Agenda item

Report of the Interim Executive Director, Environment.

The Sub-Committee considered a report of the Interim Executive Director, Environment which provided an update on the delivery of the Cool Streets and Greening programme (CSG).

The Chairman who had declared on interest in this item, left the room and the Deputy Chairman took the Chair for this item.

An Officer stated that the Cool Streets and Greening programme was part of the Climate Change Action Strategy. The programme was divided into four phases and the first three phases were well under way. The fourth phase involved sustainable drainage and 45 projects would be delivered as part of this. There were also some citywide projects for tree planting plus replanting city garden spaces with more resilient planting. It was anticipated that the project would be delivered by March 2026.

The Officer stated that the next priority project on the list was Temple Avenue which had been chosen as it had very little greening, there was demand for greening and the existing road closure to traffic presented an opportunity. The Officer stated there would be a cost increase for the Little Trinity Lane project to cover the costed risk provision diverting utilities for sustainable drainage and additional planting. Overall, the total budget remained unchanged.

In response to a question as to why the work on the Crescent had been paused, an Officer advised that this was due to the sale of the adjacent property and Officers had to ensure that the scheme was fully supported by all the adjacent property owners and if necessary was adapted to take account of any future development.

In response to a Member’s question about the increase in budget to the Little Trinity scheme, an Officer stated that there had been a difficulty in finding enough sites to spend the full allocation. Little Trinity Lane was one of the spaces where a large rain garden could be incorporated and the scheme was likely to provide the largest amount of sustainable drainage of any of the projects.

A Member asked for clarification on why Section 106 money was no longer available. An Officer stated that there were several Section 106 agreements with clauses and this one had a clause specific for TfL bus stop works. At the time this was allocated to the project, TfL stated they did not need the money for these works but they had since stated they did need it.

The Deputy Chairman, in the Chair, asked the Officer to outline the different technologies that had been trialled in the sustainable drainage projects. The Officer outlined the technologies and the projects where they had been trialled. The Deputy Chairman requested that the areas where these technologies had been trialled be included as part of the planned Streets and Walkways walk around the City.

In response to a Member’s question, the Officer stated that if a trial was not successful, there was a fallback position in the design.

RESOLVED - That Members of the Sub-Committee:

1.        Note the content of this progress update;

2.        Note the extension of the Cool Streets and Greening programme timeframes by 12 months to March 2026;

3.        Agree to transfer the Cool Streets and Greening allocation of £350,000 from the Crescent project (which has been paused) to the next priority Cool Streets and Greening project which is Temple Avenue;

4.        Agree to amend the funding allocations between the phases and projects and approve the required budget increases as set out in Appendix 1;

5.        Agree the increase in the Cool Streets and Greening allocation for the Little Trinity Lane project of £150,000 to replace S106 funds that are no longer available and fund additional planting, utility works and the costed risk provision;

6.        Delegate approval and drawdown of the Costed Risk Provision for the projects in the programme to the Chief Officer if one is sought at Gateway 5; and

7.        Request the inclusion of visits to see the sustainable drainage projects where technologies had been trialled, be included in the planned walking tour for Members of the Sub-Committee.