Minutes:
The Board considered a report of the Corporate Director of Regeneration Economy and Growth which provided a summary of the Stronger Town Funding – Outline Business Case - Eastern Sustainable Access Corridor.
The Town Investment Plan, developed and agreed by the Board and subsequently approved by Government, included a project to provide transport and parking infrastructure to facilitate a growth in tourism trips, linked to significant future investment in tourism development.
A range of potential transport infrastructure solutions across different modes and of varying scale had been identified, and subsequently assessed and sifted against a set of key criteria.
Following the options assessment process, the Eastern Sustainable Access Corridor (ESAC) scheme had emerged as the strongest individual option, and was the key to unlocking the development of the visitor attractions and programme of special events that would draw a projected 1.8m additional visitors per year to Bishop Auckland.
Included in the Government overall £33.2m STF award, there was a £15.7 million allocation for a transport/parking solution, with a further £5m match allocated from DCC.
The Business Case had been developed in accordance with the Department for Transport’s (DfT) Transport Business Case major guidance (2013). Further Levelling Up guidance was expected and any revisions required as a result could be made during the Business Case process.
The report provided details of the current road network and parking arrangements.
The success of the TAP tourism developments and special events were dependent upon ESAC, and the report included maps of the location of the attractions and events in relation to the ESAC route and proposed car parks.
The report also included details of projected visitor numbers, annually and daily, taking factors into account such as time of year, holidays, visitor attractions and special events.
Details of the scheme were listed in the report which included a footbridge linking to the Flatts Farm site. Discussions in respect of this were ongoing with the Environment Agency.
A preliminary cost estimate had been produced by the private sector which would be subject to change as the scheme progressed to delivery.
The economic benefits achieved would contribute to an initial High Value for Money BCR over 2.
Provisional timescales were set out in the report with construction and opening expected between April 2024 and March 2026.
Jonathan Gilroy noted that this was a very complex project. CLGU were due to meet with DfT the following week and he would provide feedback. He stressed the importance of being mindful of the 2026 deadline.
Jonathan Ruffer acknowledged the hard work that Craig MacLennan had put into the report over the Christmas period and expressed his appreciation. This was echoed by the Board.
Councillor Siddle asked if there was a Plan B to minimise the risk of the deadline not being met. Mark Jackson confirmed that governance arrangements were in place to ensure that the scheme progressed in line with the timescales. As referred to in the report a full sifting exercise of options had been undertaken and the alternatives to ESAC had not been viable. Once the Business Case had been signed off the Team would look at governance arrangements for project delivery to ensure that there was no slippage towards the 2026 deadline.
Graham Wood advised that to date the focus had been on the production of the Business Cases. Amended Guidance had recently been issued for Stronger Town Boards which addressed the change in focus from preparing Business Cases to project delivery. The proposed Board discussion about governance arrangements would include this. The Guidance would be appended to the minutes for information.
AGREED that
a) the Outline Business Case for ESAC, be approved and submitted to Government. It be noted that potentially the OBC maybe updated with new census data, amendments following advice from the DfT and potential modelling refinements.
b) the funding profile of £15,700,000 STF and £5,000,000 DCC match in the Outline Business Case, be noted.