Agenda item

(To receive a report from Brendan Gallagher, Strategic Planning, which invites the Committee to consider and comment on the agenda for Planning for Strategic Infrastructure for Greater Lincolnshire)

Consideration was given to a report by the Principle Planning Officer, which invited the Committee to agree on the priorities for officers to develop and up-to-date evidence based infrastructure matters.

Members were referred to page 87 of the agenda pack, which provided a summary of the Council’s proposed £1 billion pipeline of infrastructure projects and the potential benefits of the projects.

The Principle Planning Officer recorded his thanks to the Greater Lincolnshire Partners who had helped and supported in the development of the planning for strategic infrastructure in Greater Lincolnshire so far.

In analysing the Greater Lincolnshire Economic plan, alongside the six local plans for districts across the County, Officers had identified 59 potential projects in the pipeline to be undertaken in relation to strategic infrastructure which had been placed on a scoring matrix to identify which projects would be prioritised.

The Principle Planning Officer was pleased with the plans that had been progressed despite the challenging circumstances faced as a result of the pandemic. Work would now be undertaken to address thematic gaps, two of which would include a digital infrastructure and health and care infrastructure; deliver a step change in the collaboration and our proactive engagement of partners and develop greater openness and sensitivity and the Council’s processes and methodology to ensure a greater sensitivity and awareness to longer term projects in order to be able to promote collective readiness to establish a comprehensive pipeline of projects.

Members were referred to Appendix A for a full list of projects. 

Members considered the report and during the discussion the following points were noted:

• The Committee welcomed investment for infrastructure projects in Grantham and supported partnership working between the County and District on the development of projects and were pleased to see that improvements to the A17 were a priority as many residents had to travel out of the area for employment.
• It was suggested that a second bridge for Gainsborough be considered as a possible project due to congestion and poor traffic flow throughout the town.
• It was clarified that the Gainsborough Green Grid was a series of cycle and pedestrian routes that would be greened.
• Documents such as the Greater Lincolnshire Economic plan had been used as a starting point to identify projects on an evidential basis.
• Members raised concerns with broadband issues not being considered as a priority despite causing significant issues for some areas across the County. The Principle Planning Officer advised Members that Officers would look to focus on the digital debate as a key focus for 2022.
• It was explained that the plan was a prioritised pipeline in which some projects had been prioritised for the short term as they had demonstrated a strong degree of strategic fit and deliverability. Members were invited to discuss any further queries they wished to raise with the relevant officer outside of the meeting. 
• Members commended the work of officers and hoped that the Council were successful in any future bids for grant funding.

RESOLVED:

1.      That agreement be given by the Committee to the priorities set out within the report;

2.      That the comments made by the Committee be noted.