Agenda item

To consider the report of the Chief Planning Officer on the redevelopment proposals for Leeds Bradford Airport

(Report attached)

Further to minute 30 of the meeting held 3^rd September 2009, the Chief Planning Officer submitted a report on several matters which the Panel had requested be considered further

1)  Trigger figure to release Section 106 funding

2)  Travel Plan

3)  Mechanism for dealing with Plans Panel input into Chief Planning Officers decision making

Officers reported the following:

Trigger figure of 2 now proposed

• The mechanism for the release of £125k for mitigation measures up to 3.8 mppa had already been agreed however the trigger figure remained an issue last time. This had now been revised to 2:
• All of the year (except July and August) –  the 831 and 1332 flows shall not be exceeded on more than 2 occasions (excluding any Bank Holiday when background network traffic levels are also low or exceptional circumstances outside of the control of the airport).
• During July and August - a higher trigger figure of 914 and 1465 shall not be exceeded on more than 2 occasions. These figures equate to a 10% increase on the 831/1332 figures to reflect the lower background highway network figures in July and August. Airport traffic would have to significantly increase during these two months to have any adverse effect on the highway network.

The Panel discussed the following:

• Some Members preferred not to have any trigger figure and felt they still had not been provided with a technical explanation of where the trigger figure had been derived from or how to define the background level of traffic, nor a mechanism by which to define when congestion occurred
• Suggested a trigger figure of 1 in the morning and evening peak hours at any time of the year
• Requested that monitoring include network monitoring at the junctions near the airport to assess background traffic levels. LBIA could then provide evidence of whether the airport did cause increased traffic flows and could seek a review of the trigger figure if the evidence suggested the airport did not cause congestion. Members noted the background monitoring would have to be implemented at the commencement of the planning permission
• The Panel was minded to set the limits as 831 and 1332 all year round, with no altered limits for July/August or Bank Holidays. Members were however mindful of incidents beyond the control of LBIA but took the view it would be up to LBIA to provide evidence of the exceptional circumstances/occasions

The Chair noted the comments made by Panel so far and invited Mr Lapworth of LBIA to make a representation about exceptional circumstances. Mr Lapworth responded to the comments on exceptional circumstances such as fog and how LBIA could be expected to manage exceptions during the peak hours.

The Panel noted and accepted the comment of the Highways Officer that, if monitoring was being undertaken for a 12 month period on the traffic network, the LPA could take the opportunity to monitor exceptional occasions during that same period.

Travel Plan

Targets for journeys (by other than single occupancy vehicle) for airport company staff in annual stages had been set as:

• Not less than 10% by end 2010;

• Not less than 20% by end 2011;

• Not less than 30% by end 2012; and

The target for journeys (by other than single occupancy vehicle) for non airport company staff employed at the airport had been set as

• Not less than 20% by end of 2012

If those targets were not achieved at each stage an action plan would be required to be drawn up (within three months) to include measures to demonstrate how the target will be met within a further 3 months with a further survey undertaken at that point to demonstrate compliance. If the target was still not met a financial penalty would be imposed of £1000 per LBIA employee and £250 per non-LBIA employee up to a maximum of £70,000 per annum. The penalty could finance mini bus travel for all employees.

Response rates for the completion of a travel survey had been set:

35%  2010  }

40%  2011  } for the 235 LBIA employees

50%  2012  }

30% by 2012 for all non-LBIA employees working at the Airport

LBIA offered an alternative suggestion as outlined in para 3:6 of the report:

• All airport staff will be offered the opportunity for free access to existing bus

services to LBIA (Leeds, Harrogate and Bradford).

• All new business partners will be asked in their contracts to use all reasonable endeavours to encourage their staff into sustainable modes of transport.

• All new staff will be encouraged through their employment contracts to use all sustainable modes of transport wherever possible.

• There will be an increase in the number of priority car parking spaces for car

sharers.

Officers took the view that these were essentially measures which should

be employed to achieve the modal shift and not penalties for failing to meet targets.

Members went on to comment:

• The offer of free access to existing bus services was a good one, but should be viewed as a measure to achieve the target, not a penalty.
• A minibus service could be feasible for local staff
• Felt LBIA should be able to achieve a similar target to LCC for completing travel surveys – such as 50% by 2012
• Suggested that rather than wait for the end of the year to undertake the action plan, if the target had not been met it should be drawn up in the 3 months after the survey results were available.
• Referring to para 3:6, suggested that rather than staff being “encouraged” they should be “expected through their employment contracts to use all sustainable modes of transport” as new employees should be clear what was required of them
• A mechanism was required to stop LBIA employees parking on surrounding streets such as Traffic Regulation Orders which could be used to mitigate. Anecdotal evidence suggested that LBIA employees did park on Yeadon High Street and use the service bus to the Airport
• Members commented it was LCC policy to reduce the number of workers travelling to work by car per-sé, therefore shift patterns were not a factor for consideration

Members supported the financial penalty suggested in the report, however suggested the following amendments:

• The on street car parking to be an issue for the Steering Group to review
• The travel survey to be undertaken in September of each year and the 3 month review period to commence as soon as results collated
• Paragraph 3.6 of the report to be amended to provide clear stance to new employees on what’s expected of them

Steering Group

It was agreed at the last Panel that the recommendations of the Steering Group in relation to spending monies from the Section 106 contributions would be referred to Plans Panel West prior to the CPO making a decision. Any decision made by the CPO in relation to this matter would not be able to be referred to Scrutiny.

Mr Crabtree, the Chief Planning Officer, confirmed that any decisions would have due regard to any comments made by Panel.

RESOLVED – That the contents of the update report be noted and that in relation to the outstanding matters the following be agreed:

Terms of the trigger:

• A trigger figure of 1 be set excluding exceptional circumstances outside of the control of the airport where evidence was produced to justify and agreed (i.e. apart from the agreed exceptional circumstances monies would be payable of the limits of 831 am peak and 1332 pm peak are exceeded once 3.8 mppa is reached).
• Monitoring to include monitoring of the network to assess background traffic levels in order for LCC to assess whether the road network does have capacity at particular times to accommodate LBIA traffic without adversely impacting on the highway network.
• The background monitoring to be implemented at the granting of the planning permission
• The limits set as 831 and 1332 all year round, with no altered limits for July/August or Bank Holidays.
• Evidence of incidents beyond the control of LBIA to be collated over a 12 month period
• Possible review to take place of trigger figure after 12 months in the light of evidence of flows on the network and any issues arising

Travel Plan

• Travel survey completion target to be 50% by 2010 for LBIA employees
• The on street car parking to be an issue for the Steering Group to review
• Travel survey to be undertaken in September/October of each year and 3 month review period for production of action plan if target not met to commence as soon as results collated
• Paragraph 3.6 of the report to be amended to provide a clear stance to new employees on what’s expected of them

Steering Group – noted and confirmed the arrangements outlined at the meeting

(Councillors Andrew, Congreve and Wadsworth required it to be recorded that they abstained from voting on this matter as they had not attended the previous meetings where the application had been considered)