City Development Committee - 25/03/2002

At a MEETING of the PLANNING AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 25th March, 2002.

 

Present:-

 

COUNCILLORS

 

Lord Provost John R LETFORD

Joe FITZPATRICK

Fraser MACPHERSON

George de GERNIER

Bruce D MACKIE

Jim BARRIE

Helen WRIGHT

Roderick A J WALLACE

Julia M STURROCK

Betty WARD

Kenneth J N GUILD

Neil GLEN

Neil I C POWRIE

Derek J SCOTT

Elizabeth F FORDYCE

Ian BORTHWICK

Dave BEATTIE

Fiona M GRANT

Robin PRESSWOOD

Willie W SAWERS

Mervyn J ROLFE

Richard BEATTIE

C D P FARQUHAR

David BOWES

 

Councillor PRESSWOOD, Convener, in the Chair.

 

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 25th February, 2002 was held as read.

 

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

 

I KINGSWAY EAST AND LONGTOWN ROAD AREA TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT ALTERATIONS

 

There was submitted Report No. 120-2002 by the Director of Planning and Transportation detailing proposed improvements to road safety at the Kingsway East/Longtown Road junction and residential traffic circulation in that part of Mid Craigie.

 

The Committee approved the preparation of the necessary Traffic Regulation Order to close one of the gaps in the central reservation in Kingsway East and to vary the one-way arrangements in Longtown Road in conjunction with alterations to the road layout.

 

II CYCLING, WALKING AND SAFER STREETS (CWSS) PROJECTS COMMENCING 2002-2003

 

There was submitted Report No. 149-2002 by the Director of Planning and Transportation seeking Committee approval for a programme of works for the year 2002-03 funded from additional capital consent ring fenced by the Scottish Executive Cycling Walking and Safer Streets (CWSS) projects.

 

The Committee agreed to:-

 

(a) approve the proposed programme of works for the year 2002-03; and

 

(b) adopt the criteria for identifying suitable CWSS schemes as policy for future years.

 

III ROADS MAINTENANCE ANNUAL TENDERS FROM 1ST APRIL 2002 TO 31ST MARCH 2003

 

There was submitted Report No. 173-2002 by the Director of Planning and Transportation detailing the Annual Tenders submitted by contractors from the Road Maintenance Annual Contracts section of Dundee City Council's Current Select Tender List of Contractors - Building and Engineering Works.

 

The Committee agreed to approve acceptance of the Road Maintenance Annual Tenders for the period of 1st April, 2002 to 31st March, 2003 submitted by Contractors from the Roads Maintenance Annual Contracts section of Dundee City Council's Current Select Tender List of Contractors Building and Engineering Works as detailed in the appendix to the report.

 

IV PUBLIC TRANSPORT BID 2001 (PTF) BRINGING CONFIDENCE INTO PUBLIC TRANSPORT

 

There was submitted Report No. 184-2002 by the Director of Planning and Transportation updating the Committee on progress made on the abovementioned project.

 

The Committee agreed to:-

 

(a)approve the select tender list of three Consultants to be invited to tender for Project Management Services on this project, to be assessed using the quality/price framework detailed in the report; and

 

(b)approve this evaluation process in order that the appointment of the successful Consultant be progressed with the successful tenderer being confirmed at the April Committee.

 

V PARTNERING AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE DUNDEE PARTNERSHIP AND THE GEDDES CENTRE, UNIVERSITY OF DUNDEE FOR THE GEOGRAPHIC SOCIAL INCLUSION PARTNERSHIPS (SIPS) 1 AND 2

 

There was submitted Report No. 65-2002 by the Director of Planning and Transportation providing a brief background to the monitoring and evaluation activities associated with Dundee Geographic SIPs 1 and 2, and seeking approval of the Partnering Agreement detailed in the report.

 

The Committee agreed to approve the new Partnering Agreement as detailed in the report.

 

VI DRAFT TAYSIDE AREA WASTE PLAN

 

On a reference to the minute of meeting of the Environmental and Consumer Protection Committee of 18th March, 2002 there was submitted Joint Report No. 189-2002 by the Directors of Planning and Transportation and Environmental and Consumer Protection outlining the provisions of the Draft Area Waste Plan for Tayside, and seeking agreement of the Committees to the publication of the draft plan for consultation purposes.

 

The Committee:-

 

(a) agreed the terms of the Draft Area Waste Plan for consultation

 

(b)remitted the Directors of Environmental and Consumer Protection and Planning and Transportation to report the Finalised Area Waste Plan to the Committees for joint approval in due course.

