Planning Inspectorate
Please note that, although the letter refers to the decision of the Secretary of State, the Rt Hon Mark Harper has not personally been involved in this decision, which has in practice been allocated to and taken by the Minister of State for Transport, Hugh Merriman, but by law has to be issued in the name of the Secretary of State. Accordingly, the letter refers to the Secretary of State throughout.
The proposed scheme would provide a dual carriageway to improve the current Missing Link section of single carriageway of the A417 between Cowley roundabout and Crickley Hill.
The application was submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for consideration byNational Highways on 01 June 2021 and accepted for Examination on 29 June 2021.
Following an Examination during which the public,StatutoryConsultees andInterestedParties were given the opportunity to give evidence to the Examining Authority, recommendations were made to the Secretary of State on16 August 2022.
This is the119th NationallySignificant InfrastructureProject and 46th transport application to have been examinedby The Planning Inspectorate within the timescales laid down in the Planning Act 2008.
The Planning Inspectorates interim Chief Executive, Navees Rahman said:
The Planning Inspectorate has now examined more than 100nationally significant infrastructure projects since the Planning Act 2008 process was introduced, ensuringlocal communities, the local authority and other interested partieshave had theopportunity of being involved in the examination of projects that may affect them.
The Examining Authority listened and gave full consideration to all local viewsand the evidence gathered during the Examinationbefore making its recommendation to the Secretary of State.
The decision, the recommendation made by the Examining Authority to the Secretary of State for Transport and the evidence considered by the Examining Authority in reaching its recommendation are publicly available on theproject pages of the National Infrastructure Planning website.
Journalists wanting further information should contact the Planning Inspectorate Press Office, on0303 444 5004 or 0303 444 5005 or email: Press.office@planninginspectorate.gov.uk
The Planning Inspectorates National Infrastructure Programme of Projects details the proposals which are anticipated to be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate as a