LANE FAMILIES ARE BRACED FOR MORE ‘TRAFFIC, NOISE AND RISK’
Housing developer wants to extend use of ‘temporary haul road’
PLANS to extend the use of a temporary road on a housing development are expected to be approved.
St Modwen is building 118 homes on land off the Blythe Bridge bypass.
The developer was given permission for a temporary ‘haul road’ giving access to the site from Woodlands Lane, which was opposed by residents.
It was only supposed to be used until a new junction was constructed as a permanent entrance to the Blythe Vale development.
But despite this entrance now being in place, St Modwen has applied for permission to keep the haul road in use for a further five years.
However, the initial application has been modified to mean traffic will no longer access it via Woodlands Lane, following complaints from residents.
The land is southeast of the A521 Uttoxeter Road, just off the A50 roundabout.
Members of Staffordshire Moorlands District Council’s Planning Applications Committee will discuss the matter at a meeting today.
A report prepared for the committee states: “Planning permission was granted for a temporary haul road from Woodlands Lane to provide for construction traffic whilst the new junction and spine road were constructed.
“A further permission to extend the time limit for use and removal of a temporary haul road to allow construction work be completed on the approved residential access road was also subsequently granted.
“Work has progressed rapidly on site and a significant number of units are now completed on phase one. The traffic light junction has been installed and the spine road has been constructed.
“The current application as originally submitted was to retain the access from Woodlands Lane, and to slightly re-position the haul road within the field through which it runs.
“However, this raised significant local objection and objection from the highway authority as the new traffic light access is now in place. The developer has therefore amended the scheme so that the road is now accessed from the new junction and spine road.
“The haul road would enable the development of the site in accordance with adopted and emerging local plan allocations and extant planning permissions and is thus acceptable in principle.”
Residents living in Woodlands Lane objected to the original application to extend the use of the temporary road.
Paul Meredith said: “The residents of Woodlands Lane deserve better than this. They were there first and it is improper for SDMC to commit them to more traffic, noise and risk by approving this application.
“The residents of Woodlands Lane deserve the same consideration as the new residents in the new homes.”
William Marsden, owner of the Chandni Cottage and B&R Motors sites, said: “It is with dismay that yet again I am having to complain about St Modwen’s use of Woodlands Lane.
“In 2018 when the first application was submitted we were assured that when the new entrance to Blythe Vale was open, the use of Woodlands Lane would no longer be required, but here we are again with another planning application.”