Residents near greenbelt land in Knowsley have spoken of their anger over plans to install a dropped kerb to improve access.
The objections were raised after a planning application was submitted to Knowsley Council earlier this year for permission to install the kerb and remove hedging to make permanent a track installed several years ago to allow vehicle access to the land on Cronton Road.
According to a report produced by local authority officers ahead of a planning meeting due to take place today, June 8, a total of 11 objections were received by residents alarmed at the plans.
Several related to safety concerns, with one person stating they had been “almost killed” while travelling by bike along the stretch of road the previous year.
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Another opponent said: “The access and track are in an unsafe location just after a bend and would be dangerous to pedestrians and road users” citing additional traffic pressures brought about by new housing developments in the area currently under construction.
One said the creation of a new entrance along the stretch would be a “a mistake” adding they “cannot comprehend that it is being considered.”
Other concerns raised related to the greenbelt status of the land, with one objector saying: “The owner only wants access to park vans, trailers and building materials and eventually build on the greenbelt land.”
Concerns were also raised about a pre-existing access track on the site, which objectors said was “illegally” being used for access to a housing development under construction and had let to rubbish being dumped on the land.
Others said it was unclear why the access would be needed, adding that “no purpose” had been stated in the application, while others expressed concerns it would erode the greenbelt protections the site currently has and pave the way for further housing development.
Addressing the objections raised, planning officers stated that the proposed track and access were “not urbanising” and wouldn’t interfere with the land’s greenbelt status.
Officers said the existing track had been laid several years ago during the construction of the neigbhouring houses.
The reporn otes that the access point as it currently stands “suffers from a significant lack of visibility to the east” with multiple reports of near misses and a collision near the site in recent years.
Officers suggested a wider visibility spay – to ensure drivers can see what is coming into the road they are accessing – than is usual for 30mph roads in order to mitigate some of these concerns.
Responding to concerns over the reason for creating the access road, officers said there had been no indication attempts would be made to build houses at the site, but that if such a proposal emerged, residents would be informed during the planning application process.
Recommending approval of the plans, the report stated the access and track, is “appropriate in this greenbelt location and does not have an unacceptable impact on environmental, highway safety or amenity issues” subject to the conditions recommended by officers.
Members of Knowsley Council’s planning committee will meet this evening at Huyton Municipal Buildings to decide whether to accept the officer recommendations and approve or reject the plans.
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