Tyne & Wear Joint Local Access Forum (T&W JLAF)

Planning sub group report to T&W JLAF meeting, 13 October 2015

Since the June JLAF meeting, the Planning sub group met in mid July and early September.

General/Tyne & Wear wide issues: we discussed at length how to comply with DEFRA requirements while being an effective JLAF sub group. Planning consultations/deadlines to comment on proposed developments are usually a few weeks, while JLAF meetings are months apart, which could stop the Planning subgroup’s activity. Liz (JLAF Chair) presented 3 papers to take this forward:

  • Standard format for providing JLAF formal advice, and proposed standard formal advice letter format, outlining what the JLAF and sub groups acting under it should do in order to correctly carry out our statutory function of advising section 94(4) bodies, and a form of words that meets DEFRA advice.
  • JLAF position statement on policy and principles for providing advice to S94(4) bodies: this follows ministerial advice from 2007. LAFs are advised to adopt a Policy and Principles document so that LAF officers and subgroups can refer to/base formal advice on, between LAF meetings, so fulfilling statutory requirements.

The subgroup also considered briefly the draft JLAF Forward Plan (to be presented to the 13 October meeting) to ensure that the subgroup’s activities are in line with it, and help carry it forward.

A19/A184 Testo’s and Downhill Lane non-motor routes: final decisions on the detail of the Testo’s roundabout improvement are not finalised, as the Highways Inspectorate has to examine and OK the Testo’s scheme, so South Tyneside Council have not been able to agree on improved/new non-motor routes in the area. The presentation by Trevor Male has therefore been postponed to the January or March/April 2016 meeting, depending on progress.

Co Durham LAF and Lambton Park development: Co Durham LAF and T&W JLAF are in close contact concerning the proposed luxury housing in Lambton Park (Earl of Durham’s 600ha/1500acre estate). This lies within Co Durham, but is surrounded on 2 sides by several Washington villages & Shiney Row, which are in Sunderland.

Durham County Council conditions for the development include opening the Park to the public. However, the developers propose permissive access only, not Public Right of Way. Durham LAF and DCC officers fear that owners of large luxury properties may try to reverse this public access. We hope that a statement for PRoW from T&W JLAF as an interested body on behalf of substantial numbers of potential users and in support of Durham LAF will help to secure permanent access – and perhaps we can help with access to the Park from the north/Washington.

The bridleway along Lambton Park’s at Bournmoor starts directly opposite Elba Park, which will be linked by the future 4 Parks route to 3 other Country Parks in SW Sunderland. So permanent access to and in Lambton Park is of real interest to many Sunderland residents and potentially to others in Tyne & Wear.

Borough/City/local issues:

  • N Tyneside: we are following 3 planning applications, at Scaffold Mills Farm, at Sunholme Estate on Station Road and at Old Killingworth Village.
  • N Newcastle: several developments are planned or in progress, and more are expected as Newcastle Airport’s expansion unfolds. The subgroup enquired about the Woolsington Hall development for 600 houses. As in Lambton Park, permissive access only (not Public Rights of Way) is proposed for foot & cycle routes under a Section106 agreement.
  • So Tyneside: Northumbria Police has not had a satisfactory reply regarding blocked verges along Lizard Lane in Marsden. Horse riding organisations, T&W JLAF and Northumbria Police are all insisting that verges be cleared to avoid a repeat serious incident between cars and non-motor users. Police monitoring shows frequent breaches of speed limits and near-misses on Lizard Lane, both in the traffic-calmed area and to the south (towards Whitburn).
  • Sunderland: Fatfield Bridge “Missing Link”: Local Ward Councillors have taken up as a priority the proposal from RoWIP/JLAF/Horse riders to install a delay on the (very fast!) traffic light changes on this bridge, e.g. a raised push button delay. This is the only River Wear crossing usable by horses in Sunderland, and the present traffic light sensors do not recognise horses, much less cyclists. Crossings are entirely unsuitable for users with mobility or sight impairment.

Nigel Harrison and I joined a site visit with the 3 Ward Councillors, Northumbria Police and Sunderland’s Network Operations Manager. As a result, dropped kerbs are to be installed over time, and Sunderland Council is to seek the appropriate system “to facilitate longer intergreens” on the traffic lights. As a bonus, Sunderland Council will seek to integrate into one pathway a short section on the NE corner of the bridge.

Site visits: we are asking subgroup members for suggested site visits for 2016, as the 2 proposals we had suggested are not practical at present.

Victor Cadaxa, subgroup convenor, September 2015