Campaigners fighting controversial plans for a 107 homes estate in Whaley Bridge have learned that a second access road is being considered for the greenfield site, on a triangle between Macclesfield Road and Linglongs Road.
Members of the residents’ group Whaley Bridge Matters have been given 14 days by High Peak Borough Council planners to respond to ‘revisions’ to the developers’ plans. The final date for submission is Friday 18 July. Group chairman, Kevin Worthington, protested that residents may be away on holiday and asked for the 14 day cut-off to be extended to 28 days. Senior planning officer Jane Colley turned down the request, but said that people who had been away on holiday could send in their views later. She revealed that the plan, with any revisions, is expected to go to High Peak’s development control committee on 4 August.
The change to the plans would mean a one-way vehicle entry point into the estate off Macclesfield Road, further down from the Midshires Way using a gap between existing houses which was previously only planned to be a pedestrian access point. Campaigners say the pedestrian walkway at this location is particularly dangerous as the footpath is narrow with poor visibility down Macclesfield Road due to the blind bend. Children from a new estate would be crossing the busy road at this point.
The campaign says concerns previously raised by residents regarding the dangerous access between Macclesfield Road and Linglongs Road have not been taken into consideration where DCC Highways had previously recommended a right turn harbourage. There are serious safety issues as the western side of Linglongs Road does not currently have a footpath. Latest report from DCC Highways has recommended the width of Linglongs Road carriageway should be increased to 5.5m with 2.0m width footways to both sides. There are currently safety issues for residents exiting their driveways at the northern end of Linglongs Road due to the increased traffic flow which the latest application ignores.
Whaley Bridge Town Council will discuss this at the Planning Meeting on Wednesday 16th July, and members of the public may express any concerns during the Open Forum at the start of the Town Council meeting.
A spokesman for Whaley Bridge Matters said: “We were taken aback by this news about revisions. We are now urging members to make their views known on the changes, before the remaining days of the 14 day period expire. We believe that the extra traffic joining Macclesfield Road will create extra dangers.”
Details of the revised application (HPK/2014/0119) can be inspected at The Mechanics’ Institute, Whaley Bridge or online here – see last five reports. Comments and objections can be made in writing to Jane Colley, Senior Planning Officer, Planning Applications, High Peak Borough Council, PO Box 136, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 1AQ or by email to jane.colley@highpeak.gov.uk.
Further information can be found on Whaley Bridge Matters Facebook page.