Journal reports on Greg's Highways Agency motion (Greg Stone)

Journal reports on Greg's Highways Agency motion

March 1, 2007 12:00 AM

Newcastle Journal

1st March

Councillors in Newcastle are demanding the Government acts to stop the Highways Agency blocking new homes for the city.

A motion will be put to next week's city council meeting raising concerns over recent moves to obstruct development in riverside areas.

Members will vote on whether to lobby Government to clamp down on the Highways Agency's stance on homes which may add traffic to the A1 or A19.

It comes after the agency raised concerns that people moving into new houses planned for Walker and Scotswood may use the trunk roads.

Liberal Democrat councillor Greg Stone, who has tabled the motion, said last night: "Those are two of the flagship projects for delivery of sustainable communities in Newcastle that comply in significant respects with what the Government's asking us to do, and yet with no joined-up government, the Highways Agency is trying to block this.

"We see regeneration as a very important priority and we need to be able to bring forward projects to deliver more affordable housing and social housing, but we're being restricted.

"I want the Government to recognise the importance of the work that we're doing and take an active role in encouraging the Highways Agency to a more proactive stance on this."

His motion calls the agency's objections unjustified.

But a Highways Agency spokeswoman said: "Highways Agency has asked the local authority to involve us in the detailed planning process for housing developments at Walkerville and Scotswood.

"This allows for assessments to be made about whether or not plans could negatively impact on traffic flows on the A1.

"If Highways Agency is involved with developers and/or local authorities at an early stage in the planning process we are confident that mitigation can be found and that the need for formal objections can be avoided."

Coun Stone will also raise concerns about possible "re-profiling" of the Government's Decent Homes target, which could see renovations to council houses delayed by a year.

There are fears ministers could extend the timescale for getting homes up to scratch beyond the 2011 deadline.

John Lee, chief executive of Your Homes Newcastle, which manages the city's council housing, said: "We have written to the Department of Communities and Local Government requesting a quick decision.

"We remain committed to ensuring all council homes in Newcastle reach the Government's Decent Homes standard by the 2011 target."