 

VII DUNDEE LOCAL PLAN REVIEW: HOUSING LAND SUPPLY ISSUES

 

There was submitted Report No. 190-2002 by the Director of Planning and Transportation providing a background to the Committee on housing land supply issues to inform the Committee of the Dundee Local Plan Review process.

 

The Committee agreed to note the content of this Report as background to the preparation of the Dundee Local Plan Review and in particular, the allocation of housing land within the strategic context set by the Finalised Dundee and Angus Structure Plan.

 

VIII PLANNING RESEARCH CONFERENCE

 

It was reported that the University of Dundee was hosting the above Conference in Dundee and had sought assistance from the Dundee Partnership. The City Council, in conjunction with Scottish Enterprise Tayside had agreed to provide a sum to a maximum of 1,500.00 to assist with bus hire and some lunches, the partnership was also contributing Conference packs and the City Council, via the offices of the Lord Provost would host a Civic Reception for the delegates on Monday, 8th April.

The Committee agreed to contribute to this Initiative to a maximum sum of 1,500 to be met from the revenue estimates for the Planning and Transportation Department for 2002/03.

 

IX SECONDMENT OF STAFF - SOCIAL INCLUSION PARTNERSHIPS

 

It was reported that a member of the Planning and Transportation Department had been selected to continue on a full time secondment to the Geddes Centre of Planning Research, School of Town and Regional Planning, University of Dundee.

 

It was noted that the secondment was an integral part of a Partnering Agreement between Dundee Partnership and the University covering the period 2002-2006 and that the arrangement achieved the Scottish Executive requirements in an approach that builds on the comprehensive monitoring and evaluation framework for the Partnership's original Priority Partnership Area and Regeneration Programme, its extension into SIP 1 and SIP 2 and the recent national evaluations, and the broader overview of community regeneration in the city.

 

It was further noted that the secondment, which is subject to annual review would be required to meet the enhanced requirements of the SIP1 and SIP2 monitoring and evaluation, and project monitoring requirements, detailed in the Partnering Agreement and that the secondment would continue to strengthen and support the Council's commitment to and involvement in social inclusion and Social Inclusion Partnership.

 

The staff costs for the secondment would continue to be met by the Planning and Transportation Department.

 

The Committee agreed to approve the abovementioned arrangements and the secondment.

 

X CLAVERHOUSE AMBASSADOR ROUTE - CONTRIBUTION TO DIRECTOR OF HOUSING

 

It was reported that following completion of the Riverside and Claypotts Ambassador Route environmental improvements, the Dundee Partnership was proposing to implement the Claverhouse Ambassador Route over the next two years, 2002/2004. Stage 1 of these works, Forfar Road from Emmock Road to Kingsway would be carried out in financial year, 2002/2003 as this was an important approach to the City. The Director of Housing would carry out environmental improvement works at the Mill o' Mains housing estate, as reported by the Director of Planning and Transportation to a special Housing Committee on 28th January.

 

Mill o' Mains estate has a frontage onto the Claverhouse Ambassador Route, Forfar Road. The standard of design for Ambassador Route frontages is higher than that normally carried out for housing estate road frontages. Discussions had been held with the Housing Department and it had been provisionally agreed that the works to the frontage of the Claverhouse Route at the Mill o' Mains section could be carried out to the Ambassador Routes standard for a contribution of 14,000 to the Housing Department's budget for their works, next financial year, this contribution to be met from the Planning and Transportation Department's Ambassador Routes' financial plan for 2002-2003.

 

The Committee agreed to approve the abovementioned proposal.

 

XI THE FUTURE OF SCOTLAND'S WATERS - PROPOSALS FOR LEGISLATION

 

Reference was made to Article IV of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 24th September, 2001 whereby details of the Scottish Executive's first Consultation Document "Rivers, Lochs and Coasts" were reported to the Committee.

 

It was reported that as a result of the first round of consultation, the proposal to establish three River Basin Management Districts had been revisited and the Executive was now proposing to identify one river basis district covering all Scottish waters (with additional arrangements for cross border catchments).

 

The Committee agreed to advise the Scottish Executive that the Council supported this change and did not intend making any major representations on the contents of the second consultation report; however, the undernoted points should be conveyed as worthy of consideration at this stage:

 

(a)The Council considered it appropriate for Sub River Basins Plans to coincide with city regions proposed as part of the Executive's Review of Strategic Planning; and

 

(b)Only those strategic land use aspects of River Basin Management Plans and Sub-Plans should be accommodated in Structure Plans, with detailed land use planning considerations accommodated in Local Plans.

