A31: Dorset
Transport
Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset and North Poole, Liberal Democrat)
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect of the A31 Canford Bottom Junction Improvement scheme on local businesses.
Stephen Hammond (Wimbledon, Conservative)
At the request of local representatives, additional assessments were undertaken to reduce potential impacts of the improvement at the A31 Canford Bottom junction on local businesses, both during the planning of the scheme and during its construction.
Extensive dialogue was undertaken with the local business community through the Wimborne Business Forum, which was convened at the beginning of the project. All members of the business community were invited and regularly attended a monthly forum chaired by the agency. A successful outcome of the forum was the detailed planning of the local road closures, which the agency then announced to all local businesses and the wider community via the agency's website and press releases. No assessment has been or will be made of business impact following the opening of the scheme. The scheme evaluation will be undertaken a minimum of 12 months after its opening but does not include the impact on local businesses. This is known as a Post Opening Project Evaluation and compares the scheme costs, benefits and other impacts predicted at the appraisal (pre-construction) stage with the ‘outturn’ effects (after completion). Further details are available on the Highways Agency website at:
http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/18348.aspx
Small business premises are an example of the type of property that can claim compensation under part 1 of the Land Compensation Act 1973. This compensation can be claimed by those who own and also occupy the property, if certain criteria are met and their property has been reduced in value by more than £50 by physical factors caused by the use of a new or altered road. Further details are available on the Highways Agency website at: