Housing estate HGVs too big say villagers

IRATE residents say civils works for a new housing estate on their doorstep are making life hell.

Neighbours in and around the site off Wellbeck Avenue, Burbage, say they are reporting possible breaches of planning conditions for the David Wilson Homes site.

Among the issues they say they have recorded are lorries arriving before the agreed 8am start time, failures to keep to a one-way traffic management system and damage to streets and property.

John Greasley, a member of protest group Stop Wellbeck Houses, said the HGVs involved in the works were simply too large for the narrow village streets.

He explained a neighbour’s car had been hit by a construction lorry, while a roadside tree had also been damaged.

And he said the avenue itself was becoming potholed and pitted but not repaired properly with craters merely packed with rough stone.

John said: “The problems we are facing are basically those associated with a major construction site only being accessible via narrow residential streets. Our fears for the future are that the works haven’t even started in earnest yet - these are just the preliminary civils - and we have been told to expect up to 60 lorries a day. When this planning application went to appeal, we, the local residents, raised concerns about the construction traffic but they were ignored.

“We have a local action group Stop Welbeck Houses and we are in regular contact with the council and officers are trying to help us but they don’t seem to be able to do very much to stop the breaches we are witnessing and the disruption we are experiencing.

“We have not been able to get a contact within David Wilson Homes despite numerous requests. We have been complaining to their civils subcontractor Dab Engineering who are on site at the moment but they do not reply to our emails. I am assuming that David Wilson Homes have been made aware of the complaints.”

Homebuilder Rainier Properties, which has now gone bust, was originally refused planning permission to build up to 135 homes on the site which surrounds Sketchley House off the A5 in 2013.

Almost 100 objections were received from residents who argued the estate would destroy a lime tree wildlife corridor, cause noise pollution, congestion and impact on roads and amenities in Burbage.

Borough planning councillors agreed with the concerns but the decision was overturned by the Secretary of State following a successful appeal and outline planning permission was granted in November 2014.

Full permission was given in January to a slightly revised scheme for 123 homes consisting of 74 open-market properties and 49 affordable houses - more than double the required amount.

Plans include bulldozing number 11 and 13 Welbeck Avenue.

As part of a 106 agreement to counteract some of the affects of the estate - labelled The Spinney - David Wilson Homes is contributing more than £750,000 into community assets.

Nearly £334,000 will go towards primary schooling in the area, some £97,170 will be go to upgrade Burbage Surgery, £40,000 will go to policing and almost £2,000 is being invested in local libraries.

Other investments include nearly £30,000 to provide a free bus pass for each family home, £4,000 for a new bus stop, a new on-site children’s play area with £43,481 earmarked to maintain its upkeep and £750 to fund real-time travel information boards.

The properties should be complete by September.