Compulsory Purchase Orders submitted for £8.3m road improvement scheme
A total of 55 Compulsory Purchase Orders have been submitted by Bradford Council to proceed with an £8.3m scheme to improve the Greengates junction, comprising of land next to both Harrogate Road and New Line.
Approval from the Secretary of State for Transport now needs to be sought for the CPOs, which would see land including gardens and pavements around the junctions being purchased.
The total cost of the scheme, to improve the road network at the junction of Harrogate Road and New Line, is estimated to be in the region of £8.3m and is to be met from a combination of funding supported by West Yorkshire Combined Authority and section 106 payments. It is being programmed for delivery in 2021.
The funding for the scheme was awarded from the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) Growth Deal – a £1bn package of government investment to accelerate growth and create jobs across Leeds City Region. Alongside the funding from the Leeds City Region LEP Growth Deal, the scheme has also been funded by developer contributions.
A document outlining the CPO submission states: “The Council has been and is continuing to engage in negotiations with the landowners to purchase land and rights by agreement to ensure that all the land and rights required for the Scheme is available at the appropriate time.”
It continued: “All owners and occupiers with an interest in land have been approached to ask if they would be prepared to enter into negotiations with the Council for the purchase of their interest and/or grant of the rights needed. Detailed negotiations are taking place with a number of landowners and occupiers. Nevertheless the Council has concluded that acquisition by agreement is unlikely to occur in all cases within sufficient time to ensure that the programme for the construction of the Scheme is met.
“To ensure the Scheme is delivered, it is necessary for the Council to rely on the use of compulsory purchase powers as a last resort.”
The document shared details of two-way traffic surveys of 2016 which indicated that Harrogate Road carries 2,864 vehicles per hour in the morning peak and 2,939 vehicles per hour in the evening peak and New Line carries 2,624 vehicles per hour in the morning peak and 2,795 vehicles per hour in the evening peak.
The report added: “These statistics demonstrate that the capacity of the junction to cope with the current volume of traffic is inadequate.”
The council said that changes to the Harrogate Road and New Line Junction aim to reduce congestion by increasing the capacity of the road network, encourage sustainable modes of transport by improving the provision for cyclists and pedestrian and improve access to nearby transport hubs.
Consultation over the CPOs is underway and objections to the CPO must be submitted by 23 February.
