Last nights planning meeting was a good night for the Lady Lane campaign group in their quest to see Lady Lane closed.
The campaign group have been angry that Lady Lane has remained open, despite the initial plans to have the road closed by 2000.
The Council recently submitted planning permission to keep Lady Lane open for several more years as a temporary access route to PS5 (Proposed new primary school by Lady Lane), and 150 new houses. The use of Lady Lane would allow the construction of the much needed school to be brought forward by three years.
Initially the Lady Lane campaign group opposed this planning application, feeling that had already waited long enough for the closure of Lady Lane. An extremely active campaign was organised, collected 300+ signatures to a petition, and 200+ letters of objection, which clearly showed the strength of feeling amongst the residents of Ash Brake.
Blunsdon and Haydon Wick Parish Council also planned to oppose the plans, argueing that their was no need for PS5, despite the over-whelming calls for one by the local residents.
During the run up to the Planning Meeting, myself (Councillor Justin Tomlinson) and the campaign group had numerous meetings with various departments at the Council and I was also able to meet with Crest Developers to put forward the concerns of the residents. The developers were sympathetic to the frustrations of the Lady Lane campaigners and offered to purchase a 10m strip of land on Lady Lane, and once the development was complete they would not release this land back to the Council, therefore making it impossible for Lady Lane to ever be re-opened as a road (regardless of whether the Council wished to do so), effectively offering light at the end of the tunnel for the long suffering residents. Also it is anticipated that within 18 months of construction commencing the construction traffic will be able to use Junction 6A haul route, which the developers will have ready.
Ultimately the Lady Lane campaign group were determined to not damage the chance of PS5 being built intime for September 2003, and they decided to oppose the plans would endanger this, and would also throw the development plans into chaos, and with it the Developers offer to purchase 10m of land. Therefore the group spoke passionatly at the Council meeting, outlining their concerns and frustration, but with the clause for the purchase of 10m of land they would support the plans. The members of the planning committee then voted the application through, despite the protests of Parish Councillor Colin China, who on behalf of Blunsdon and Haydon Wick Parish Council still claimed there was need to PS5.
The Lady Lane campaign group were delighted with the outcome, with all their hard work helping make a real difference, and finally the closure of Lady Lane is insight. The next few weeks are crucial as Blunsdon and Haydon Wick Parish Council will continue to scupper the plans for PS5 itself, which would wreck the whole plans, throwing everything back to square one.
This morning I spoke on Wiltshire Sound regarding the meeting, covering some of the background, and discussing the strength of feeling felt by the local residents and how they were delighted that the hard work had made a difference. Together we will now fight to make sure PS5 goes ahead, any further delays would be unacceptable.
If you wish to contact the Lady Lane campaign group, please call Sue Beazley on 727292.