Planning Act 2008 Section 47 – Notification of a Local Community Consultation on a Proposed Development Consent Order Application
Statutory Pre-Application Consultation 12 February 2018 until 26 March 2018.
I am writing with reference to the M25 junction 10/A3 Wisley interchange improvement scheme in Surrey, which the Government has identified as being needed to reduce congestion, improve safety and support planned growth. This is to notify you that Highways England is intending to make an application to the Secretary of State for a Development Consent Order (DCO) to gain consent to build this scheme under the Planning Act 2008. Before we can make this application, we are required to consult with the local community on our proposed scheme. This consultation is commencing on 12 February 2018 and will close on 26 March 2018. We are contacting you because we believe that you or your organisation may have an interest in the proposed scheme or the area in which it is situated.
About the proposed improvement scheme
A Preferred Route Announcement for the proposed scheme was published on 29 November 2017. In summary, the scheme will include measures to upgrade the existing roundabout at M25 junction 10, widen the A3 between Painshill and Ockham and convert the existing hard shoulder on the M25 to provide an additional running lane on the M25 through junction 10. We also propose to widen the A245 Byfleet Road at Painshill and to improve crossings and facilities for pedestrians, cyclists and horse-riders. To improve safety, the scheme will involve some alterations being made to connecting side roads, including to Wisley Lane and to a number of private access arrangements. A comprehensive package of environmental mitigation and compensation measures will be incorporated within the scheme proposals.
The proposed scheme will be a nationally significant infrastructure project. This means that Highways England will have to apply to the Secretary of State for Transport for a Development Consent Order (DCO) before it can go ahead. The process for submitting and examining DCO applications is prescribed by the Planning Act 2008 and associated regulations. All DCO applications have to be submitted first to the Planning Inspectorate, the body appointed by the Secretary of State to examine the proposals and make recommendations on whether consent should be granted.
It is a statutory requirement that Highways England, as the prospective applicant, must consult with the public and other bodies, local groups and interests before submitting a DCO application for the proposed scheme. Information about the Act, the DCO process and the role of PINS can be found on the PINS website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/planning-inspectorate (follow the links on National infrastructure applications).
Our Statement of Community Consultation
On 2 February 2018, Highways England published a Statement of Community Consultation (SoCC) for the scheme. The SoCC, which was prepared in consultation with Surrey County Council, Elmbridge Borough Council and Guildford Borough Council, sets out how the next stage of our public and statutory consultation commencing on Monday 12 February 2018 will be undertaken. Our consultation will run for six-weeks until Monday 26 March 2018. The SoCC explains where and when our consultation materials will be available for inspection during this period and how any feedback can be submitted to us before the final deadline, which will be 23:45 on Monday 26 March 2018.
Copies of our SoCC are available to view until 26 March 2018 at Guildford Borough Council, Elmbridge Borough Council and Surrey County Council main offices and at public libraries in the following locations: Addlestone, Byfleet, Cobham, East Horsley, Walton-on-Thames, West Byfleet and Woking. Please check with these venues for details of their opening times. The SoCC can also be viewed on the project website www.highways.gov.uk/m25j10. Copies of the SoCC can be provided free on request using our contact details given at the end of this letter.
Our Community Consultation (12 February 2018 until 26 March 2018)
On 12 February 2018, we will be publishing on our website www.highways.gov.uk/m25j10 a brochure summarising the key features of the proposed scheme and its potential effects and benefits. As the project will require a full environmental impact assessment to be undertaken before we submit our DCO application, we will also be publishing a Preliminary Environmental Information Report as part of our consultation materials. This will set out the environmental information we have gathered to date and our initial assessment of the scheme’s likely significant environmental effects. These materials will also be available for inspection at the council offices and libraries listed above for the SoCC between 12 February 2018 and 26 March 2018. Paper copies of the brochure and a questionnaire/feedback form can also be collected from the council offices and libraries listed above during the consultation period.
During the consultation period, we will be holding a number of public exhibition events as follows:
- East Horsley Village Hall, Kingston Avenue, East Horsley, Leatherhead KT24 6QT. Friday 16 February 14:00-19:30 to Saturday 17 February 10:00-17:00
- Cobham Hilton, Seven Hills Road South, Cobham KT11 1EW. Friday 23 February 12:00-19:30 to Saturday 24 February 10:00-17:00
- Cobham Village Hall, Lushington Drive, Cobham KT11 2LU. Friday 2 March 14:00-19:30 to Saturday 3 March 10:00-17:00
- Ripley Village Hall, High Street, Ripley GU23 6AF. Friday 9 March 15:30-20:00 to Saturday 10 March 10:00-17:00
- Cobham M25 Services, Downside, KT11 3DB. Friday 16 March 08:00-20:00 to Friday 23 March 08:00-20:00
Copies of the consultation materials will be available to view at all of the above exhibition events and paper copies of the brochure and questionnaire/feedback form will be available to take away. The questionnaire can also be completed and returned to us during any of these events, should that be more convenient.
Our community consultation will be an important stage in the development of the project and will give people an opportunity to help shape our proposals before any final decisions are made. We value feedback and we are publicising the consultation widely. We will be displaying posters at a number of venues in the vicinity of the scheme and distributing leaflets to approximately 90,000 homes and businesses nearby. Notices are also being published in the local and national press in line with statutory requirements and copies of our consultation brochure and questionnaire/feedback form will be available to pick up at the council offices and libraries listed above. You are welcome to share copies of this letter with anyone who you feel may be interested in the scheme or who may wish to visit one of our exhibitions.
Providing us with your feedback
We encourage everyone to view our proposals. During the consultation period we will be inviting feedback on any aspect of the scheme as described in the consultation brochure or on any of the information contained in our Preliminary Environmental Information Report. It is a statutory duty that we must have regard to feedback provided in response to this consultation before finalising our proposals and submitting a DCO application to the Planning Inspectorate.
Feedback and comments can be provided to us by:
- Completing the on-line questionnaire on our website www.highways.gov.uk/m25j10; or
- Completing a paper copy of the questionnaire/feedback form, which can be obtained from the main offices of Elmbridge and Guildford borough councils, Surrey County Council or from any of the local libraries or planned exhibition events listed above. Completed questionnaires can be returned to a member of our project team at any of the exhibition events or posted to us at FREEPOST M25 junction 10/A3 Wisley interchange.
Alternatively, any other comments can be made in writing and posted to FREEPOST M25 junction 10/A3 Wisley interchange or emailed to info@highwaysengland.co.uk.
The deadline for receipt of all comments is 23:45 on Monday 26 March 2018.