. The Director of the Built Environment responded that a pedestrian zone would need to be put in place to avoid putting in a yellow line, otherwise traffic restrictions could not be enforced without one.

Members were opposed to a yellow line being put in place and asked officers to explore alternative solutions, such as ‘smart’ bollards at the entrance to the space that allowed access at specified times. The issue of anti-social behaviour was also pertinent to this scheme. A Member suggested a removable yellow line for now whilst alternative traffic order options were explored. The Director of the Built Environment advised the Sub-Committee that officers could look at the scheme and the possibilities of a different traffic order or signs. Similar roads elsewhere had yellow lines and had been required for enforcements.

RESOLVED – That, after accounting for Members’ observations, the Streets & Walkways Sub-Committee agree that: