The Cabinet considered the report of the Head of Regeneration and Housing which provided details of the progress of the A565 North Liverpool Key Corridor Major Scheme which included the proposed dualling of the A565 Derby Road from the junction of Millers Bridge (in Sefton) to Bank Hall Road (in Liverpool) and associated cycle improvements on Derby Road and sought approval for the scheme. The report also sought a contribution from the Capital Programme in order to draw down funds from the Liverpool City Region Growth Fund and approval for officers to begin negotiations with the landowners affected by the scheme.
Decision Made: That:
(1) the progress of the A565 North Liverpool Key Corridor scheme be noted;
(2) the proposed scheme layout set out Appendix A of the report be approved;
(3) the Draft Memorandum of Understanding between Sefton Council and Liverpool City Council governing the delivery of the project be approved;
(4) the Council be recommended to approve the inclusion of this scheme in the Capital Programme 2016/17 as a priority against available resources;
(5) Sefton Officers begin negotiations with affected landowners with a view to acquiring the necessary land and associated rights to facilitate the delivery of the scheme in advance of the Cabinet approving the necessary Compulsory Purchase Order(s) at a future meeting;
(6) the Head of Housing and Regeneration in consultation with the Head of Regulation and Compliance be authorised to negotiate and enter into agreements with interested parties with a view to agreeing terms for the purchase by agreement or payment of compensation for the purchase of any interest or rights over land included in the proposed scheme areas, including, where appropriate, compensation for disturbance and arrangements for relocation and to complete purchases and land transfers and pay compensation in accordance with agreement; and
(7) authority be granted for the Section 151 officer to sign off the Outline Business Case based on the best estimates contained within the report.
Reasons for Decision:
Liverpool City Council, as the scheme’s sponsor, had determined a programme for delivery of the scheme to link with other proposed Key Corridor works within and around the city centre. They had also committed to achieving indicative spend targets of the Growth Fund within 2016/17 and 2017/18. In order to achieve the programme, the City Council had determined that Compulsory Purchase Orders would need to be served on affected properties along the corridor in November 2015. As such it was necessary to complete further consultation with affected owners to determine any details missing from the land referencing exercise completed to date and to begin negotiations over land value.
Liverpool City Council had taken a report to their Cabinet on 7 August 2015 to seek approval for the scheme, to confirm the City Council’s financial contribution to the project and to seek approval for negotiations with landowners within Liverpool.
It had been proposed that both Sefton Council and Liverpool City Council would bring further reports to their respective Cabinets to seek approval for the serving of Compulsory Purchase Orders.
Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:
The scheme could be delivered as two separate projects, one in Liverpool and the other in Sefton. However, it was clear that the traffic management and control measures necessary for each separate scheme would impact greatly on traffic movements within the neighbouring district and as such, the adjacent works would need to be very carefully programmed and managed.
It was considered sensible, therefore, as over 80% of the project is within Liverpool, and that they submitted the original project to the Liverpool City region, as the project sponsor, that the project should be delivered by Liverpool as one scheme, albeit phased to minimise disruption.