Skip to main content
Find a National Infrastructure Project

Beta This is a beta service - your feedback will help us to improve it

Advice to Rachel Lawton

Back to list

Enquiry

From
Rachel Lawton
Date advice given
13 June 2014
Enquiry type
Post

Re: Impact on Hilton with the proposed A14 improvement scheme

We live in a beautiful village with a Green which is acknowledged as one of the finest in the country. This area is quite rightly designated a conservation area to protect it from unsuitable developments- indeed we have to go through lengthy planning processes to change the design of our garden fence.

It is against this background that I find it baffling that we are in a situation where there is no public statement from our elected representatives on protecting this environment from a raised 6lane highway being constructed 800 metres away.

In addition the information we are being given as part of the 'consultation' process seems to have been of the 'back of a fag packet' variety. Questions asked of Jacobs (appointed by the Highways Agency to design the scheme) at the recent village meeting: How high will the carriageway be? Not sure Why is the carriageway raised when the current road is not? Don't know Why is the road coming closer to the village than was proposed on previous consultations? Don't know What pollution measures will be in place? Not sure...

We are being 'consulted' on a proposal that doesn't appear to have been completed. When the detail does appear I have a feeling that any attempt to influence will be met with the response that it is too late to make any changes. It appears that this scheme, for so long on the drawing board, seems to be being rushed through with some haste. Those paying the price for this haste will be the villagers of Hilton.

I would ask that you listen to the concerns of all of those living in this village and provide us with a voice at the decision making table to ensure that all of our concerns are addressed.

Advice given

Dear Ms Lawton Thank you for your letter addressed to Sir Michael Pitt regarding the proposed Cambridge to Huntingdon A14 improvement scheme. It has been passed to me, as the case manager, to respond. This proposal is currently at the pre-application stage. As you are aware, the Highways Agency is currently consulting with local communities and prescribed consultees on their proposal in accordance with the duties which the Planning Act 2008 (as amended) places upon them. I am unsure as to whether you have responded directly to the Highways Agency with your comments, as the Highways Agency will be under a duty to take account of relevant responses. The closing date for this consultation period is 15 June 2014. It is at the developer?s discretion whether to accept any representations after that date. As your letter raises concerns with the consultation being carried out you may also wish to send a copy of your correspondence to the relevant local authority for this area. When the application is submitted to The Planning Inspectorate, local authority consultees will be invited to provide their comments on the adequacy of the developer?s consultation detailing whether the developer complied with their consultation duties in accordance with the Planning Act 2008. Following the submission of the application, a decision will be made within 28 days as to whether the application can be accepted for examination. In deciding whether or not to accept an application the Planning Inspectorate must, amongst other matters, have regard to any adequacy of consultation representation received by it from a local authority consultee. If the developer is deemed to have adequately carried out their pre-application duties and the application is accepted for examination, there will be the opportunity to register your views with The Planning Inspectorate and participate in the examination by completing a relevant representation form. Details about how and when to register will be publicised by the developer. Please note that you are unable to register as an interested party during the current (pre-application) stage of the process for this proposal. Further information about how to participate in the application process can be found in our advice notes. I have enclosed two advice notes which may be of particular interest. If you have any further queries, please don?t hesitate to contact us.