New route for access road will look better in the local landscape, say developers

PROPOSALS have been put forward to construct a new road to a housing development in Wetley Rocks.

A planning application has been submitted by JCM Group Holdings (UK) Limited for the construction of a replacement access road on land at the rear of the former St John’s School, in Mill Lane.

The application proposes an alternative road access to the one that was approved for the construction of six affordable homes on land at the rear of the former school.

A design and access statement submitted with the planning application said: “The approved scheme is served off a “wavy” road whose layout and length were dictated by the need to provide a less than one in eight gradient to achieve adoptable standards.

“This application proposes to relocate the road to an access further to the north and with a route that follows the northern boundary of the field, and then the western boundary. The application has been generated by local concern about the positioning of the approved access, and a wish to provide an access road that can be better assimilated into the local landscape.

“The application site forms part of the field to the east of the site that has recently been granted planning permission for the erection of six affordable homes. The field includes a hardcore farm track that has been laid between the proposed housing site and Main Road, roughly along the western and northern boundaries of the field. This track was formed with the benefit of a planning permission granted in 2002 and includes a large field gate at its junction with Main Road. This application proposes that this is converted into a permanent road access to the affordable housing development.

“The current planning permission for the existing road layout approves an access opposite 42 Main Road and about 80 metres north of the junction of Mill Lane. The nature of its layout gives the approved road a high profile in the landscape. While that may settle down in the future with the help of landscaping, it will in the meantime maintain an odd and heavilyengineered appearance which will be the main viewpoint for the public driving or walking past.

“The application proposes to relocate the access to the existing field gate near its northern boundary, in a position that has been approved in earlier applications. This access point does not face residential property on the opposite side of Main Road and will not, therefore receive the same concerns raised in the recently approved scheme.

“Given the greater distance between the proposed access and the junction of Main Road and Mill Lane, it will overcome local concerns that the approved access is too close to the Mill Lane junction.

“Visually, the proposed access road will sit in the landscape better with the use of fencing and hedging. This will be provided either side of the road and set slightly away from the road edge to allow drainage swathes.”

A decision is expected by planners within the next six weeks.