PLANS FOR A £77.7M LINK ROAD DEBATED BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
Senior council officers say details are ‘commercially sensitive’
COUNCIL leaders have been quizzed over why an update on a £77.7 million link road project was given to elected members in a private meeting when plans have previously been released.
Stoke-on-trent City Council hopes to secure £64.9m of government funding for the City East Link Road, which would connect Bentilee with Hanley.
The project has been approved as a ‘core strategic infrastructure requirement’ for the city, and officers have been given the go-ahead to carry out work including preparing a business case and acquiring land.
Members of the council’s city renewal overview and scrutiny committee were given an update on the project, but members of the press and public were excluded from the meeting beforehand.
Councillor Alistair Watson, who represents the Joiners Square ward, said: “Can I ask why it is in private, considering the plans have been public for many years?
“If you don’t know where the road’s going to go there is not a lot to talk about – it’s not details, it’s plans.”
Phil Cresswell, director of housing, development and economic growth, responded by saying that discussions relating to land affected by the road could be ‘commercially sensitive’.
He said: “The road has been designed as a big map.
“Quite simply, the road goes through a lot of land in private ownership and it’s adjacent to a business.
“We are not in a position yet to finalise that detail to go to the public domain, therefore it’s commercially sensitive at this time.
“As soon as we have got that detail there will be full engagement and consultation on the plan.”
Previously released plans have included a main link road running between the A52 Leek Road, at its junction with Botteslow Street, and Dividy Road in Bentilee.
This would divert traffic away from the Lime Kiln lights, which is currently seen as a bottleneck. A southward spur has been proposed to connect to Dewsbury Road on Fenton Industrial Estate, but a potential link to Eaton Park has met with opposition from estate residents who fear it will create a rat run along Kettering Drive.
The council is currently awaiting the outcome of its bid to the government’s £3.5 billion Large Local Majors fund.