 

XII PURCHASE OF PAVING MATERIALS FOR THE STOBSWELL JUNCTION IMPROVEMENTS

 

Reference was made to Article V of the minute of meeting of the Planning and Transportation Committee of 29th October, 2001, whereby the Committee approved the road traffic proposals for the North East Corridor. As part of the road traffic proposals for the North East Corridor, the main route into the city from the north would be re-aligned from Forfar Road/Albert Street to Forfar Road/Dura Street. This re-alignment, the Stobswell Junction Improvement, would be achieved by physically reshaping the current road junction of Forfar Road/Albert Street to deflect commuter and freight traffic down Dura Street to increase the shopping and residential amenity of Albert Street.

 

The Stobswell Junction Improvement works were scheduled to commence in October 2002 and a sum of 40,000 had been identified from the Planning and Transportation Department Capital Budget 2001/2002 (North East Arterial Route) to allow the pre-purchase of "Courtstone" paving slabs for the Stobswell Junction Improvements. The use of the "Courtstone" paving slabs would increase the aesthetic and material quality of the paving to this prominent location as the slaps replicate the appearance of Caithness stone paving and the slabs would be stored on the security ring-fenced Princes Street compound until works commence.

 

In view of the urgency of confirming the pre-purchase, approval was given for the pre-purchase of paving materials as outlined above by the Director of Planning and Transportation in consultation with the Convener of the Planning and Transportation Committee and Spokespersons from the Majority and Minority Opposition Groups.

 

The Committee noted accordingly.

 

XIII APPLICATION FOR CONSTRUCTION CONSENT/PUBLIC ROADS

 

(a) Application for Construction Consent

 

The Committee agreed to approve the undernoted application subject to conditions which had been agreed with the applicant.

 

Location

Applicant

Revenue Implication per Annum

 

 

 

Barrack Street, Dundee

(CC02/08)

Director of Support Services

Nil

 

(b) LIST OF PUBLIC ROADS

 

The Committee agreed that, on the satisfactory completion of these roads, and if so requested by the applicants that it be entered on the List of Public Roads for the purposes of management and maintenance in terms of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984, the revenue implications arising from the routine maintenance of these carriageways, footways and street lighting at the current rates shown in the right hand column.

 

XIV DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL (ARBROATH ROAD, DUNDEE) (CYCLE ROUTES) ORDER 2002

 

Reference was made to Article VI of the Planning and Transportation Committee of 29th October, 2001 whereby the Committee instructed and authorised the preparation of an Order to increase accessibility and to improve safety for cyclists in Arbroath Road.

 

It is reported that the Order was duly prepared and advertised in the Dundee Courier and Advertiser and The Edinburgh Gazette, and the relevant statutory undertakers were consulted. No objections were received.

 

The Committee agreed to authorise and confirm the Order, and authorised formal publication of the confirmation, after which the Order would become operative.

 

XV DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL (HIGH STREET AND REFORM STREET, DUNDEE) (EXEMPTION FOR WEDDING VEHICLES) ORDER 2002

 

Reference was made to Article XXII of the minute of meeting of the Planning and Transportation Committee of 25th June, 2001 instructing and authorising the preparation of an Order to enable vehicles carrying wedding parties to wedding ceremonies in the City Chambers to gain access to High Street and exit via Reform Street.

 

It was reported that the proposed Order had been duly drafted and during the statutory consultation period an objection was received from the Chief Constable on the grounds of the increased threat to pedestrian safety.

 

Having considered the objection, the Committee nevertheless agreed to authorise publication of the Order as drafted but agreed that it be remitted to the appropriate officers to make alternative arrangements in the event of conflict with any other City Centre events.

 

XVI BAXTER PARK SUBURB STUDY

 

Reference was made to Article VIII of the minute of this Committee of 28th January, 2002 whereby approval was given to the appointment of EDAW (Glasgow) as consultant for the Baxter Park Suburb Study to carry out Stage One of the approved brief. Further to the Committee approval EDAW were formally engaged to commence the study on the 8th February, 2002.

 

It was reported that the Consultants had recommended that the Study be called the Stobswell Neighbourhood Regeneration Framework Study, that the EDAW Consultant Team undertaking the study would be amalgamated into Robert Turley Associates (Urban Design/Planning Consultants) due to the EDAW Glasgow office closure. The payment of all invoices for the Stobswell Neighbourhood Regeneration Framework Study would be payable to Robert Turley Associates (Glasgow).

 

The Committee noted accordingly.

 

 

 

 

ROBIN PRESSWOOD, Convener.