Following the planning committee approval in Dec 2021 and granting of outline planning permission for the Garden Village on 5 April 2022, work has been taking place to prepare the ‘reserved matters’ applications which deal with the appearance, means of access, landscaping, and scale of the development.
The first reserved matters application – seeking detailed planning consent for around 35 acres of natural green space and over 6km of walking and cycling routes at Governs Park – was submitted to the Council as Planning Authority in July following public consultation.
As part of the planning process there are also a number of ‘pre-commencement’ planning conditions to be discharged. The information to discharge those conditions has been submitted and are awaiting approval before work can begin on delivering the Northern Access Road (Fordh Langarth) .
No road construction work will take place on Council owned land ahead of the discharge of the planning conditions. However CORMAC are carrying out some limited ‘enabling works’ and some highway work while the formal approvals are awaited.
These have included constructing a new concrete sign base close to West Langarth Farm in the north verge (the large Park and Ride variable message sign will be moved here at a later date ), carrying out surveys and installing drains on the A390 at Penstraze.
Work will also be starting on the shared use paths along the A390 to the Park and Ride, which are a requirement of the Interim Link Road planning consent. Traffic management will be installed to provide a safety zone, 30mph speed restriction, and two-way narrow lanes.
Utility service diversions are due to start with BT Openreach and WPD raising and moving their services at several locations from West Langarth Farm to East Langarth. This will include the removal of a large ash tree with Ash die-back disease. South West Water and WPD diversions beside the lane from Rosedene to Bosrowynek are likely to be delayed until the end of October.
Other enabling works taking place during September include constructing the main site compound close to the Park and Ride and creating a smaller compound adjacent to the Interim Link Road. This will involve placing temporary cabins and establishing materials storage areas.
A licence has been secured from Natural England permitting the closure of a series of inactive badger setts to avoid occupation during the ongoing works. Works have been scheduled to install badger netting and erect temporary boundary fencing.
Archaeological site investigations are also due to take place during this period subject to approval of the archaeological planning condition.
If approved, this is due to be carried out in two parts:
Area A (in the first part of the week beginning 5th September)
Area B ( currently due to begin on 8 September)
Once we receive confirmation that the planning conditions for the road have been discharged, work will be carried out to clear vegetation around the Interim Link Road site along with some water main diversionary works.
