Officer Decisions (archive)

A minor amendment to the design of the Queen Street, Newton Abbot Enhancement scheme is proposed.

Under the original proposals, five in-ground trees were planned for installation on the northern footway between Albany Street and Courtenay Street. It is now proposed to amend provision as set out below:

• Retain two trees on northern footway, at the western and eastern extremes of Queen Street between Courtenay Street and Albany St, as ‘gateway’ features, provided in planter boxes.
• Relocate three trees to southern footway, provided in planter boxes.
• Provide double-headed flower poles x4 on northern footway and x2 on southern side, to complement trees.
• Provide additional bench on northern footway, close to Albany St junction.

The delivery of tree in planters will enable the provision of additional planting beneath the tree canopy.

This amendment is in accordance with the Devon County Council Cabinet resolution in July 2023, which gave approval for the design and construction of the scheme and under resolution (c): that the Director of Climate Change, Environment and Transport be given delegated powers in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Highway Management and Local Member, to make minor amendments to the scheme as required.

Approved

Under the original proposals, five in-ground trees were planned for installation on the northern footway between Albany St and Courtenay St. Following excavation of the footway, as part of scheme construction, contractors discovered extensive utilities/services that we not detailed on historic service plans. These services are at the level of the proposed trees pits. This would make provision of in-ground trees very challenging, as services would need to run through tree pits in most cases. Such an arrangement is extremely unlikely to be agreed with utilities companies.

The Cabinet Member for Highway Management and the Local Member have both been consulted.

Option 1) Progress with in-ground planting option – rejected due to programme risk, including uncertainty arising from the need to agree an approach with utility companies. Site supervisors have advised that such an agreement is unlikely to be reached.

Option 2) Remove provision of greening from scheme – rejected, enhanced greening is considered core to delivering transformational benefits are part of the wider scheme package.

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