Agenda item

Cabinet received a report, as well as confidential appendices (considered in private session) and was informed that HS2 had agreed to provide funding towards the dual carriageway South East Aylesbury Link Road (SEALR) Phase 2 project.  The level of funding equated to the amount it would have cost HS2 to construct the same 450m length as a single carriageway, including the roundabout at the B4443 Lower Road junction.  The funding excluded the roundabout junction to the South West Aylesbury Link Road (SWALR) as HS2 would not have delivered this as part of their Stoke Mandeville Relief Road.

The South East Aylesbury Link Road (SEALR) project proposed the construction of approximately 1.7 kilometres of dual carriageway including 3 new roundabout junctions.  The project was being delivered as one project but in two phases. The new road would join the A413 Wendover Road with the B4443 Lower Road (SEALR Phase 1) and the B4443 Lower Road to a new roundabout junction (Phase 2) with the Stoke Mandeville Relief Road (SMRR) and the South West Aylesbury Link Road (SWALR).

Both phases of the SEALR formed part of the Aylesbury Orbital Link Road, with the delivery of both phases of the SEALR completing a significant portion of the Aylesbury Orbital Link Road.  SEALR Phase 2 had originally been designed by HS2 as a single carriageway road with no roundabout connection to the SWALR and would have formed part of the SMRR which was to be delivered by HS2. The funding and delivery agreement was the method for HS2 and Buckinghamshire Council to agree that Buckinghamshire Council would deliver Phase 2 as a dual carriageway with a roundabout connection to SWALR.  Plans on the Cabinet report showed the latest preliminary design of SEALR Phase 2.

HS2 have agreed to part-fund SEALR Phase 2 subject to a number of conditions, as detailed in the report. The funding would cover the amount it would have cost HS2 to fund SEALR Phase 2 as a single carriageway with no roundabout.  In addition, HS2 would be providing funding towards a roundabout that they would have delivered on Lower Road.  Within Buckinghamshire Council, the Lower Road roundabout was part of the SEALR Phase 1 scheme, and therefore monies would be appropriately allocated based on the budget agreed with the Shadow Executive in January 2020.

Members were informed that that significant negotiations had taken place between the Council and HS2 over a period of months.  Further details pertaining to the negotiations were detailed at Confidential Appendix A.  The HS2 funding and delivery agreement was detailed at Confidential Appendix B.

Whilst the funding and delivery agreement did not require the Council to deliver the scheme, the funding was provided to cover part of the costs of delivery and the terms of the agreement ensured that release of the HS2 funding element would be subject to the scheme being delivered within the projected timescales and to the design agreed in the agreement.  There was scope within the agreement to agree changes however the Council could not use the funding if the scheme was not delivered.  A Cabinet Member decision had been taken by the Leader of the Council in March 2021 giving delegated authority to proceed with preparing and submitting a planning application, progressing a detailed design, and beginning land negotiations for SEALR Phase 2.

RESOLVED –

(1)               That the funding and delivery agreement from HS2 for the SEALR Phase 2 project and the SEALR Phase 1 Lower Road roundabout be accepted.

(2)               That the recommendations on the previous Leader decision on 19 March, 2021, to submit the SEALR Phase 2 planning application when completed be noted.