‘I DON’T WANT US AS THE COUNCIL TO HAVE BLOOD ON OUR HANDS’
More than 100 campaigners lose fight over access changes
ACCESS changes for a controversial housing development have been approved – despite more than 100 objections from campaigners.
Stoke-on-trent City Council originally rejected the proposals for 227 new homes on fields north of Meadow Lane, Trentham, but the decision was overturned last year following a planning appeal.
Now Barratt Homes has proposed changes to the entrance and exit junction of the site at Meadow Lane and Longton Road, which require a change to a condition previously imposed by the Planning Inspectorate.
At a meeting this week, the council’s planning committee was told that minor changes were proposed, which would widen the junction to improve access for larger vehicles.
The changes were put forward following discussions with the council, and include repositioning of paving and moving the proposed traffic island closer to Longton Road to improve pedestrian visibility at the junction.
But an objector from campaign group Keep Our Meadow Green (KOMG) , which has been fighting the development plans since 2015, questioned the safety of the proposals and called for more evidence to be put forward before a decision was made.
Ward councillor Rachel Kelsall, left, who also spoke at the meeting, said: “We’re not looking to overturn the appeal – this is a different battle.
“Today is about taking the time to adjourn and scrutinise the so-called evidence that should have been submitted previously, which in my humble opinion appears to be absent.
“In the interests of safety, I feel that the ‘what-if’ scenarios are missing – this is why we need to adjourn.
“I don’t want us, as a local authority, to have blood on our hands if an accident takes place.”
In total, 106 objections were submitted to Stoke on Trent City Council.
Objectors said the proposals did not decrease the likelihood of collisions and that parents, children and wheelchair users would be at increased risk due to the changes.
Committee members voted unanimously to approve the proposed changes after hearing that the original junction layout would go ahead instead if they refused permission for the latest application.
Councillor Dave Evans said: “It is a better junction than the one that is already approved.
“I don’t see how deferring it would help in any way because they have an approval and they can start – it would be cutting off our nose to spite our face.”
Councillor Andy Platt said:
“It seems to me to give a better turning circle and a better alignment for the tactile paving.
“The applicant has got permission to build the (previously approved junction) and could have started it weeks ago, but through discussion, has come up with a better option that has been negotiated with our officers.”