Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, County Offices, Newland, Lincoln LN1 1YL

Contact: Steve Blagg  Democratic Services Officer

Items
No. Item

82.

Apologies/replacement members

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors N H Pepper and P A Skinner.

83.

Declarations of Members' Interests

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interests at this point in the meeting.

84.

Minutes of the previous meeting of the Planning and Regulation Committee held on 4 February 2019 pdf icon PDF 260 KB

Minutes:

RESOLVED

 

            That the minutes of the meeting held on 4 February 2019 be signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

85.

Traffic Items

86.

A1084 Brigg to Caistor, Proposed Speed Limit Alterations pdf icon PDF 301 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee received a report in connection with a request to reduce the proposed 50mph speed limit through Grasby to be reduced to 40mph for the length of the road shown in Appendix B to the report.

 

The report detailed the background to the request, the existing conditions, proposals and the objections received.

 

Councillor C L Strange, made the following comments in relation to the proposal:

·         It had been requested through objections received that the speed through the cross roads should be reduced to 40mph, ideally 30mph would be preferred but 40mph would be accepted.

A list of reasons for the proposed speed limit to be lowered had been submitted by Grasby Parish Council, which Councillor Strange reported as follows:

·         Grasby was the only village that this road directly passed through

·         Average mean speed was measured at 45mph and there was a history of accidents on the road.

·         Being a rural county, the side roads were used regularly by agricultural vehicles.  It was also noted that there was a very active primary school.

·         In 2017 a petition was submitted to LCC on behalf of 400 residents.

·         It was highlighted that Lincolnshire Highways did not put contour lines on maps, and it was reported that the cross roads had gradients of 1 in 4 and 1 in 5.

(Councillor C L Strange wished it to be noted at this point that he lived in Grasby)

·         The junction had a very steep hill to pull out on which made visibility difficult, but it was possible to see well when coming from the other direction.  This could be very dangerous when the road was wet or frosty.

·         Councillor A H Turner MBE, local Division Member, had asked that this reduction went ahead, as it was felt way to proceed.  The Parish Council was also supportive of this.  There was a need to make this road safer.

 

Members were provided with the opportunity to comment and ask questions on the information contained within the report and some of the points during discussion included the following:

·         It was a borderline case, but it was felt that the Committee should err on the side of caution when there was local support.

·         The accident rate for this road was 38 which exceeded the required rate of 35.

 

On a motion by Councillor C L Strange, seconded by Councillor Mrs M J Overton MBE it was –

 

RESOLVED (Unanimous)

 

That a reduction in the proposed 50mph speed limit through Grasby crossroads, shown at appendix B to the report, be approved and that the necessary consultation process to bring this into effect be pursued.

 

87.

B1201 Station Road, North Thoresby - Request for a Speed Limit Reduction pdf icon PDF 176 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee received a report in connection with a request for the reduction of the existing 30mph limit on the B1201 Station Road, North Thoresby, thus extending the current 30mph limit to the end of the densely populated area of Station Road, shown at Appendix and A and B of the report.  Investigations had indicated that this site was a 'Borderline Case' as defined within the Council's Speed Limit Policy.

 

The report detailed the background to the request and the proposals.

 

The following statement from the local member Councillor C E H Marfleet was submitted and read out at the meeting:

 

"Good Morning Committee members. I fully support the recommendation to go to consultation on reducing the speed limit from 40mph to 30mph on Station Road, North Thoresby.

This is one of the entrances into the village which is densely populated. The villagers and Parish Council have seek to reduce the speed for some time for safety reasons and to slow the traffic entering the village, with drivers currently entering the village at higher speeds than the current limit of 40mph. I very much welcome this and ask the committee to support the recommendation. Thank you Hugo"

 

It was confirmed that the mean speed for the road was 36mph.  It was also noted that there were around 100 speed limit requests to look at there were under consultation and investigation.  It was hoped to get this one in approximately six months.

 

On a motion by Councillor I Fleetwood, seconded by Councillor D McNally, it was –

 

RESOLVED (unanimous)

 

That the Planning and Regulation Committee approve the reduction in speed limit proposed so that the necessary consultation process to bring this into effect may be pursued.

88.

Stamford A1175 Uffington Road, Newstead Lane and Mill Lane - Proposed Speed Limits pdf icon PDF 23 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee received a report in connection with objections received to the proposed new 30mph limit and extension, and new 50mph speed limit at Stamford A1175 Uffington Road, Newstead Lane and Mill Lane.

 

The report detailed the background, existing conditions, proposals, consultation and objections received.  It was reported that three objections from residents had been received.

 

Comments made during consideration of the request included the following:

·         There was agreement regarding the comment about the visibility of signs.

·         It was noted that the 30mph section would be extended slightly, and one member commented that they would have preferred to it be extended further, but they would accept it.

·         It was not realised that it was a 60mph road as a member had not travelled above 50mph as it was not safe to do so.

·         One member commented that they had been lobbied on this for the last 12 years.

·         It was confirmed that a response had not been received from Stamford Town Council.

·         It was queried there would be an issue with too many changes of speed limit, and whether there would be an advantage if it was 30mph over a longer stretch.

·         In terms of whether the limit could be reduced to 40mph, members were advised that this would only be considered if it was a borderline case.

·         It was commented that 50mph would act as a useful reduction from the 60mph to the 30mph.  It was progress in the right direction.

 

On a motion by Councillor D Brailsford, seconded by Councillor I G Fleetwood, it was –

 

RESOLVED (unanimous)

 

That the Committee overrule the objections received and that Order as advertised be confirmed as proposed.

 

 

89.

Traffic Regulation Orders – Progress Review pdf icon PDF 103 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Consideration was given to a report which informed the Committee of the position on all current Traffic Regulation Orders and petitions received since the last report.

 

RESOLVED

 

That the report be received and the receipt of petitions be noted.

 

 

90.

Other Reports

91.

Monitoring of Operations at Biscathorpe Oil Exploration Site pdf icon PDF 195 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee received a report which set out the findings of inspection visits at the Biscathorpe oil exploration site carried out between 20 December 2018 and 13 February 2019.

 

Since the publication of the report an update had been received from Egdon about the success of operations at the site and Officers circulated a note summarising this to the Committee prior to the meeting.  The following was reported to the Committee:

·         Drilling on site had been completed and it had been found that the target reservoir rock was not as well developed as had been anticipated and the existing well was not commercially viable.

·         The company was considering whether to have the seismic data remodelled to establish whether the drilling of a side track from the existing well would be viable.  A decision on whether to 'plug, abandon & restore' the well or whether to apply for planning permission to drill a side track would be made by the company in the next three to six months.

·         Demobilisation of the site had commenced and it was anticipated that the rig would be removed from site by Friday, 1 March 2019.

·         It was expected that the site would be substantially cleared by 6 March 2019.  The only remaining items would be the access track on the B1225, the drilling pad and the security fencing that surrounded the compound.

·         A site monitoring visit would be carried out on 6 March 2019.  Providing no issues were identified or complaints received following the visit, it was proposed that site monitoring would resume the standard regime of two site monitoring visits per financial year until the site was restored.

 

The Chairman thanked the enforcement/monitoring officer for their regular site visits and requested that this be passed on to the team.

 

On a motion by Councillor I G Fleetwood and seconded by Councillor Mrs M J Overton MBE, it was –

 

RESOLVED

 

That the comments of the report and update presented be noted.

 

 
 
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